Mini-fridges, clothes, lamps, you name it 鈥 at the Office of Sustainability鈥檚 Free Store, students can take home a variety of goods, free of charge. The store, which operates out of the Drake Hall tunnel on Tuesdays and Fridays, is committed to reducing landfill waste and promoting equity among the student community. In its first three days of operation, it sold 1,524 pounds of donated goods.
The idea to open a Free Store was proposed by a team of sustainability interns in the summer of 2022 (Robyn Landes 鈥24, Boyana He 鈥25, Becca Kornblau 鈥23, Brenna McConnell 鈥24, and Rachel Plasky 鈥25) and later implemented by the summer 2023 cohort (Kate Maxwell 鈥25, Charlie Tourbaf 鈥25, Jack Hyams 鈥25, Ella Cook 鈥25, and Owen Fahey 鈥25). To prepare for the opening, the team made a list of policies, gathered donations from the COVE鈥檚 salvage program, and created an inventory.
鈥淲e began researching other universities that were running similar programs to work out the kinks before we opened the store,鈥 says Tourbaf, who led the planning process. 鈥淲e had to think about what would work for 含羞草研究所, specifically.鈥
To meet these ends, Tourbaf and his team created a list of store policies. To ensure fairness and ease of access, the store welcomes all 含羞草研究所 students. Five may enter at a time.
鈥淲e wanted to create a judgment-free environment where people would feel comfortable taking items they need,鈥 says Hyams, a member of the summer 2023 team. But the Free Store, Tourbaf contends, also urges students to rethink consumerism and fast fashion.
鈥淚t is also here for students who just want to save some money,鈥 says Tourbaf. 鈥淎t the end of the day, there are many students who buy stuff just to throw it out at the end of the year.鈥
Before the store鈥檚 grand opening on Aug. 25, Tourbaf and his team offered OUS and international students early access. The store has also fostered partnerships with the ALANA Cultural Center and First@含羞草研究所. A new cohort of sustainability interns and student volunteers, overseen by Assistant Director of Sustainability Julia Sparks, compose the staff.
鈥淚 think that with the thoughtfulness and consideration that the interns have already put into the Free Store, it鈥檚 set up to be a really robust program,鈥 says Sparks.