Get to know the Parking Lot King of Southie

A South Boston TikToker is going viral for a hilarious series of videos that poke fun at one of the quintessential Southie experiences: parking. Jon Coughlin, known to his 32k followers as “The Parking Lot King,” has created a comedic universe centered around the Tynan School parking lot at the intersection of K and Emerson.

On weekdays, this lot is reserved for Tynan School staff. Due to the high demand for spaces, drivers adopt a ‘Wild Wild West’ mentality, ignoring designated spots and instead turning the lot into a real-life game of Tetris, utilizing every inch of available space.

Coughlin’s rise to TikTok fame began last December with a video capturing a tow truck driver’s ironic struggle to remove a car from the lot, only to find himself blocked in by the chaotic parking. This video quickly garnered half a million views, and “The Parking Lot King” was born.

Since then, Coughlin has posted numerous videos featuring the lot, creating backstories and nicknames for its regulars, including “Big Ass Infiniti,” “Yo-Yo Ma,” “Lil Nepotis,” “The King,” and “Tree Meister” (appropriately named because it’s always parked under a tree).

Coughlin’s content has resonated with many, with followers sharing how relatable they find his videos. One follower shared that he approached and chatted with the owner of “The King” after recognizing the car from the videos.

Now, Coughlin will look outside sometimes to see Tynan teachers waving at him from the lot. With the help of a graphic designer friend, he created merchandise featuring the cars, initially as a joke, but orders started coming in from as far away as Australia.

Coughlin has also linked a GoFundMe to his page to help fix the bumper of “The King,” hoping his followers will pitch in for the repairs.

As far as what’s next for “The Parking Lot King”? Coughlin says, “I’m not sure I’m hoping I can see some summer school action and if not will have to pick it back up in the fall.”