KC Boulevard Drive-In Theatre keeps late owner’s legacy alive with Swap ‘n’ Shop
From knick-knacks to necessities, since the 80s, Boulevard Drive-in’s Swap ‘n’ Shop has built a community with its open market.
The Swap ‘n’ Shop is held every Saturday and Sunday from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. Patrons pay $2 to shop, and those 11 years and younger are free. It’s a cash-only event, though some sellers accept payment apps like PayPal or Cash App.
The rules of the Swap ‘n’ Shop are in the name. You can either come to shop, or come to trade in items with vendors. Food and drink vendors are also selling.
“We always like to say that you’ll never know what you can find at the swap and shop, which is very true,” said Jeff Harbison, the swap manager.
The diverse vendors sell a little bit of everything. A lot of shoppers even get their daily essentials from the swap, he said.
“You name it, you might find it down here,” said Harbinson.
Craig Douglas, a long-time employee, got his dog, Ladybug, at the swap three years ago. She quickly became a fixture of the Boulevard.
The Swap ‘n’ Shop has drawn a steadily growing crowd for years. There are some regulars that come every weekend, no matter the circumstance, he said.
“It’s definitely grown. We’re open year-round, rain or shine. We really only close if there’s actually snow covering the ground,” said Harbinson. “It has to be pretty cold and nasty out for somebody not to show up.”
The legacy
Wes Neal, the previous longtime owner who died in 2024, brought the Swap ‘n’ Shop to the drive-in theatre after he bought the theatre about 50 years ago. Neal worked at the drive-in since it opened in 1950, starting at the ticket booth while also working at the Bayer Crop Science Facility.
“This was his passion. This was his lovechild,” said Harbinson.
He started the swap from scratch, and it helped keep the place alive, he said.
“It just grew and grew, and we still have people here that were there, you know, 30 years ago. That’s amazing to see,” said Harbinson.
Harbinson is determined to keep Neal’s passion alive by following his example on how to treat people.
“Try to treat the people like you’d like to be treated, the way he did it. I learned a lot from that man, and he was a good-treating-people person,” said Harbinson.
Neal died at 96 years old, and his son, David Neal, died three months later. The current owner, Brian Neal, is Wes Neal’s grandson.
Douglas recalls taking Wes Neal to lunch every day.
“He was big in the community, and he liked to go to Dagwood’s restaurant. Every day. He ate the same thing every day,” said Douglas. “Well-known and well-loved around this neighborhood.”
Calming the community
The Swap ‘n’ Shop keeps Wes Neal’s legacy alive, but in the past month, there’s been a shift.
The past four weekends, Harbinson has seen fewer and fewer people coming to the swap, and he thinks it’s because of the rumors surrounding U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement actions in enforcing President Donald Trump’s immigration policies. The Latino community makes up a large portion of the patrons and vendors at the swap, he said.
“It’s definitely scared everybody away. That’s why I think it’s that, because that’s all I hear. Every weekend, I have to quell questions, and it’s just getting scarier the more they do it,” said Harbinson.
He wants to reassure the community that no one at the swap would put another in danger.
“We’re private property, and we’re not gonna call anyone down here, obviously,” he said.
He cares about the community and camaraderie of the Swap ‘n’ Shop. He’s trying his best to calm everyone down.
“They count on the money they make here; their livelihood,” said Harbinson. “We do what we can for them.”
