by: Anna Frost
When one enters Trader Fred, they are greeted by a formidable labyrinth of nearly everything one might need for life on the island, for at least half the price of other establishments. Though the sheer volume of goods may seem intimidating at first, a studied look at the wide variety of merchandise reveals venerable brands of clothing and swimwear, along with sporting gear, art supplies, jewelry, toys, household items, and electronics – to begin the list.
Of course, this maze of goods has its king – Fred Mascolo, who opened Trader Fred in 1980 to fill year-round islanders’ need for value. Since then, the store has served locals and visitors alike from its location right by the Edgartown Triangle, providing quality items at a reasonable price. Teenage girls frequent the shop, cooing over discounted name-brand clothing and eyeing the patterned leggings stacked on the shelves beside the different styles of dresses. Golfers – or their wives – dig through the barrels of golf balls and purchase them by the bucketful so as to be prepared for the course. Though the way is winding, one can pick up towels, boots, fishing rods, pocket knives and tobacco, all in one trip.
Trader Fred, as he is called by his employees, ushered me inside and related the many merits of his shop – for one, that it is one of the few places on the island to pick up disc golf gear, as well as paintball and airsoft necessities. Overall though, it is unique in the variety and quality of items that it carries. The store even has signed photographs of celebrities who have visited the shop, attesting to this very fact.
“There’s things in here that no one else has,” Fred said, as he listed off the hidden gems in his store. “…If you want to smoke a cigar, we have the hardest to get cigars in the world.”
And sure enough, in the front right corner of the store, Grammy-award winning artist and producer Rick Derringer agrees via an autograph, thanking Trader Fred, “the cigar king.” Clearly, this is the first place to look for any items one may need.
