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Sarah DiPeppe, founder of Freak Flags (Photo courtesy Aaron Spicer)

Richmonders can find the charm in anything — for example, the thin, aging drywall in many of the older neighborhoods’ residences. Sarah DiPeppe does, at least, and it played a role in her launching Freak Flags, a shop selling pennants that bear relatable Richmond motifs and lore. DiPeppe sees the flags as particularly useful for college students or young professionals whose somewhat nomadic nature calls for less fuss.

“I loved the lightweight-ness of them, and that you can just use a push pin to get it into drywall, and it won’t crumble your wall in front of your face,” DiPeppe says. “I just liked how they were easy to put up. It’s hard to buy a heavy, nice piece of art for your wall, where a pennant ... it’s something very easy to hang and move with you.”

Freak Flags began in earnest in 2021, a product of DiPeppe’s marketing background and passion for capturing the city’s zeitgeist. Over the years, designs have included graphics of area neighborhoods, including the Museum District, The Fan and Manchester, and slogans that play on the city’s quirky identity: “I Heart Train Noise” and “Strawberry Street Forever,” for example.

“[The flags represent] these little pieces and pockets of the city that you either really connect with and they’re such a big part of your life, or it’s, ‘What is that? I would like to know more,’” DiPeppe says.  

Her flags are found on the walls of local institutions and newer businesses alike, contributing to a public image that DiPeppe builds through vendor events and seasonal makers markets. For information on future events and current inventory, visit freakflagsrva.com or @freakflagsrva on Instagram.