LuLu’s Free Store: Offering a chic shopping experience free of charge
Courtesy of Gracy Reid-Vensel
LuLu鈥檚 Free Store founder Grace Reid-Vensel, left, and her friend Shaun Walker welcome shoppers to a popup event outside the Washington City Mission in July. Reid-Vensel, of North Franklin, was inspired to found the non-transactional boutique last year, after hosting a free store at her high school, Lincoln Park, and recognizing the need in Western Pennsylvania.
Courtesy of Grace Reid-Vensel
LuLu鈥檚 Free Store offers a selection of clothing in varying sizes for shoppers to browse and 鈥渂uy鈥� at no charge. The popup boutique was officially awarded nonprofit status in September and is in need of product and monetary donations.
Courtesy of Grace Reid-Vensel
LuLu鈥檚 Free Store offers a chic, non-transactional shopping experience at popup events, where folks are invited to browse clothing, home goods, beauty products and children鈥檚 items. In July, clothing was hung with care outside the Washington City Mission, and upcoming events are posted in advance to the nonprofit鈥檚 Instagram.
Those who know Grace Reid-Vensel, a compassionate, creative 17-year-old North Franklin Township resident, know she has a penchant for shopping.
So when the high schooler decided to start a nonprofit, founding a free store simply made sense.
鈥淎s I kid, I loved shopping. I loved shopping so much,鈥� Reid-Vensel, founder of LuLu鈥檚 Free Store, said. 鈥淚 want to create that experience of reinvention when you get something new to you.鈥�
LuLu鈥檚 Free Store, awarded nonprofit status in September, is a start-up that offers a chic shopping experience for those on a budget.
鈥淥ur central mission is to provide hope, warmth and dignity throughout Western Pennsylvania by providing free access to the material necessities in life,鈥� said Reid-Vensel, a senior at Lincoln Park Performing Arts Center. 鈥淕etting a new set of PJs, a new pillow to throw on your couch, a new body wash 鈥� picking out new things, it feels like your life is reinvented. The positivity that can come from the experience of shopping, even if it isn鈥檛 transactional, is really important for people鈥檚 dignity.鈥�
LuLu鈥檚 Free Store is modeled on trendy popup boutiques, well, popping up around the U.S. What sets the nonprofit apart from other popups and boutiques on wheels is that every item for sale at LuLu鈥檚 has a price tag of zero.
鈥淚 sort of realized amid the pandemic, I kind of had an awakening: You can never assume the position of the people around you,鈥� said Reid-Vensel, who serves as vice president of Lincoln Park Performing Arts Center鈥檚 student council.
Lincoln Park is located in Midland, where the poverty rate is 18%. Last year, Reid-Vensel worked with other student organizations to host a free store during lunchtimes ahead of the holiday season.
鈥淚t really had a great effect. It was very de-stigmatized. That was the change I wish to see in the world,鈥� Reid-Vensel said. 鈥淚t inspired me to bring it to my community.鈥�
The theater major has family ties to Washington and West Alexander and saw the need for a non-transactional shopping experience in Western Pennsylvania. In July, Reid-Vensel partnered with the City Mission in Washington, where her popup shop was well-received.
鈥淚t鈥檚 needed everywhere, support like that,鈥� Reid-Vensel said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 just so touching to see the effects that just such a small act of kindness 鈥� can have on someone鈥檚 day or someone鈥檚 life. Being able to shop for a birthday gift for your niece, having the dignity of being able to give someone a gift, or give yourself a gift, especially when they鈥檝e had days they were not able to. I鈥檓 thankful to be the person who provides that. I鈥檓 even more grateful that people get help.鈥�
To continue helping, the fledgling nonprofit needs donations. LuLu鈥檚 Free Store accepts donations of new and lightly used clothing, jewelry and home goods, and new health and beauty products.
And, of course, 鈥渨e would love funding,鈥� Reid-Vensel said.
鈥淲e would love to get a van so that we can travel and kind of be a popup free boutique for people to walk in and have that full shopping experience,鈥� Reid-Vensel said. 鈥淔unding is great and donations are awesome, too.鈥�
While LuLu鈥檚 Free Store works to establish a Venmo, donations of any kind can be made in person. Those interested in making donations to LuLu鈥檚 Free store may reach out to Reid-Vensel through Instagram or email to arrange a drop-off date, time and location.
Of course, what鈥檚 a boutique without shoppers? Folks are invited to browse LuLu鈥檚 Free Store鈥檚 selection of clothes in an array of sizes, home decor, infant items and more at the shop鈥檚 next event. Events are posted one week in advance on social media.
LuLu鈥檚 Free Store is just getting started, and Reid-Vensel is excited to grow her nonprofit and serve the needs of her community and beyond.
鈥�(Theater) has definitely given me a lens of empathy, the act of stepping into someone else鈥檚 shoes. My roots in theater has definitely propelled me to enact change in my community,鈥� Reid-Vensel said. 鈥淚 would love to take this through my adulthood.鈥�
For more on LuLu鈥檚 Free Store, visit https://www.instagram.com/lulusfreestore/ or email the popup boutique at lulusfreestore2022@gmail.com.