Free shop for Schwäbisch Hall
A project by Scharfe Radieschen e.V.
Money rules the world... or something like that. To counteract this, we would like to invite everyone to make the Free shop a place of togetherness and mutual enrichment, far removed from money and social structures.
True to the quote from the Siegen art project ‘Alles in Allem: Alles für Alle, bis Alles Allen is’’
Support us in the sponsorship project ‘Wishes need your voice’ by Stadtwerke Schwäbisch Hall: Vote here
Impressions of the Umsonstladen from December 2023
Opening hours
You can also find the opening hours on Google.
What happens in a free shop?
Value does not need a price
In our free shop there are no prices on things, only their utility value counts. People give and take regardless of money or other exchange value.
Sustainability
With the Umsonstladen, we want to invite people to think about their own purchasing behaviour. If we take things at their price, space can be created for personal appreciation. The idea is to realise a circular economy: By passing things on, reusing them, redesigning them, we conserve valuable resources and at the same time create a sense of community solidarity.
Meeting place
In addition to practical sharing, we want to provide low-threshold access to knowledge in order to create greater awareness of sustainability.
People should be able to meet and spend time in the Umsonstladen across cultural, social and financial boundaries without being forced to consume. This can also be achieved through voluntary work, which is open to everyone.
Participation and design
If you would like to be part of the free shop, you are welcome to bring along items, ideas and contributions that you would like to give to other people free of charge. Giving and receiving are independent of each other.
What do we accept?
- Functional and clean
- Please check in advance whether the items are still in perfect working order. If something is defective, we will be forced to dispose of it at your own expense.
- Also make sure that the items are clean so that the new owner can enjoy them. Please do not hand in clothing with animal hair.
- Drop off during the posted opening hours
- Before you drop something off, please check our opening hours, which are displayed in the shop, or check them on Google Maps. Alternatively, you can contact us by email to arrange a suitable time.
- Let's keep the shop tidy together
- Please take your transport and packing material back with you. Always take care of your personal belongings while you are in the shop.
- Not too much at once
- It can get very crowded during opening hours. So that visitors can browse and items can be handed in and sorted at the same time, we ask you not to hand in too many items at once. For larger quantities, please contact us in advance.
- Books only in moderation
- We are happy to accept children's books and modern literature. Unfortunately, last year we were inundated with outdated and sometimes inhuman literature. As we do not have the capacity to check everything in detail, we ask you to only hand in books that correspond to today's zeitgeist.
- NOT accepted:
- Hazardous waste, new & old batteries
- Literature, films and other data carriers with inhuman, violent, anti-Semitic, racist and sexist content
- unlabelled self-produced or self-copied data carriers of all kinds / larger electrical appliances
Creating encounters
This year, we would like to focus more on encounters.
We are convinced that there should be spaces in a democratic society where people can meet freely and at eye level. Public places are often tied to consumption or admission. With the free shop, we not only want to offer the opportunity to share things, but also to create a place where people can linger, exchange ideas, be creative and present themselves.
From the sofa at home to the sofa in the free shop
That's why we will have more space with seating in future. You are welcome to make yourself a cup of tea, read a book, work on your laptop or get creative together.
Activities, presentations, discussions
Do you have something you've always wanted to share but never found the right place? Then write us an e-mail and use the free shop for this purpose. Whether it's lectures, book reviews, craft activities or something completely different - we'll find a solution together.
Support welcome
We are also happy to receive any kind of support, whether it's helping with opening hours or in other ways.
Others about the project
We were guests at RadioStHörfunk: https://www.sthoerfunk.de/blog/post.php?s=2024-10-30-darf-ich-das-wirklich-einfach-mitnehmen