When driving down Northeast 23rd Avenue, maybe on your way to lunch at Satchel’s Pizza, a vintage boat on the side of the road may catch your eye.
Painted on its hull, bright white lettering stands out on rusted metal.
“Buy Used! It’s good for the planet!” it reads.
Upon entering a tiny, almost hidden nook of road, you’re greeted by a friendly, bustling, creative community. This is The Repurpose Project, one of three related sustainability shops in Gainesville.
But three will soon become four. The store recently announced it will open a new location: a clearance shop and donation center called Dystopian Dollar. It will be located next to The Repurpose Project thrift store and Renovator Reuse on Northeast 23rd Avenue.
Mellow Star, the 30-year-old site manager of The Repurpose Project, views the opening of the fourth store as a wonderful opportunity for the organization. It’ll allow for more efficiency within the organization and its relationship with the Gainesville community, they said.
“We, at all three of our stores, are always just inundated with stuff from the community, which is a beautiful problem to have,” Star said. “But whenever it gets nearer to peak times in the city, like UF student move out … we really just are unable to keep up and … process everything that the community has to offer us.”
Dystopian Dollar will aim to be a one-stop destination meant to streamline the donation process, they added.
The Repurpose Project, founded in 2012, not only acts as a non-profit thrift store but a network of pure dedication, goals and creativity all spread out with the same mission: Give items a second chance and increase the Gainesville community’s access to affordable self-expression and innovation.
The organization currently operates three stores: The Repurpose Project, The Renovator Reuse and Reuse Planet. The Repurpose Project thrift store is the main location. Renovator Reuse is its hardware store and Reuse Planet is its furniture store.
In an effort to help fund its expansion, The Repurpose Project participated in The Amazing Give, a local fundraising event that took place April 30.
As of May 17, the organization has raised a little over $2,000. Its goal is to reach $20,000 to build the future store and continue to promote a more sustainable, affordable community.
”There’s something to be said about looking at what we have available to us within our own town and redefining the usage of certain items to make everything that we already have work for us,” Star said.
When someone walks into The Repurpose Project, they are greeted warmly by a cashier. A sign on the door says no hate will be tolerated here, and a pride flag hangs on the ceiling. Yarn, ribbon, old notebook pages, film strips, forgotten instruments and trinkets sparkle in the light as they wait for a creative eye to take a chance on them. Customers compliment each other while searching through old paint and pieces of fabric.
Gustavo Franco, a 32-year-old bartender, has been to The Repurpose Project quite a few times in search of new projects. Each time, he marvels at the items people give up and the type of crafts he’s able to discover.
He held up a glass he picked off the shelf. It was small and thin and ringed with black metal.
“This thing is just $1,” Franco said. “I use it to propagate my plants. But [it’s] supposed to be something for a light or something. I don’t know. It’s cool.”
He’s always on the lookout for something to jump out at him, he said, and he hopes to give items a new life.
Tamara Ramos, a 34-year-old bartender, went into the thrift store for the first time May 12 and found it the perfect place to shop.
“[I’m] just looking for something interesting for the house,” she said. “It’s working for me.”
When turning out of The Repurpose Project, a haul of miscellaneous items in your car, you’ll see a building under construction next to Renovator Reuse.
A sign taped to the building reads “Dystopian Dollar: coming soon.”
Contact Mackenzie Haas at mhaas@alligator.org.
