The Virtual Stoop Sale

There's something intriguing about garage sales and flea markets. Combing through clothing from days past, dusty books and forgotten travel mementos can be a real adventure, and a page into someone else's life.

You could happen upon the perfect object at a stoop sale; a hand-carved ivory jewelry box, let's say, and it's the perfect finishing touch for your black and white themed bedroom. The woman selling it tells you she is also is a lover of the two-toned look, but her necklace collection has outgrown the jewelry box.

These fleeting, intimate connections with strangers make life interesting. As long as that jewelry box sits atop your bureau, your neighbor is a part of your home in a small, yet meaningful way. 

Neighborly, hyperlocal connections can be made online as well. Krrb (pronounced "curb") is a Brooklyn based, new online venue that facilitates interactions between people living in the same neighborhood. It's essentially an online stoop sale.

Krrb's creator and founder George Eid references Meetup's motto as the perfect way to capture what his website is all about.

"Use the internet to get off of the internet," he said.

Sure, you could peruse Ebay, but chances are someone in Carroll Gardens has what you are looking for. Not only will you avoid shipping and PayPal charges, but you will meet people who live steps away. Similar to Craigslist, you can search for items locally. The money exchange takes places in-person, but the significant difference is that you can browse through all of the goods someone is selling. 

"I'm into rummaging" said Eid, which is certainly reflected in Krrb's purpose; it's a rummager's paradise. Each user can create a "corner": when you click on that ruby glass vase that you want, you also see that your neighbor is a talented watercolor artist who just happens to be selling a picture of a deep-red rose that would go perfectly on the wall above the vase. And he is only a 7-minute walk away.

"It's not about the most results, its about the most relevant results and your neighbors are the most relevant. The more you visit, the more you get to know the people selling," said Eid. 

Jessica Sagert, Krrb's community manager and a life-long Carroll Gardens resident,  says she has met people in the neighborhood that she might otherwise never have known.

"We are a strong, proud little community," she said. "New and old residents are proud to be from Carroll Gardens and it's great for us to have this resource [and] to interact on this level."

One of the site's earliest taglines was "Your trash, my treasure." According to Eid, that slogan is particularly true in a neighborhood like Carroll Gardens.

"Treasure is different for each person, especially in Carroll Gardens, which is a such a vibrant and diverse community," he said.

The site is also terrific for local businesses. Shop owners can post their goods on the site, which is a great way to draw local residents into their stores to support the local economy. 

"People in the neighborhood love stoop sales," said Sagert. "And Krrb is enabling that lifestyle."