Explore: Expo at 50
Anyone who has been to a Spokane-area yard sale or thrift store in the last 50 years has probably seen it.
The ash trays, tea cups, buttons and trinket trays from Expo ‘ 74 are ubiquitous, said Darcy Caputo, owner of FinnBoy Records, Books & Curio.
But now as the anniversary of the World’s Fair, that changed the face of Spokane, is upon the Inland Northwest, merchandise related to the original celebration and this summer’s recognition of Expo’s impact has garnered new interest.
A new line of apparel (for both humans and stuffed animals), local treats, stickers, buttons and other merchandise are available in the gift shop at Riverfront Park.
Vanessa Esparza, attractions and retail manager at the park, adjusted the hoodie on a stuffed moose one morning earlier this month as she prepared to open the shop.
The new array of merchandise has been popular, she said. The designs honor Expo ‘ 74 but with a modern twist.
“We definitely wanted to keep it more 2024,” she said.
A few designs by the Great PNW and local artist, Chris Bovey, hang throughout the shop, featuring icon’s of Spokane’s skyline that came with Expo.
Even some of the shirts with Expo designs are printed with Expo’s mission in mind. Expo was the first world’s fair focused on the environment. The T-shirts from All Made are created with recycled water bottles, Esparza said.
The merchandise has been popular often sold to customers sharing memories, she said.
“Oh, they’re telling us all their stories,” Esparza said.
Many long time residents talk about how Riverfront Park was an industrial area that wasn’t very inviting, she said.
“They’ve said all sorts of words,” she chuckled.
Most stories end with how important the fair was in creating the Spokane residents enjoy today, she said.
“It’s amazing to hear all the stories and just the community really come together and share in such a exciting part of our history,” Esparza said.
The story of Expo stuck with Josh Morrisey from the moment his parents first told him about the fair.
Growing up in Cheney, a visit to Riverfront Park was exciting for Morrisey.
“Ever since then, I was pretty fascinated with the idea of it,” Morrisey said. “Going to Riverfront Park as a kid and kind of thinking about like, wow, it’s crazy. Like this whole thing was a big fairground for the World’s Fair.”
As an adult, Morrisey began working at Atticus Coffee & Gifts just a block from Riverfront Park. Not long after, he began consigning the vintage Spokane post cards, bus tokens and Expo ‘74 trinkets he found around town.
When the White Elephant closed, Morrisey bought the store’s inventory of unsold Expo ‘74 trinkets.
Now, he sells what he finds at Boo Radley’s, next door to Atticus.
He has thousands of Expo maps along with hundreds of tea cups and trays stashed in his garage to be sold, but it’s the kookier Expo merchandise Morrisey continues searching for.
The Jim Beam decanter with a spout made from the Riverfront Park Clocktower is one of Morrisey’s personal favorites, he said. He had one for sale at Boo Radley’s earlier this month.
There was all sorts of odd merchandise, including inflatable seat cushions, pillow cases and foot shaped-trays and the ever elusive hot dog plate.
Owner of FinnBoy, Caputo, bought his first piece of Expo memorabilia from the White Elephant years ago.
An Expo guide magazine stuck with him because of the vintage ads, including one for Spokane’s first Taco Bell that touted the new chain as “bringing world flavors” to Spokane, Caputo recounted with a chuckle.
Much of the smaller merchandise, like maps, trays and tea cups, was mass produced, he noted.
Morrisey said a lot of niche Expo merchandise has shown up online in the last few months with anniversary celebrations under way, much of it marked up in price for the occasion.
For Morrisey, who now works for the City of Spokane Parks and Recreation Department, selling the merchandise is an ode to Spokane.
“Spokane is a scrappy little town, and we have our points of pride and I feel that Expo has always been one of those big points of pride,” he said.
Seeing people learn about Expo ‘74 “kind of blows my mind,” Morrisey said.
“It’s cool to see people learning about it … and getting excited about it.”