The Street Store

What The Street Store does

The Street Store is a non-profit social initiative founded in 2014 by M&C Saatchi Abel in Cape Town, South Africa, and operating as part of The Up&Up Group. It runs the world's first rent-free, open-source pop-up clothing store concept, providing people experiencing homelessness or clothing insecurity a dignified shopping experience in which they choose garments for themselves rather than receiving handouts. Core deliverables are an open-source Platform that supplies free downloadable Host Kits, Hosting Guides, a global Events Calendar, and a sequentially numbered Street Store Directory documenting every event held worldwide; the platform is entirely free for hosts, donors, and beneficiaries.

Distribution is community-led and event-driven. Anyone can host a Street Store by pledging non-profit use, downloading the host kit, and organizing a pop-up event in a public space, shelter, school, or partner venue. Donated clothing is not monetized; instead, it is displayed for beneficiaries to "shop" for free, with surplus redirected to local shelters. Permanent drop-off points are operated in Cape Town and Johannesburg, and corporate and institutional partners (Heineken Mexico, Superbalist, Doxa Deo Church Network, Grace Family Church, Haven Night Shelter, Salvation Army, Denis Hurley Centre, Universidad de Boyacá) host or sponsor events. Marketing runs on organic social (Facebook, X), email newsletters, SEO, earned media from award coverage, and word-of-mouth through the host network.

The organization runs on a 3-person core team (Project Manager, Volunteer Coordinator, Marketing Director), supported by volunteers and corporate partners. It has no disclosed external funding rounds or operating revenue; financial sustainability is achieved through in-kind donations, partner contributions for printing/transport/storage, and corporate sponsorship of operational costs. Since inception, more than 1,100 Street Stores have been hosted across 100+ cities and six continents, clothing over 1 million people. In 2024, the initiative received a Gold award at Cannes Lions and was named a Best World Changing Idea in EMEA by Fast Company USA.

Name

The Street Store

Legal name

The Street Store

Website

https://thestreetstore.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Street Store is a Cape Town-based non-profit operating the world's first open-source, rent-free pop-up clothing store concept, enabling volunteers and partners worldwide to host dignified clothing-distribution events for people experiencing homelessness or clothing insecurity.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Homeless Services / Charitable Clothing Distribution

NAICS

Clothing, Clothing Accessories, Shoe, and Jewelry Retailers (458)

SIC

Retail-Apparel & Accessory Stores (5600)

akta.pro primary industry

Rental-to-Resale / Circular Fashion Platforms (CRAFAGAK)

Keywords

• Pop-up clothing store
• Homeless services
• Circular fashion
• Clothing donation
• Community outreach

Headquarters

HQ city

Cape Town

HQ country

South Africa

HQ region

Africa

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Sponsorships: The Street Store is a non-profit initiative. Revenue comes from donations of clothing (not monetized), financial contributions from partners for event support (printing, transport, storage), and corporate sponsorship for operational costs. The core model is not revenue-generating but cost-recovery through in-kind support.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Street Store runs the world's first rent-free, open-source pop-up clothing store for people experiencing homelessness or clothing insecurity. It provides free downloadable host kits, planning guides, and a global event directory so that anyone, anywhere can set up a pop-up store where donated clothing is displayed and beneficiaries "shop" for free with dignity. The platform also coordinates donation intake, partner sponsorship, and a worldwide events calendar to keep the model running across 100+ cities.

Product overview

The Street Store is a single, unified open-source platform centered on its pop-up clothing store concept. The core offering consists of the Street Store Platform, which provides free host kits, hosting guides, and event management resources (Street Store Directory and Events Calendar) to enable volunteers worldwide to run dignified clothing distribution events. The platform is complemented by Donation and Partner Programs that supply clothing and logistical support. The platform is entirely free to use, supported by volunteers and corporate partners, with no paid tiers or modules.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• The Street Store Platform An open-source pop-up clothing store platform that enables volunteers and organizations worldwide to host rent-free, dignified shopping experiences for people experiencing homelessness or clothing insecurity. The platform provides free host kits, guides, and planning resources.
• Host Kit A free downloadable starter kit containing printable posters, step-by-step guides, setup checklists, volunteer tips, and social sharing tools for hosting a Street Store event.
• Hosting Guide Comprehensive documentation guiding hosts through the process of planning, setting up, and running a Street Store event, including location selection, volunteer recruitment, and clothing collection.
• Donation Program Service enabling individuals and organizations to donate pre-loved clothing, shoes, and accessories that are then distributed through Street Store events to those in need.
• Partner Program Collaboration framework for logistics providers, venue sponsors, clothing brands, and media partners to support and scale Street Store events globally.
• Street Store Events Calendar Online event listing platform showing upcoming Street Store events worldwide, filterable by country and city, allowing volunteers and donors to find local opportunities.
• Street Store Directory Comprehensive living record of every Street Store held worldwide, providing detailed information about each event including location, hosts, and dates.

Quantifiable outcome

• 1M+ people clothed with dignity since 2014
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• Grace Family ChurchcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2024Faith-based organization that regularly hosts Street Stores in Durban area in partnership with Grace Aid and Denis Hurley Centre. Provides venue, volunteers, and community connections.
• The Haven Night ShelterflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 March 2023Cape Town-based shelter that serves as a regular host venue for Street Store events. Partnered for the 1000th Street Store milestone in March 2023. Provides venue, guest access, and operational support.
• The Salvation ArmyflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 March 2023Major non-profit partner hosting Street Stores in Johannesburg. Partnered for the 1000th Street Store milestone in March 2023. Provides venue access and serves beneficiaries through their welfare network.
• Universidad de BoyacáminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2023Colombian university that partnered with Tecnológico de Monterrey to host Street Stores in Boyacá, Colombia as academic community service initiatives.
• Denis Hurley CentrecoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2021Durban-based community center that partners with Grace Family Church and Grace Aid to host Street Store events, serving vulnerable community members.
• Doxa Deo Church NetworkflagshipGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2021Network of faith-based churches (including Doxa Deo Meyersdal, Doxa Deo Midstream, Doxa Deo Bloemfontein, Doxa Deo Brooklyn, Doxa Deo Faerie Glen, Doxa Deo Hatfield, Doxa Deo Tshwane Central) that host regular Street Store events across South Africa, reaching thousands of beneficiaries annually.
• Heineken MexicocoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2019Corporate partner that hosts Street Stores at multiple locations in Mexico including Toluca, Guadalajara, Chihuahua, Tecate, Meoqui, and Orizaba. Provides funding, venue access, and employee volunteers.
• SuperbalistcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2018Online fashion retailer that has partnered to host Street Store events with Haven Night Shelter, providing corporate support and clothing donations.
• M&C Saatchi AbelcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2014M&C Saatchi Abel founded The Street Store in 2014. The advertising agency created the concept as an alternative to traditional charity handouts, enabling homeless people to choose clothes with dignity. The agency provides ongoing brand management and support through The Up&Up Group.
• The Up&Up GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2014Parent organization that The Street Store is part of. The organization operates as a company registered in South Africa forming part of The Up&Up Group. Provides operational infrastructure and support.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Caritas Internationalis: Global confederation of Catholic charities providing humanitarian aid including clothing and material assistance. Comparable as a large international non-profit serving vulnerable populations in many of the same 100+ countries, though operating traditional aid-distribution models rather than dignity-based pop-up shopping.
• Goodwill Industries International: Largest US-based non-profit thrift retail network, accepting donated clothing and selling it to fund workforce programs. Broader incumbent in the same dignity-through-workwear-and-clothing space; overlaps with The Street Store's beneficiary base and donor supply, but monetizes clothing rather than distributing it free.
• The Salvation Army: Major international charitable organization providing shelter, clothing, and welfare services — also an existing flagship partner of The Street Store. Comparable as a much larger incumbent serving overlapping beneficiaries (people experiencing homelessness) through clothing distribution, but operating its own thrift retail rather than open-source pop-ups.

Emerging players

• Baby2Baby: US-based non-profit providing clothing, diapers, and essentials to children in need. Comparable as a high-profile apparel charity emphasizing dignity and choice in distribution, with strong corporate-partner-driven scaling — paralleling The Street Store's model but focused on children's essentials.

Others

• GiveDirectly: Non-profit enabling direct cash transfers to people in extreme poverty, often cited as a benchmark for dignity-based aid. Thematically adjacent as a pioneer in reframing aid around beneficiary choice rather than top-down charity distribution, mirroring The Street Store's positioning philosophy.
• ThredUp (circular fashion resale): Large online resale platform addressing textile waste and circular fashion at scale. Not a direct peer — ThredUp monetizes secondhand clothing via resale, while The Street Store distributes it free — but comparable as a brand in the circular-fashion category and a potential corporate-partner overlap for textile-reuse initiatives.

Direct peers

• Planet Aid: Non-profit operating clothing donation bins and reuse programs globally to redirect textiles from landfills. Highly comparable as a circular-textile platform focused on the same waste-and-need intersection that The Street Store addresses, though operating via permanent drop-off infrastructure rather than pop-ups.
• Dress for Success: Global non-profit providing clothing and professional attire to people in need, particularly women entering the workforce. Directly comparable as an apparel-focused charity that emphasizes dignity and choice in clothing distribution, with a similar host/affiliate model operating across many countries.
• Soles4Souls: Non-profit that distributes shoes and clothing to people in need worldwide through partner organizations and events. Closely comparable to The Street Store as a circular-fashion charity platform enabling dignity-based distribution at scale across multiple countries.
• One Warm Coat: US-based non-profit that drives coat drives and pop-up clothing distribution events through volunteer hosts. Operates a near-identical model of community-hosted clothing giveaways with brand kits for organizers, paralleling The Street Store's open-source host-kit approach.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/thestreetstore
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-street-store
• Facebookfacebook.com/thestreetstore

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Street Store