Swap shop: making the old new again

Facilities & Services’ swap shop is nestled in a corner of the South Borden Building on Ursula Franklin Street. The modest exterior leads visitors downstairs into a warehouse stacked with office furniture, books, and other interesting paraphernalia, such as art and stuffed toys.

The swap shop is a sustainable initiative that allows University of Toronto students, faculty, librarians, and staff to claim surplus office equipment and furniture. It has been running since 1992 and recently reopened after temporarily closing during the pandemic.  

The shop is filled from wall to wall with all possible office items and personality pieces. There’s a reliable supply of office chairs and cabinets with an occasional surprising find such as a monitor or a piano.

Rodion Rangcapan, a staff member from Central IT, is a regular.  

“This is my first time at the shop since the pandemic,” Rangcapan says. “I usually come to buy books for my children or get office furniture.”  

The swap shop offers a $1 deal for as many books as one can carry, as well as rows of cabinets of mixed sizes. 

Beata Kuszewska, an administrative staff member at the Department of Physics comes to the shop every week to pick up office equipment.  

“I come to get all kinds of equipment, such as files, labels, and binders,” Kuszewska says. “I enjoy not needing to go to the store for office equipment. This way saves money too.” 

The shop is home to an abundance of office equipment ranging from files to computer bags, guaranteeing that visitors will find something of use.  

Nabil Yacoub, the waste management supervisor who oversees operations at the swap shop, says that it is an amazing initiative that allows the U of T community to actively participate in furthering sustainability on campus. 

“The purpose of the shop is really to give new life to used items,” Yacoub says. “It’s great that we can prevent good items from ending up in the landfill and increase the waste diversion rate across campus.” 

The diversion rate is an important metric indicating the effectiveness of sustainable waste management. 

Swing by and see what you can find at the swap shop on Wednesdays from 12 to 2 PM at 487 Spadina Cres.