Regional

Michigan store doesn’t charge customers for items

The Fretail Store lets in-need customers take items for free

LANSING, Mich. – While the job market is hot right now, there’s a segment of the population that is still struggling to make ends meet. One store in Lansing, Michigan, is working to make sure those struggling this year have the items they need- and the dignity they deserve.

The Fretail Store is located in the Lansing Mall, at 5330 West Saginaw Highway. Customers are invited to come into the shop, pick out items they need and take them home, without being charged.

It’s a very personal mission for Fretail Store owner Michael Karl. He’s the founder of the volunteer organizations Homeless Angels and Cardboard Prophets, plus the Capital Area Diaper Bank. Karl is a bright light in Lansing, constantly working to ensure the city’s low-income and homeless popular is cared for.

Items for sale at the Fretail Store all have tags on them. Customers are invited to shop in the store, take what they want, head to the front desk, and then, they can take the items home without paying for them.

The Fretail Store opened in December. According to the store, it’s a totally new concept.

“The first of its kind free store in a mall setting in America at the Lansing mall in Lansing, Michigan,” the store’s official Facebook page reads. “Everything in the store is free for anyone in need! Bringing a shopping experience to those that otherwise would never experience in a mall setting for free.”

If you’d like to help, the store has an Amazon wish list, which is “updated weekly with items we need to keep our community store running for those in need.” Find the Amazon wish list here.

According to the store’s Facebook page, items may also be sent to 5472 Oakhills Drive, Eaton Rapids, 48827. You can also drop of items to the store during regular business hours, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. weekdays.

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