Trinket trade boxes are a community-driven public exchange where you take a small item and leave one in return.
Similar to little free libraries, decorated boxes are popping up outside collectible shops, on street corners, and all over social media. This is the perfect activity for a day spent driving around, exploring the area, and supporting local businesses!
How Trinket Trade Boxes Came to Orlando:
This trinket exchange started in Portland, Oregon, with artist Rachael Harms Mahlandt as part of the Worldwide Sidewalk Joy Project, an initiative that encourages small acts of kindness and creativity in public places. Mahlandt created a map to track the project as it spread across the globe.
After seeing the trinket trade boxes in another city, Orlando writer and photographer Lindsey Thompson, better known as @lemonhearted on Instagram and the creator behind Lemonhearted.com, wanted to bring the idea to the Orlando area.
Thompson reached out to a local shop about hosting one, and after they agreed, one box turned into several.
“It really all stems from the creator of the Sidewalk Joy Project based out of Portland,” said Thompson. “Seeing how much people enjoyed bringing their kids to it, or even finding out that people who are very introverted and anxious found it to be a low-stress activity they could do alone, made me really happy.”
“It’s no-cost, low-effort, high-joy, which we need more of around our cities,” she added.
What started as a single trinket trade box has grown into a series of boxes scattered across Orlando.
OrlandoTrinket Trade Box Locations
Koko Kakigori Cafe in partnership with @lemonhearted
- Location: 620 North Thornton Ave, Orlando
Cafe serving matcha and other drinks and homemade pottery/ceramics
Pop Culture Soda Shoppe in partnership with @lemonhearted
- Location: 628 8th St, Clermont
90s-themed nostalgia trinket and thrift shop with a cafe that sells soda, floats, and ice cream.
Note: The trinket box is inside this shop, meaning it’s only open during business hours
Those Guys Cafe in partnership with @lemonhearted
- Location: The box moves with Those Guys Cafe
Those Guys Cafe is run by Wil Gomez and Jose Camacho, who go around Orlando in a trailer selling coffee. The trinket box is a traveling one and can be found at any pop-up location. Keep up with their Instagram to find out where they will be next!
Collective Corner Florida in partnership with @lemonhearted
- Location: The box moves with the Collective Corner Market
Collective Corner is a traveling market around Central Florida that features local artists, vintage finds, and other unique vendors. The markets are often themed and happen monthly. This traveling trinket box can be found at all markets and events hosted by Collective Corner.
Their next pop-up will be at their Retro Rewind Summer Market Series:
- Date: August 15 from 4 to 9 pm
- Location: Avalon Park, 13002 Founders Square Dr., Orlando
Easy Luck Coffee & Bodega in partnership with 2 Girls and a Market
- Location: 2425 E South Street, Orlando
- Soon to be located at: The Milk District, 201 South Bumby Avenue, Orlando
A coffee and bodega shop that serves seasonal drinks, an assortment of coffee, tea, and toast options. As well as some more filling items like sandwiches.
Note: Easy Luck Coffee will be leaving their shop on August 2nd, but will be moving locations on the 10th to the Milk District.
XO Coffee Shop in partnership with @shoplucky.girl
- Location: 4965 W Irlo Bronson Memorial Hwy, Kissimmee
A coffee shop selling house-made syrups, locally roasted coffee with a brunch menu, also features a tattoo shop in the back!
Orlando Whimsy Box
- Location: 2680 Muscatello St, Orlando
This trinket trade box, located in Peppermill Park, contains keychains, stickers, pins, and small boxes filled with tiny trinkets.
Love At First Sip in partnership with @choifully
- Location: 12750 W Colonial Dr, Winter Garden
Boba and coffee shop that occasionally serves seasonal drinks based on some of your favorite characters, like Pokémon.
Note: The trinket box is inside this shop, meaning it’s only open during business hours
Trinket Trade Rules:
There are a few rules to trinket trading boxes (each box may have different rules; please follow what is listed):
1) Take a trinket, leave a trinket
2) Don’t leave trash, food, broken or offensive items in the box
3) Be courteous. Do not take all the trinkets in the box and respect the space, as most boxes are in public areas.
4) Have fun trading!! You can always revisit the same boxes, as trades happen every day. Therefore, each time you visit, there should be different items in the box.
All immages provided by Lindsey Thompson, @lemonhearted
