At Around the Corner’s monthly Clothing Swap, you can trade in all of your useless old stuff for somebody else’s useless old stuff. But it’s not just sweaters, skirts, and blouses that switch hands here. “All the unwanted crap you got for Christmas, bring it in,” says Pattie Oakar, who runs the event. “It’s open to anything — like an old coffee pot you don’t use. You walk off with other people’s junk and get rid off the stuff you don’t want.”

Oakar started the swaps in November. She got the idea after spending a year in New York City, where traders would meet in each other’s apartments to exchange unwanted garments. “We’re not as fashion-conscious here in Cleveland,” she says. “So we’ve opened it up to whatever it is you want to get rid of.” For a $10 fee, participants rent space to sell or trade their items. Then everyone meanders between tables to swap stuff like candles, shoes, and suits. “It’s a free-for-all,” says Oakar.

Oakar hopes to expand future swaps to include professional services — like legal help and plumbing skills. And business cards are always welcome. “I’m going to golf with two of the girls I met,” says Oakar. “It’s turned into a pretty cool social.”
First Wednesday of every month, 7-9 p.m., 2007

This article appears in Feb 7-13, 2007.