John Bowman, ex-miner and ex-moonshiner, now self-employed seller of antiques, used coal and wood stoves, and tools from his garage

When the Beckley Mines closed down in the 1980s, John Bowman entered the flea market business. Flea markets in the region span a gamut from large, more formal sites like the Beckley Flea Market (open on Wednesdays and Saturdays) to ephemeral roadside stands and yard sales that proliferate throughout the region. Like gardening and in former days, moonshining, small-scale trading in second hand goods has long formed a crucial piece in a rural patchwork economy that fills in the financial gaps endemic to boom-and-bust economies built around coal and timber. Bowman recalls that he was able to stay in high school despite his father's meager income as a coal miner, because of the income he earned making moonshine with an older brother who is now deceased. His customers included the high school principal, several teachers, and the bus driver. One of Bowman's current specialties is making hickory handles for tools.
Event: Visit to John Bowman's.