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New York City is known for many things. It is a haven of diversity, a global hub of finance and arts, and, as a famous popstar once encapsulated it, a “concrete jungle where dreams are made of.” It is also where you can take home free stuff from the streets.

For New Yorkers, this practice is known as “stooping,” and fascinatingly enough, people do encounter excellent finds. This trend has taken a life of its own, and there is a dedicated Instagram account for it.

We’ve collected photos from the page showing discarded furniture, pop culture mementos, and artwork worthy of the centerpiece spot in the living room. Indeed, NYC is a captivating place.

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A Brooklyn-based couple runs Stooping NYC, and they have chosen to remain anonymous. In an interview with Vogue, they revealed that the idea came about thanks to their young son.

Walking around their neighborhood, they would see random stuff they’d refer to as “treasures.” However, most of these items had been discarded by their owners, who would wait for sanitation to dispose of them or for a random person to collect them.

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They soon began posting photos of their finds on their Instagram page, which grew almost overnight. When they started in the summer of 2019, they would receive hundreds of direct messages per day. Their “stooper” community primarily looked forward to the “thrill of the hunt.”

“What started out as a hobby has become a real service to the community,” the couple described their venture.

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Stooping NYC also became a source of community during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. In a 2021 interview with Time Out, the couple felt responsible for posting excellent finds on their page since people expect weekends to be “stooping days.”

“I think people are craving for things to do, and it’s become a social activity and community when socializing hasn’t really been a thing,” they said.

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Those who happily engage in this activity see it as a way to help Mother Nature. Manhattan resident Lori, a fine artist and production designer who regularly sends items to the Stooping NYC page, shares this sentiment.

“I hate to see waste,” she told Yahoo! “Stooping is balancing the universe in a fun, free way.”

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Given how popular stooping has become, coming across a “treasure” or two may be more challenging these days. However, the couple shared some tips, like knowing when garbage days are.

“Sundays in Brooklyn are always amazing because Monday is a garbage day,” they said, adding that turning alerts on may help you get ahead since Instagram algorithms may show late posts.