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You Like It? You Take It!

By Annie Scott | Tuesday, March 10, 2009 10:00 PM ET

Comments (65)

Free Store receipt Without moaning about the economy, let's just say it's been a long time since I've been shopping. Seriously -- don't you wish there was a store where everything is free?

You probably hadn't even thought of that. It's too outrageous. It's crazy. It's practically art -- at least that's what Athena Robles and Anna Stein thought!

Robles and Stein teamed up to open The Free Store in New York City on February 19 to what at first was a trickle of artists, but quickly became cameras, reporters and a lot of scavenging New Yorkers. The Financial District location (99 Nassau Street) is walkable to both Ground Zero and Wall Street -- both areas in dire need of this sort of thing. Exhibition hours are Thursday–Saturday 12–7pm; Sunday 12–5pm and by appointment. That's right. Exhibition hours. The Free Store is like a gallery, or at least like the world's most awesome gift shop.

Free Store picture I had a chance to talk with Robles and Stein, who said that the store took about a year and a half to get on its feet. "The recession was actually kind of a good thing for us," said Robles.

The policy of The Free Store is: "If you find something you like and you think you need it, feel free to take it."

"It's free for us," says Robles, "people come in with huge bags of stuff [to donate]." At first they were worried they might run out of free items, but it turns out people are likely to give as much -- if not more than they take. I'm reminded of the movie "Clerks" -- in this one part, Dante (the clerk) is cuddling on the floor behind the counter with his girlfriend, and they just leave change on the counter. "Theoretically, people see money on the counter, no one around? They think they're being watched," says Dante.

Are you being watched at the Free Store? Sort of. They track all the items that come in, and they write up receipts for any items you take. When the floods of New Yorkers entered the store at noon on Friday, I was there. They kept announcing "Please remember to check out!" over the din of closely-packed strangers.

A note to kleptos -- if you steal from the Free Store, you don't just have a problem, you're also kind of a jerk.

So, how do they make money? They don't. The Free Store was made possible by a $9,000 grant from Grants for Arts in Public Spaces. The exhibition closes March 22, and will be followed by a showing of photographs and videos, which will talk about the experience and who participated. For bringing a terrific idea to Lower Manhattan, which strengthened our belief that people want to give, not just take, we've made Athena Robles and Anna Stein our newest Tonic Heroes!

Pictured here is the item I picked up there. It's a framed photograph of people ice skating in Central Park. Where I'm from in Minnesota, I can see ice skaters out my bedroom window in the wintertime, so this felt like home to me. And above? My Free receipt!

Related stories:

More like this in:

New York, New York City, Economy, Money, Recession, Grants, Minnesota, Wall Street, Cameras, Central Park, Floods

Annie "Danger" Scott is Tonic's editor of Life & Style, Entertainment, and Travel.

Comments (65)

Comments (13)

bill

250 days ago

This is not an original concept. These people didn't come up with it, so why a $9000 grant for something unoriginal? And, come on, it's hard to see that nine grand wasn't put to better use in these times. THIS is why they hate us.

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Simon Wezel

250 days ago

In my story the goods are not free, during the early 50's I was living in the UK and we had a local baker (Bread and Lovely cakes)all on dissplay in the shop a dish with change and a box for paper money, but no one in sight. A little note " If You haven't got the right chance, leave it till next time, but in de mean time enjoy our products" Weeks went by and then one day when I went to the shop the owner just arrived to put new supplies on the counter. When I asked if everybody paid, he told me one day we are down a little and then a few day later the takings are up. He could not pay for staff as he was open from 8AM until 8PM at night, but he was very happy with the turnover of his goods,
Simon Wezel, at present doing charitable work in The Gambia

to stop spam replace @ with "at" simon at brusubi.com

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Lyn X

250 days ago

I echo Bill that this isn't an original idea - my group Edmonton Small Press ran "The Free Store & Much More" out of our garage on (summer seasonal) weekends over 3 years in the late 90s, until the City of Edmonton shut us down for not having a license/permit (!) - our position was to keep running it, risk a ticket & then fight it in court, but unfortunately my landlord didn't agree, and total eviction wasn't worth it for us. (The 'much more' alluded to the ESPA's library/archive that was then housed on the garage's 2nd floor, BTW.) I disagree with Bill that the concept doesn't deserve funding (god knows I wish we had funding support when we were running ours), the problem for me lies in that amount of money supporting a Free Store that will only be open for just over a month... sorry, but I think it's a waste in that regard. That said, I think Free Stores should be in every city, year-round. It's a great way to encourage recycling and generally build community. Incidentally, a few years ago the City of Edmonton did open what I'd consider pretty much the same thing, except they call it the Re-use Centre (but unfortunately they only take certain items).

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~ c a r s o n

250 days ago

How very cool. I'm tempted to do the same thing in Arizona.

On a slightly different note, I used to sell car polish at the swap-meets, mostly in Southern California, but I later worked home shows and fairs all over. I would take anybody's check and never ask for an ID. I got burned for $15, twice in about 8 years. A small price to pay for the privilege of telling all those people I believed in them and their integrity.

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Indrani

250 days ago

This is a terrific idea! Yes people not only want to take they want give too. It's all a matter of give and take. The energy it gnerates is pure and lovely. Thanks for letting me know this.

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eric

250 days ago

brilliant, more of this please, in fact youve just given the fun revolution its next idea, thanks ;-)

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Rick

250 days ago

We do this once a year at my church. We call it Circulation Day. You "circulate" those "still good" items that you just don't need or want from you to the Youth program. They set it up the "sale" and help folks who come by want to know "how much". It's fun to watch folks faces when you say "nothing". There is a box for donations to the kids and it always gets enough to help the kids for their summer program. If anything is left over the kids take it to Goodwill.

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WanSuraya WanNik

249 days ago

I like the concept and the all shebang of this article and other articles as well. I have been following it n now quite a loyal fan of this of this website. God willing i will emulate the good things done by all these people...i thank you all for the ideas and the contributions.
Its a lesson everyone should learn...TQVM

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Cassia

249 days ago

Where I live we've had a Free Store for more than 30 years! People bring in clothing, books, household items, chatchkas, and neighborhood groceries sometimes donate bread and produce--in the summer gardeners bring in veggies. Both poor and regular people 'shop' there. Sometimes there's junk and sometimes there's great stuff. There's also a food pantry where people donate canned goods, and people who need food can fill a bag once a month. It's a way for the community to come together, located in a building that provides many other free community services.

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goddessence

249 days ago

great idea...not new tis true, but a good thing to do nonetheless and the idea could be promoted more

FREECYCLE.com in your area runs the same idea globally...you list what you dont want, someone picks it up, you pick up things others dont want that you do...works fine online too

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carla

247 days ago

well, original or not, i think this is a good idea. people with some things to give normally dont have time to think where to send those items, this time, they can just bring the whole lot and some people will take some if they really needed them. wish i could do the same in our place. hmmmm why not?

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yashesh worah

245 days ago

Both stein and robles are messiah in their unique contribution to
restore the lost --fading trust in the capacity to hold honest values nomatter the fallen conscious in most,i assure the good will prevail,more of steins and robbles will emerge to resurrect the wrong

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Keith Meddock

238 days ago

I personally think this is a great idea. In today's world of horrific news, finacial difficulties and global environmental issues this ideas and others like it, should be applauded and of course endorsed by the powers of our federal government (after all, look at what they spend so much money on that does not promote community and recycling). I would love to see this concept expand to every city and promote the good in people.

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