Saturday, February 28, 2009

I Like the Sound of Free...but?


Just came across an article on wpix.com about a store where everything is free...

BY STEVE BOGART | wpix.com
February 27, 2009
FINANCIAL DISTRICT (WPIX) -- There's a new store called "The Free Store" and it has the best prices in town. Located at 99 Nassau Street in the Financial District, the entire store is literally giving it's merchandise out for free. That's right. Everything. Free.
So what's the catch, you ask? According to the store's owners, Athena Robles and fellow artist Anna Stein - there isn't any. They say they've got jewelry, vintage clothing and all sorts of knick-knacks, and you can take anything you want and no money ever changes hands.

If that's the case, and it is, that begs the next question. With so many New Yorkers unemployed and many more losing or in danger of losing, their jobs, how does the store stay in business more than one day? The answer seems to be that good ol' American sense of fair play.
As one man who picked up a corkscrew and notebook, but also decided to donate his mom's vintage dress said, taking all that free stuff is almost un-American. He told the New York Post he felt much more comfortable giving something back in return.
It's become kind of a voluntary barter system, much like those of us old enough to remember that was alive and well in the late 1960's and early 1970's.
So go and visit. It's a great experience. But do yourself a favor, bring something to give back if you can. Otherwise the Free Store won't be there for long.

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