Vacant Hell's Kitchen Storefront Transformed Into 'Free Store'

HELL'S KITCHEN, NY — A formerly empty restaurant storefront has been transformed into a "free store," thanks to some thrifty neighbors who spotted a chance to help others while repurposing discarded goods.

The so-called store opened Wednesday on West 45th Street and Ninth Avenue, on a corner formerly occupied by the restaurant Southern Hospitality.

"[It's] a form of mutual aid, landfill diversion, circular economy and connecting people with each other and building community," said Chana Widawski, who lives down the block and conceived the effort with neighbor Bailey Sperling after they connected in the Buy Nothing Midtown West Facebook group.

Open 24/7, the store asks people to donate books, games, unused toiletries, small household items and nearly anything else useful — but not clothes, food, textiles, furniture or anything too bulky, given the small space.

Free stores are one of several neighborhood-based concepts, like community fridges and mutual aid groups, that have sprung up around New York as a way to help those struggling during the pandemic.

Before choosing the current space, Widawski had been in talks to open the Hell's Kitchen Free Store in an unused outdoor dining structure — one of many in the neighborhood that had sat mostly unused during the cold winter months.

Subscribe to the daily email newsletter from New York City Patch for the latest neighborhood news.

Those talks stopped once indoor dining resumed and the restaurant owner chose to reopen, but Widawski still has "great visions of expanding" the free store sometime soon.

"Those structures shouldn’t only be used for open dining but also open community," she said.

For now, though, organizers are relishing the existing space, which has been stocked with curated items, kept tidy by volunteers, and attracted a steady stream of visitors.

"One individual was moved to tears that this was taking place and emptied his bag and contributed really useful products for other people," said Widawski, who also serves on the Manhattan Solid Waste Advisory Board.

Read more about the Hell's Kitchen Free store on its Linktree page and follow its updates on Instagram.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Hells Kitchen Free Store (@hkfreestore)