The Street Store
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.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2014
- HeadquartersCape Town, South Africa
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
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.
The Street Store firmographics
Firmographics- 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
The Street Store industry classification
Industry- 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
Where The Street Store is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Cape Town
- HQ country
- South Africa
- HQ region
- Africa
Offices4 records
Markets served
The Street Store business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Supply Chain, Others
Revenue model
- 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
The Street Store product offering
Product offeringCore 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
Companies that use The Street Store
Customer profileNamed customers7 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
The Street Store technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
The Street Store partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.
- Grace Family ChurchcoreFaith-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 ShelterflagshipCape 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 ArmyflagshipMajor 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 BoyacáminorColombian university that partnered with Tecnológico de Monterrey to host Street Stores in Boyacá, Colombia as academic community service initiatives.
- Denis Hurley CentrecoreDurban-based community center that partners with Grace Family Church and Grace Aid to host Street Store events, serving vulnerable community members.
- Doxa Deo Church NetworkflagshipNetwork 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 MexicocoreCorporate 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.
- SuperbalistcoreOnline fashion retailer that has partnered to host Street Store events with Haven Night Shelter, providing corporate support and clothing donations.
- M&C Saatchi AbelcoreM&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 GroupcoreParent 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
The Street Store competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad 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
The Street Store social profiles
Digital presenceThe Street Store compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
The Street Store financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Street Store leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
The Street Store funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The Street Store M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about The Street Store
What does The Street Store do?
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.
Is The Street Store a public or private company?
The Street Store is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was The Street Store founded?
The Street Store was founded in 2014. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is The Street Store based?
The Street Store is headquartered in Cape Town, South Africa, in the Africa region.
How does The Street Store make money?
One revenue line is on record: donations and Sponsorships.
Who are The Street Store's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Caritas Internationalis, Goodwill Industries International and The Salvation Army. Baby2Baby is listed as an emerging player. Others are GiveDirectly and ThredUp (circular fashion resale). Direct peers are Planet Aid, Dress for Success, Soles4Souls and One Warm Coat.
Does The Street Store have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Street Store.
What industry is The Street Store in?
The Street Store's product category is Homeless Services / Charitable Clothing Distribution. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRAFAGAK, Rental-to-Resale / Circular Fashion Platforms. Its NAICS code is 458 and its SIC code is 5600.