Two Local Artists Start The Things Lab, A Miami Store Based on the Honor System

The Things Lab in Little River: Where the buyer pays for what they feel an object or a piece of art is worth. (Photo courtesy of Susan Caraballo)

The Things Lab is unlike any store or gallery in Miami. It sells donated things, yarn, thread, a paper shredder, a bike, much like any resale store. There are no prices on anything. The buyer pays what they feel the object is worth. And one man’s trash is definitely another man’s treasure. Here one decides how much of a treasure their find is, their own perceived value, combined with what they can afford and that is how the price is determined.

The Things Lab operates on a self-generated sliding scale and the honor system, according to its founders.

The Things Lab is also a gallery and a no-cost artist residency, and the works made are also available for purchase on a sliding scale. These artworks are throughout the Lab, intermingled with everything else.

Artwork created by Alice Raymond who was The Things Lab’s first visiting artist in residence. “Leftover #2, (2024), collage of paper and vintage postcard on back of drawer signed with future present inscription. (Photo courtesy of Susan Caraballo)

The kernel of this idea began when Susan Caraballo emptied a deceased artist’s home a couple of years ago and it was a treasure trove of perfectly fine things. As artists tend to accumulate objects, they also have a culture of sharing, passing things on to someone in need. Caraballo, concerned about the Climate Crisis, took the initiative to start a text thread, now called The Things Lab on WhatsApp. She disseminated the things to the first person to claim interest at low prices, thereby saving it from becoming landfill waste. This was the start of the idea. Today there are over 1,000 people who are participating in a grassroots repurposing project on WhatsApp.

Caraballo’s partner in this endeavor is artist Kerry Phillips. Concurrent to Caraballo’s artist house project, Phillips had a significant exhibition at the Bass Museum. It was solely comprised of repurposed objects. Afterward, she and Caraballo gifted them, at no cost, via the text thread. (Read Taima Hervas’ article “Kerry Phillips’ De-installation Rehomes Over 500 Objects,” from Nov. 3, 2023, on the Artburst Miami website for more in-depth coverage).

The view from the top of The Things Lab. (Photo courtesy of Susan Caraballo)

In the spring of this year, The Things Lab became a brick-and-mortar store/gallery, opening in Little River. A seeming extension of the text thread, it brings the vision of a barter economy that much more to life.

The Things Lab aspires to participate in community outreach; everyone is welcome.

Phillips and Caraballo have created an opportunity to share with anyone in need. It can be as simple as moving boxes. I know of one set of moving boxes that have made at least four moves to date.

Items available at The Things Lab. (Photo courtesy of Erin Parish)

Since this  is a not-for-profit endeavor, some donors give larger amounts to support the impressive effort.

Now, the shelves are full, it is open for business every Friday and Saturday, and by appointment. The Things Lab is ready for business.

WHAT: The Things Lab

WHERE: 7251 NE 2nd Avenue, #106, Miami

WHEN: Noon to 4 p.m., Friday and Saturday, and by appointment

COST: Free

INFORMATION: thethingslab.org 

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