Free Thrift Stores Research

Paradigm Thrift: A Qualitative Study Exploring the Political Impact and Liberatory Potential of College Free Thrift Stores

Hello, thrifters. This is my research from college about the political potential of free thrift stores at universities across the US. I created a free thrift store while I was in college and am now starting to freelance and create more stores at other colleges (hmu if you're interested for more information). I think this information is super fascinating and there is NO literature on free thrift stores (let alone their political impact). If you know of any such literature that I might not have found yet- please send it my way.

I'm unsure how to post this with the footnotes but all of the works cited are included at the end. If you have any questions or just want to connect with me about your excitement on this topic, I would be thrilled to chat.

What is a free thrift store?
A free thrift store is a community-driven initiative where items such as clothing, books, household goods, and school supplies are donated and made available to others at no cost. Unlike traditional thrift stores, which sell items at low prices, a free thrift store operates on the principle of mutual support and sharing, with no monetary exchange involved. This initiative is very successful at small walkable colleges.