Origins of mom&pop
mom&pop 15
mom&pop #15! It’s been 2 years since I started this little passion project but the origins of mom&pop go much deeper. It all started in my own home almost 20 years ago when my parents, trying to help a friend agreed to store a large shipment of horse tack products while they figured out where it should go. The boxes completely filled our entire garage. After months without any clear direction, my mom took matters in her own hands and started selling some of the products on eBay. That is how Ajtack was born. (AJ for Angie, Johnathan and eventually Abbie <3) I have fond memories of my brother and me racing to see who can assemble boxes the fastest. My parents would give us order numbers and we’d dash into the garage to see who could find the item first. In 2020 my mom decided to sell the business. For 15 years it was a part of me and my family’s lives and honestly, for my own keepsake, I wanted to take some pictures of my mom in the space that AJ tack had become. Those pictures easily became very cherished, and in many ways, they sparked the idea that led to mom&pop.
Once I moved to San Diego I found myself drawn to these small local shops on my walks while I was exploring the city. I’ve always been especially captivated by the Asian-owned ones because they felt so close to home. Even though no one asked me to, I just wanted to give these hard-working people a photo of themselves with what they had built. I kept thinking about how much I loved that picture of my mom and believed that even if the owners initially don’t care much for it, future generations certainly would. It took a lot of courage, practice, and good amount of rejection but I think I got my approach down for asking these businesses if I can photograph them. Most people find it strange that I do it for free or for fun, but sharing my story of my family’s story usually warms people up to the idea
I always had a vision that maybe this series could turn into a book or at the very least be a stand personal project. Without deadlines, it can easily fall on the back burner, but lately, there have been more opportunities around this project popping up. It’s as if the universe is giving me all the signs to keep going. Two years in and I feel more inspired than before, so you can except many more mom&pops stories in the near future - stay tuned!
Previous mom&pops:
As always thank you guys for reading & I hope you enjoyed the photos <3