Politics & Government

Galco's to Pour 'Poptails' Today

First ever tasting event at Galco's will help fund the Friends of the Southwest Museum Coalition's legal battle with the Autry National Center.

in Highland Park is known for many things among Los Angeles residents, chief among them their vast collection of esoteric candies and hard to find carbonated beverages.

However, longtime Galco’s proprietor John Nese is hoping locals will soon recognize his old world grocery as the shop that helped reopen the .

Today, Nese will host Galco’s first ever soda tasting from 5 until 8 p.m. The event will also feature live music by local rockers Artichoke, “Poptails” mixed by renowned mixologist and entertainer Charles Phoenix and a “surprise” that Nese vowed not to reveal until the day of the event.

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All the funds from the event--in addition to all the sales made at Galco’s throughout the day--will go toward the Friends of the Southwest Museum’s, who are mulling several potential lawsuits against the Autry National Center.

The Coalition, of which Nese is a member, has been unsuccessfully attempting to force the Autry, which merged with the Southwest Museum and took control of the historic building and collection in 2003, to reopen the museum to the public.

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For more Patch’s coverage of the Southwest Museum, follow these links.

Nese, who is also a member of the Highland Park Heritage Trust, said he has long been passionate about historic preservation issues, and approached Coalition member Nicole Possert with the idea of a tasting event several years ago.

“I told her, ‘you’re going to need money,’” Nese said. “It’s going to be a battle. We’re outgunned—but we know how to do guerilla warfare.”

A resident of Highland Park since 1955, Nese called the Southwest Museum as “keystone of the community.”

“My hope is that we get a big turnout,” Nese said. “Anybody who comes to this event and hears the story is going to be in support of the Southwest Museum. They won’t be able to deny it if they hear the story.”

Tickets for the event are $12 in advance, $15 at the door.


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