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Born in New Orleans, Louisiana, on September 12, 1940, Peggy Caserta was a force to be reckoned with. As an only child, her parents, Sam and Novelle, loved her very much and instilled in her the meaning of loyalty and compassion, which she gave to them in return and to the people she cared about throughout her colorful life.
Her high school experience was rich with achievements, such as scholastic honors, being head cheerleader, being voted prom queen, and being the little kids’ favorite swimming instructor at the country club.
After college, Peggy trained as a “stewardess” and started flying out of New York with Delta Airlines. She initially liked it until she discovered that she had severe motion sickness and didn’t like serving coffee, tea, or milk with a smile. She sensed a subtle shift amongst her peers that called her, like a siren, to move to San Francisco.
In 1965, Peggy opened a clothing store that became a magnet, attracting thousands of wide-eyed innocents to the corner of Haight and Ashbury. Unexpectedly to Peggy, her store, Mnasidika, was enormously successful. All the wannabe stars, like Carlos Santana, Janis Joplin, and the Grateful Dead band members, hung out at the store and dreamed of making it big. She bought Jerry Garcia his first amplifier, sold Janis one of the first pairs of bell-bottom jeans, and outfitted the local bands. Her store was a safe place for young “hippies” to congregate, which partly sparked the counterculture revolution. She convinced Levi Strauss & Company to create the first bell bottoms flares exclusively for her store.
Her ability to manage and navigate the ups and downs in the decades that followed is a testament to her courage and tenacity. Her book, I Ran Into Some Trouble, is a wonderfully well-written account of her life and times, told with humor, honesty, and humility. She fulfilled her dream of living out the final days of her life in her cabin on the Tillamook River. She loved the community, and The Old Oregon Smokehouse and The Crazy Torta were two of her favorites because the food was very good, but she was also treated with great kindness and respect…which meant everything to her.
Rest in Peace, Peggy. Thank you for all that you contributed to the making of a movement. You are gone, but your impact is indelible.
Here’s more about Peggy Castera from Rolling Stone magazine:
https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/peggy-caserta-janis-joplin-lover-dead-obituary-1235182563/
