‘Buy Love Here’ is a pop up exchange shop, where for one day money will have no currency.
The shop is the brain child of British comic Russell Brand and will take place on Thursday 27th May 2010 at the Beverley Centre, Los Angeles.
The idea is to raise debate about the scale of consumer culture and to promote the re-use of products in a surplus society. A social experiment, it aims to examine shopping habits whilst providing an opportunity for Russell to speak directly with the public and gauge opinion.
The day will be filmed as part of an ongoing documentary Russell is currently filming about the pursuit of happiness.
Many of us are guilty of buying things we don’t necessarily need or updating products before the previous model is truly defunct. With this in mind the shop offers customers an opportunity to put those unwanted items to good use by offering them in exchange for something they actually need.
The shop will initially be stocked by donations from Russell, his friends (some celebrity) and companies prepared to contribute end of the line/ out of season items. We are also welcoming donations from the public.
On the day Russell will act as vendor greeting customers and managing exchanges. Ideally we’d like the day to serve a genuine purpose and therefore hope that customers will bring items of some value, not in terms of their financial worth but with regard to their function. However, don’t let this put you off bring your unwanted items and get prepared to swap.
You can offer donations by emailing info@buylovehere.com – we will arrange drop off and collection.
Seems an interesting and fun idea. Why not do one in London too Russell? Bet loads of people would come. x
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It’s a great concept but it’s not new..maybe in the States it is but here these sort of shops have existed for quite a long time.
I think it would be incredible if everyone before they throw stuff away or hide it up in the attic somewhere would consider donating to stores like this.
Also…is there any chance of used Katy Perry underwear? I mean she must go through quite a lot of those each week.
I don’t mind if they are stained by bodily fluids or have teeth marks.
Good idea! The way we consume is totally ridiculus and something we will have to change in the future…… the near future
Ohgosh, is his revolution beginning? he’s always said that he wants to get rid of currency in his ‘utopia’…
Now, if we can just get Russell to Ohio………
I think it would be a smashing success.
I think this is a wonderful idea. I can’t make it to LA (I’d be there in a heartbeat, dude) but I can’t wait to see the documentary for how this goes.
This is a similar to a shop that the hippies had in Haight-Ashbury in San Francisco about 1968. there was actually a shop run along these exact lines. It wasn’t clear how the rent on the shop was paid though!
up the revolution mr pricklefingers!!!
what a genius he is! I look forward to the documentary video.
Hypocrite
Y’all might want to check out freecycle.org. You don’t get to interact with Russell, but it’s a neat organization.
nice to see he’s makinng a difference!
Fantastic! you should get in contact with a good friend of mine Emily Chesher the founder of http://www.swapstyle.com it was the worlds first online fashion swap site.
Good luck for tomorrow!
Hi Russel , I hope you see this, Simon from American Idol is leaving and all the tv stations are asking who can fill Simons shoes….I don’t really know you that well,,but I think you would be GREAT,to take Simons place.Please consider it…….—–Angie