The concept of free store first surfaced in San Francisco’ Haight-Ashbury district during the summer of 1967. It was the inspiration of Peter Berg and Emmett Grogan, who both belonged to the San Francisco Mime Troupe, a "guerrilla" theatre group using street theatre as a way of organizing the hippie community. As a put-on and a parody of a capitalist economy based on money, the free store became a part of a spontaneous network of enterprises criticizing private ownership. Together with the provision of free food, free housing and free garages, the clothes supplied by the free store were given away as common property to anyone who needed them. At the same time, anyone who wanted to help out in distributing clothes and organizing the store was welcomed. In other words, for a brief period of time, the slogan "from each according to his/her ability, to each according to his/her needs" became a working reality.

     At its best, the free store incarnated a spirit of brother and sisterhood which encouraged people to treat one another as whole persons and which aimed at undoing the competition-for-scarce-goods mentality, introducing instead a sense of sharing-with-enough-for-all.

     Over the years the free store idea has expanded to include open space in cities to be used for growing communal food. Food, like clothing, shelter, education and health care, is a basic necessity of human life. These are human rights. They should be FREE.

     Other things that should be free are transportation, childcare, press and access to the media (including the internet), all artistic production and art in general, and passage between countries and across borders. These are not impossible goals, there are working examples in the world today.

     No owns owns the free store; it belongs to everyone.  People bring clothes, books, household articles, appliances and are free to take whatever they want. No money exchanges hands.   If you do not have anything to drop off, it does not matter.  You simply take what you need.  There is no such thing as stealing from a Free Store.  LIFE*SPIN actively supports and provides help in the proliferation of Free Stores in our community and has assisted community groups to run them in their own communities. Virtually ever Free Store ends with more stock than it started with and they are open to everyone regardless of income levels.

     LIFE*SPIN is not itself a free store, but we have helped promote and put on lots of free stores around London. You can have one too. It can be held as part of a larger community event or it can, by itself, be the event. It can be held for an afternoon, an evening or a weekend. It can be a one-time event or it can become a regular feature in your community.

     LIFE*SPIN will facilitate getting donated appliances and furniture to the people who need them.  It is critical that these donations are in working order.  When you call in an item we will connect you with someone on our waiting list in need of this item.  It is up to the parties to arrange pick up/delivery among themselves.

     Call us if you have questions about starting a Free Store up, or if you need some supplies to get started.

LIFE*SPIN – 438-8676