2 years in Business: a Retrospective

Our New Store Front (east)Our Store Front circa August, 2007NAACP Building Fire Next DoorOur New Store Front (west)

-----> This October, we will be celebrating our 2nd year in business as a radical thrift store. In summarizing this time (which seems longer than 2 years!), I'd say that we as a collective have faced and met many challenges - 4 fires, one of which destroyed the front of our building and one which destroyed neighboring buildings - and received great support from the neighborhood/local communities.

Our initial mission was to give financial support to 2 or 3 radical projects in town that were always underfunded. Instead we have given material support to over 30 local organizations, and also to hundreds of individuals through the Really Really Free Market in Chestnut Park. Since January of 2007, we have provided space for the Yellow Bike Project to run a neighborhood community bike shop and support an after school program at Kealing Middle School. The store also hosts regular free events such as skill shares, movies, fashion shows, music, and helped to established the Really Really Free Market.

And during this whole time we have managed to stay the most affordable thrift store in Austin...

Footnote: the East 12th and Chicon area is still over-shadowed by historic and deliberate neglect from the city, police and slumlords, exploitation by speculators/developers and a lack of basic services, such as a grocery store or bank. Sadly most visitors to the area see drugs as the problem, rather than a symptom of this neglect.

But there is a new positive feeling around that isn't due to an influx of boutique stores, condos or increased police harassment. The solutions for this area run deeper than simple law enforcement - they are all long-term (i.e. longer than a political term) and require your participation. Rebuilding community ourselves is a damn good place to start.

Links:

Volunteer at Treasure City
Really Really Free Market
25c Sidewalk Sales
Yellow Bike Project, Treasure City Shop
Inside Books (books to prison project)
Skillshare Austin at Treasure City
Groups We Support