Grahamstown’s first Street Store, held this morning on High Street, was well supported by local businesses, volunteers and The Street Store organisation.
Grahamstown’s first Street Store, held this morning on High Street, was well supported by local businesses, volunteers and The Street Store organisation.
The Grahamstown Street Store sprung up on High Street in front of the Magistrate court at 10am on Saturday 11 October. The Street Store functions as a temporary pop-up stall with the aim of offering a free ‘shopping’ experience to clothe those in need.
These Stores rely on second-hand clothing and shoe donations from local residents and participation from local business and volunteers. The High Street Store was well supported and stocked by Grahamstown residents and Rhodes student volunteers.
Oasis, Grocott’s Mail, De Jager & Lordan Inc and The Oppidan Offices were some of the local businesses involved who offered their help as collection points.
One of the individuals we spotted donating some clothing items was Caro Damarjanan from Holland. She has been in Grahamstown for 8 months and since she will be going back there soon says, "I decided to come give away these clothes that I won't be going back home with."
The turn out was great. Some ‘shoppers’ even changed straight into their newly acquired garments, right there on High Street. When speaking to the volunteers, they all said that it felt great seeing the fruits of their efforts – seeing the people they were giving clothes to wearing them and loving them.
According to a volunteer, even though there was a slight amount of disagreement about the amount of clothing everyone was initially advised to take, everything went well.
Resident, Nombulelo Sam, who went to town this morning to get money from a cash-loan but found it closed, says she was grateful for the stuff she had received from The Street Store instead.
The Street Store was founded in January 2014. It was created by Capetonians Max Pazak and Kayli Levitan with the support of M&C Saatchi Abel Cape Town.
Since homelessness is not only confined to South Africa, the creators of The Street Store have made their concept ‘open-source.’
They encourage everyone and anyone to curate their own Street Stores – “the world’s first rent-free, premises-free, free pop-up clothing Store.”
