265

Arte Útil archive nr:

265

Initiator:

The San Francisco Diggers

Location:

USA

Category:

economy, social

Users:

The San Francisco Diggers and residents of San Francisco

Maintained by:

The San Francisco Diggers

Certification:

implemented

Duration:

1960's

The San Francisco Diggers
-
The Diggers Free Store

Description:

The Diggers' Free Store was a small ground-floor shop at 264 East Tenth Street, and its name is a simple description, not an advertising slogan. Diggers were part of the hippy generation, who sought to help their neighbours, so everything in the Free Store is given away. "DON'T WASTE. GIVE TO THE DIGGERS." The Diggers combined street theatre, anarcho-direct action, and art happenings in their social agenda of creating a Free City. Their most famous activities revolved around distributing Free Food every day
in the Park, and distributing "surplus energy" at a series of Free Stores (where everything was free for the taking.)

Goals:

To implement an alternative economy based on giving rather than money.

Beneficial Outcomes:

The Diggers’ Free Store persisted as a tangible model for potentially reformulating local economic relationships.

Images:

The Frederick Street Free Store
Typical scene in the Free Store, especially after a busy day of