By Emma Stark
Baltimore Watchdog Staff Writer
The sharp slide of a hanger gliding on a metal rack is heard as a woman searches through the dress rack at The Clothing Swap. With a giddy smile, she puts a dress in her bag, having just gained a new piece of clothing for her wardrobe.
The Clothing Swap took place Sept. 15 on 3000 Abell Ave. in Baltimore. The Clothing Swap is an event where people of all ages and genders can find clothing that is old to someone else, but new to them. There were racks stationed at the top of the event section where dresses and Halloween costumes could be seen swaying in the soft breeze as well as mountains of clothes spread out on tarps along the pavement.
All for the people of Baltimore. All for free.
The Clothing Swap, a non-profit organization that holds events for people from all over Baltimore and Towson, allows people to bring unwanted clothes and “swap” them. The event takes place around four times a year and is open to anyone. It is free and greatly benefits the community by providing a way for people to acquire new clothes with no cost.
Anna Grothe, the owner and founder of The Clothing Swap, started the organization in October of 2013.
“I really wanted a place where people felt like they could come and be welcome while also getting something that they really needed,” Grothe said.
Grothe was inspired by The Book Thing, a free bookstore in Baltimore. After speaking with The Book Thing owner, Russel Wattenberg, she went to work.
“I told him I wanted to start an organization like his and he was like just start doing it, so I did,” Grothe said.
The event is free to the public and there are no stipulations about how many items you must bring or how many you can take. In a sense, it is a total free-for-all. People with all different styles bring clothes to the swap creating a plethora of clothes for people to choose from.
“When I found out about The Clothing Swap, I was really excited,” Katherine Blanc, 21, said. “I’m from New York, so finding out there was a place where I could get new clothes and expand my wardrobe to have some Baltimore flair to it was amazing.”
The clothing swap allows Blanc to express and change her style without breaking the bank.
“I’ve noticed that there are different clothing styles in Baltimore versus in New York and usually I wouldn’t try the new trends and styles because spending money on something I may not wear twice isn’t exactly budget friendly,” Blanc said.
At the swap there were kids who were waddling behind their mothers, elders taking cover in the tree provided shade while looking through the piles, teens, tweens, adults, you name it. All flocks of people were at the event.
Standing at the event table was Anne Lilly, 35, who volunteered her time to the event to help people sign in/out and direct people towards what they were looking for. Lilly volunteers because she loves the idea of The Clothing Swap and the idea of getting new clothes for free.
“I mean it just makes sense,” Lilly said. “Everyone has extra clothes, why not share?”
There were strangers acting like friends complimenting each other on how cute a shirt was. A girl donating her clothes overheard someone wanting leggings, so she gave a pair to the girl before putting them into the pants pile. The Swap allows people to interact with others they might not usually within the 100-foot space.
“There is a sense of community within the swaps. You know? Recurring people begin to recognize each other and the volunteers,” Lilly said.
The piles of clothes shrunk and grew in a cycle as more people donated and took clothes throughout the event. At the end of the event, any clothing that people did not take at the swap was loaded into the backs of the volunteer’s cars to then be donated to Goodwill and The Salvation Army.
Grothe also said the swap allowed people to access clothes they may not normally purchase.
“I’ve seen families come back and easily get new clothes for their kids as the kids grow,” Grothe said. “I’ve had people tell me they lost fifty pounds and they couldn’t pay for a new wardrobe, so the swap was great, and they were able to get everything they needed. There have been a few trans people who said they loved being able to find their style without having to worry about money.”