The Free Store: furniture, clothes and more up for grabs
Formerly known as the Swap Shop, the Free Store is a revamped and expanded venture that will significantly contribute to waste reduction efforts on campus . Here's everything you need to know.
How does it work?
Like its name suggests, the Free Store is a unique shopping experience where everything in the shop is available free of charge. Open to all current University of Toronto students, staff and faculty, its wide array of items delivers an exciting browsing experience and a win for sustainability on campus.
Thanks to the helping hands of volunteer Student Sustainable Ambassadors, the store has tripled its hours, and is open on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from noon to 2 p.m. Everything in the Free Store is—you guessed it—free! All you need is your T-card.
What’s inside?
Inside the Free Store, you can find almost anything, from designer clothes and office supplies to furniture and old books. “Please—never purchase another water bottle again,” says Chelsea Dalton, Project Manager, Sustainability Office. “We have tons of them.”
While the shop used to only stock unclaimed items from the lost and found, it now also takes donations during opening hours. The Free Store accepts clean, gently used items in good condition, such as shoes, books, household items and more.
The Free Store is also planning to add houseware from end of the year cleanouts of student dormitories, keeping perfectly usable items out of landfills and in the hands of people that need them.
What is the impact?
Last year, 64% of campus waste was diverted from landfills through sustainability programs that promote recycling, waste reduction and reuse. Now, with expanded hours and capacity, the Free Store will further waste diversion efforts by giving used items a new life. The Student Sustainable Ambassadors will track the amount of waste diverted through the Free Store by recording the items taken out of store.
“The response so far has been really good,” says Dalton. “People really love the win-win of keeping items out of the landfill, while also getting something they need for free.”
Ultimately, the long-term goal of the store is to increase reuse and waste diversion to reach U of T’s aim of a zero waste, circular economy campus.
Visit the Free Store located in South Borden Building at 487 Spadina Crescent, just off Spadina Circle. The entrance can be found on Ursula Franklin Street.