In New Orleans, an abandoned Family Dollar store has become a free store — and a roller skating rink. Twice a week, people line up outside the graffiti-covered building, and when the doors open, they rush in to find racks of clothing, shelves of household goods, toys, food, books, and even packs of birth control.
The New Orleans Free Store sits in the Lower Ninth Ward, where empty lots and boarded-up storefronts still mark the scars of Hurricane Katrina. Dan Bingler, founder of the Greater New Orleans Caring Collective, runs the space. He says the idea could be replicated at empty storefronts around the country.
Finding the Building
The building was already being used in a similar way when Bingler found it. He made a deal with the property owner to use the building rent-free, paying only utilities. That keeps the property maintained until the owner is ready to redevelop it.
“It’s just a crazy opportunity,” Bingler says. “I don’t think it’s really been tapped.”
Inside the Store
Inside, it’s a treasure trove. Mattresses and furniture line the walls. There are bins full of purses and shoes. The space operates on the logic that people struggling want more than just the bare necessities.
“People who are struggling don’t just want the bare necessities,” says Bingler. “They want nice things, too, because they deserve nice things, too.”
Shoppers Who Rush In
Ernestine Lane shops there with a friend from church. They try on boots and winter wear even though it’s mid-August and pushing 100 degrees.
Hilsa Rodriguez, a 37-year-old mom with six kids, shops with her stepdaughters Angela and Gloria. Angela, 8, likes the free store “a lot.” Gloria, 9, shops for baggy jeans and picks up a small furry vest she wants to give to the baby her stepmom babysits. She also picked up towels for the beach and flip flops she’s not sure will fit.
“I have big feet,” Gloria says.
Services Beyond Clothing
The store offers more than free goods. Twice a week, it opens its doors for free STI testing, food handouts, and basic medical care. There are also art classes and free punk shows.
On Wednesday nights, the overhead lights dim and the industrial fans whir as Chrishana Simon glides around the makeshift roller rink. “It just feels good when you’re on the wheels and you skate and the floor feels nice,” she says.
Simon, relatively new to roller skating, learned by coming to the store. She already looks like a pro, wearing a furry trapper-style hat with headphones over it and gracefully crossing one foot over the other.
The People Who Run It
The store operates with several neighborhood ladies who volunteer. Phyllis Matthews, who goes by “Queen,” sorts newly donated clothing. She’s on a mission to find a truck for picking up large items.
“I’m like an octopus,” she says.
Erin Sims sets up a hot dog stand behind a counter near the back door. “I raised three kids in the Lower Ninth Ward,” she says, “and my momma raised me and four of my other siblings down in the Lower Ninth Ward. I’ve been here all my life.”
The only time Sims left was during Hurricane Katrina. When the levees broke, her house was submerged.
What the Store Provides
The New Orleans Free Store is a remarkable example of what a repurposed abandoned storefront can become. It’s a community center, a store, and a place to skate.
The volunteer staff keeps it running, and the donations keep coming in.
The Model at Work
The model works. The store helps families like Rodriguez’s, who says she’s grateful for the donations. The space is a resource for people who might otherwise not have access to basic care or fun activities.
What Matters Most
Here’s what the store offers, in order of how it matters:
- Free clothing, household goods, and necessities
- Services: STI testing, food handouts, basic medical care
- Community activities: art classes, punk shows, roller skating
- A place for people to feel welcome
The model is simple. An abandoned building becomes a community hub. The people of New Orleans have turned it into something useful.
Source material: “In New Orleans, an empty building becomes a free store — and roller skating rink,” NPR.
Get the Notebook.
The day's best stories and every fresh verdict, in plain English, in your inbox by seven. One email a day, no more.