NEW YORK — The turtleneck from designer Marc Jacobs costs hundreds of dollars at Neiman Marcus or Saks Fifth Avenue. But at one Brooklyn bar, the charcoal-gray sweater was free for the taking — along with jeans, belts and shoes.
The neighborhood watering hole called Syca more will never be mistaken for a department store, but for some recession-battered consumers, it’s serving a similar purpose. It’s a chance to update their wardrobes and capture the adventure of shopping without having to open their wallets.
“It’s guilt-free shopping,” said Shannon McDowell, a bartender and swapper.
The rules are simple: You bring something before you take something, and money never changes hands. And it’s not just clothes. People are trading DVDs, books, toys and even house plants and garden seeds.
“People are naturally resourceful,” said Anneli Rufus, co-author of the book “The Scavengers’ Manifesto,” a guide to acquiring things for less. “At first, they are scared and shocked. But then, thank gosh, people are getting less ashamed in doing this.” The Associated Press
