BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT) — The Birmingham Free Store is officially open. The free store is similar to a second-hand store, selling donated items like clothes, shoes, home goods, food and more. The only difference is: none of the items for “sale” cost money.

In a press release, the Free Store stated, in part,

The Free Store seeks to redistribute wealth and challenge capitalism by giving out free clothes, shoes, home goods, books, sexual health items, radical literature, and anything else the community donates. It’s a direct service project and an art project that asks people to imagine a world of sustainable anti-capitalist shopping. It also serves as a community space that local folks and activists can use to work towards our shared goals of anti-capitalism, anti-racism, and queer liberation.

Donations of new and used wares are always accepted at the store, especially books, shoes, hygiene products, art and office supplies, and kitchenware. What the store gives out is entirely shaped by what is donated so if you have something you think should be freely available, don’t hesitate to bring it over.

Volunteers say they do not think there should be any barriers that prevent people from having access to things they need. 

Asher Stubsten, a volunteer of the Free Store, said,” The idea is that it’s a second-hand store where instead of having people pay, they can just come and get whatever they want because we think that people deserve to have whatever they need and people deserve to have whatever, like, people can give them.”

The Free Store is located in the downtown area on 27th Street North.