LAfreestore took place on Saturday in Eagle Rock in the parking lot of Casa Princesa Café. It was warm and sunny, and the vibe matched the weather.

The organizer, Krisha Hernandez Pruhs, had a penchant for clothing swaps when she was a student at Pasadena City College. When she transferred to Cal Poly Pomona, she wanted to take swapping with her. And to a whole new level.

I gave some books, clothes and home accessories and walked away with vintage teacups and a belt. But it was about more than just the stuff. Everyone got a tag with a service they could trade and there were demos (think chickens, bikes and zines) and music throughout the day. I met a fellow writer and had some conversations with people, including an older gentleman whose tag read “handshakes” and who’d picked up Maya Angelou’s I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings.

According to Eagle Rock Patch, a few hundred people turned out for the event.

There will be more freestores, so if you missed this one, stay tuned for the next one at the LAfreestore facebook page.

And check out the video Eagle Rock Patch made of the event.

Images courtesy of Danielle Davis.