Why a T-shirt and ‘zine maker wants to re-open Haslam’s

Filipe Bergson is committed to the bit.

Bergson, a 32-year-old illustrator, designer and filmmaker, has held a rogue, one-man pop-up market in front of long-dormant Haslam’s Books every Saturday in April. He’s selling custom-designed and self-printed “bootleg” Haslam’s tees, stickers and ‘zines to raise funds to open a comic book shop, or to purchase Haslam’s –  whichever one happens first.

His idea to buy back Haslam’s and restore it to its bookstore glory by selling custom-designed and self-printed T-shirts was largely a joke, a sidequest on his endeavor to open up a ‘zine-centric comic book shop in St. Pete, but it’s quickly gaining attention and evolving into a community effort.

Haslam’s closed with the onset of the pandemic in 2020, and has yet to re-open. Owners Ray Hinst and Suzanne Haslam, his wife, have not made any public comments about the store, which had been at 2025 Central Ave. since 1964 (the business was founded by Suzanne’s grandparents in the ‘30s).

Filipe Bergson is trying to get their attention.

Filipe Bergson

“I’d just turned 30 and was like, “What do I want to do with my life?’’ Bergson explained. “I didn’t know. So I asked instead, ‘Okay, what’s the most fun I can have right now?’ Well, try to reopen Haslam’s, but with the caveat that I’d be totally cool just galvanizing an effort to open up like a comic book ‘zine store separate from Haslam’s.”

“I started doing markets around town to raise money and introduce people to ‘zines and comic books, and then decided to pop up in front of Haslam’s. Because the coolest place to do this would be Haslam’s, to reopen the shop, and integrate a comic book zine program into what’s already going on there. This is obviously wishful thinking, but my favorite thing to do is to create a bit and see how far we can take it.”

And he’s taking it far. 

Bergeson is also crowdsourcing content for a Haslam’s ‘zine that he plans to self-publish in May. The ‘zine offers the community a space to express their love, appreciation, sorrow and grief for the store. “I want to send it to the owners to show them how much this meant to everybody,” he said. 

Bergson smiled as he recalled the numerous conversations he’s had with people who have been indelibly impacted by Haslam’s and its closing. 

“There was a woman who stopped by to tell me and said, ‘I get sad every time I pass this building – there’s a place in my heart for it. I want to see it reopen.’ This other person passed by and was like, ‘Yeah, my deceased husband and I, we used to visit here from Michigan all the time, and his first stop was to go to Haslam’s. He’d get a book, just walk around.’”

“It was a tradition, you know, and a lot of people have those stories.”

While the dream is to land back at Haslam’s, Bergson admits that it’s a long shot. He’s not deterred.  He’s happy just to be publishing ‘zines while he waits for that dream to come true. 

“I love zines. I love the idea that I can make something, print it that day, and distribute it, and just be like, there it is. It’s out in the world. I don’t have to get anyone’s permission. Do I have to talk to a publisher? No, I just do it. And I love encouraging the younger generation to do that.”

For him, ‘zines are more than just an alternative literary format. They’re an opportunity to effect change in your community. 

“I want to show people that we can make these community zines about things we love. And in a way, this is what galvanizes the political ammunition for future endeavors. 

“I think if you can get enough people to galvanize around Haslam’s, what else can you use to get those people together to change something else in your community?”

As of publication, today’s pop-up was nearly sold out. There are four shirts left on the rack, but Bergson will be back next Saturday (April 25) with more inventory. You can also preorder T-shirts at https://www.spnchspnch.com/. Contributions to the Haslams’s zine can also be submitted via the website. 

The Haslam family opened the first iteration of Haslam’s Books in 1933; it’s been at this location, 2025 Central Avenue, since 1964. Haslam’s closed when the pandemic arrived in March, 2020, and its fate remains unknown. Photo by Bill DeYoung.