The Spot Coffee and Finery owner Megan Toomey loves thrift shopping and upcycling. She especially likes to get new stuff without having to buy it.
“What if we all made a new wardrobe, but it was less brand new?” Toomey said.
Out of these ideas and conversations with a friend, came the idea for a “Spring Clean Everything is Free Clothes Swap.” The inaugural event will be held Sunday, beginning at 1 p.m. at The Spot Coffee and Finery in Williamsburg Square.
While living in Louisville, Toomey said she went to a swap event of a much bigger size that was held in a public building. At that event people brought any household items and clothing they wished to part with, put them out on tables and then people could take what they wanted.
Toomey liked the idea of having a place for people to donate unwanted clothing, but more importantly, she liked that people didn’t have to sign for items and there was no formal application to take what they wanted from the swap.
Toomey said that many times, to receive assistance, paperwork has to be filled out, but there is nothing like that at this event. She wanted it to be available for those who enjoy thrift shopping or those that need to clothe themselves or their children.
For the first swap, Toomey said those interested should only plan on bringing as few or as many clothing and accessories as they want. Items will then be organized by size and gender and anything that is left will be taken to St. Benedict’s Homeless Shelter and OASIS women’s shelter.
The Spot normally closes at 2 p.m. on Sunday, but Toomey said she will stay as long as needed for the swap.
The collaboration with St. Benedict’s Homeless Shelter is something that Toomey said is important to her and, while the event was in the planning stages, the director visited the business and it was the perfect opportunity to donate the excess from the swap to the shelter.
This will be the first swap held at The Spot. Toomey said she is open to ideas for more events, as well as ideas from people who have been to other swaps in other cities.
“I’m a thrifter,” Toomey said. “We can all just trade up and reduce waste.”
