Stop 'n' Swap Comes to Brooklyn

As I approached the doors of the Stop ‘n’ Swap in Fort Green this past Saturday, a woman with a cart full of stuff was heading out. She eyed my bag of clothes and said, “I knew I should have stayed longer.”

The gymnasium in M.S. 113 on Adelphi Street had lines of tables with everything from royal blue sweater ponchos to old wooden skis. Each table was divided by category: music, books, household items, toys, children’s clothing, adult clothing, accessories, etc., all free for the taking.  

Each table had a crowd of people digging through the items, and as a staff member approached with more stuff, a group would immediately surround them and start grabbing for more.

This is the fifth Stop ‘n’ Swap this year, with one in each borough starting at the beginning of 2011. Grow NYC’s press release said that “the group estimates that 90 percent or more of what comes in ends up getting reused.”

The purpose of event is mainly to promote the three R’s: reuse, recycle, and reduce. One of the booths in the gymnasium helped get you started with recycling in your home, and there were several signs posted up around the gym with recycling tips.

“It’s like a sporting event,” said Christina, the assistant director of the Office of Recycling Outreach and Education. When the doors first opened at 11am, there was already a long line of people waiting for the event. “Everyone bursts in,” she said, laughing. “One lady had to use the bathroom but waited because she didn’t want to miss anything.”

But everyone remains polite. After one woman squeezed by to grab a pair of shoes-”beep, beep, beep” she said in a hurry-someone got to them before her.

“Would you like them?” the second woman asked.

“Oh no, they’re all yours!” she responded.

In fact, the place felt a bit like a social event. Since new things were always coming in and out, people stuck around and hung out in hopes of making another discovery.

Songs like “Country Road” by Toots in the Maytals filled the gym. “We have a sound system,” Christina pointed out. “We quickly realized how much music helps.”  

Somebody put a hat on my head and told me I should take it, while another showed me a pin they thought I would like. There were no mirrors, so people asked if things fit them, and talked about the items the same way they would to their friends in the store.

The swap meets have become tradition for some families. Christina met a toddler at one meet that had a picture of himself the year before at a different meet. They recycled some of the same things that they got from other swaps, once they had grown out of them.

Not only does swapping reduce waste and help the environment, but its helping the community as well, as many people rely on events like these for the things they need.

"It's always fun to see people connecting," Christina said. "The ones who have something to give and the ones who are looking for that something." People at these swap meets walk away with bikes, a new wardrobe, paintings, electronics, all for no cost, with no strings attached.