More than 50 people stood outside the Enoch Pratt Library’s Southeast Anchor branch on a recent spring morning in Baltimore. Parents with small children, teenagers, and senior citizens clustered outside the door and waited to hear their ticket numbers called.

They weren’t there for books—at least, not at that moment. They came to shop for groceries.

Connected to the library, the brightly painted market space is small but doesn’t feel cramped. Massive windows drench it in sunshine. In a previous life, it was a café. Now, shelves, tables, counters, and a refrigerator are spread out across the room, holding a mix of produce and shelf-stable goods.

    • HellsBelle@sh.itjust.works
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      1 day ago

      Getting all pissy about a feel-good story is a weird take.

      If you don’t like it, fine. But ranting about it is silly at best.

    • Cocodapuf@lemmy.world
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      1 day ago

      Does someone need a nap? How bout a snack buddy? I bet you’ll feel way better after some goldfish and an apple juice.

    • bigcow@lemm.ee
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      1 day ago

      I do believe if you read the article you would see reference to at least six other cities with this model as well…so you did not read the article. Saw the headline and decided to drop a duce on something nice…cool cool cool.

    • WarlordSdocy@lemm.ee
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      1 day ago

      Ah ok so should we just roll over and give up then? That seems to be the argument you’re getting at and while that might work for you I’d rather work with people in my community to have projects like this to help people, as well as also protesting and advocating for change.

    • unsettlinglymoist@lemmy.world
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      24 hours ago

      I worked at one of these places in the US, they absolutely do exist. It was a free “market” stocked daily with produce, meat and a huge assortment of food products and our “shoppers” pushed carts around our market and picked whatever they wanted off the shelves.

      I agree with your main point though, shit is fucked and things aren’t getting better and our political system is broken beyond repair.