Get on the bus

Bad Business brings necessities to neighbors in need

You may be hesitant to approach an old school bus with a spray-painted sign reading FREE STORE propped against it. But this is one instance where people are encouraged to ignore the “stranger danger” warnings of youth and hop inside. There, those brave souls will find clothes, hygiene products, walkers, books and more—all free of charge. 

Jessica and Ricardo Sanchez started Bad Business last January after seeing how many people in their North Tulsa neighborhood needed help. “I just wanted to be able to offer my community something,” Jessica said. “It can feel like there’s nothing you can do to help, and so I was trying to evaluate what is within my means to help those around me. Like, I’m not trying to take over the world, but what is something small that I can do to help others?”

The married couple talked about having a free store but could never figure out how to make it work, since buying a storefront would be cost prohibitive. Ricardo had purchased an old school bus the summer before, which collected dust until Jessica finally connected the two thoughts. 

“I was like, ‘Well, why don’t we operate it out of the school bus—that way it can be like a pop-up thing and we can set it up as we have availability to … then we just put out a call for donations on our personal social media and they just came pouring in,” she said. “We never have a shortage of donations; people are so eager to give. I swear, every time we go to an event we leave with bags.”

Bad Business works with the Community Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma twice a month to bring their free store to low income children in Tulsa Community Action Project (CAP) locations. They also set the bus up at zine fests and concerts, since they each play in a band. But Jessica said those events are more about raising awareness, and the outreaches are where they can do the most good.

Since launching the project, Bad Business has provided walkers, winter gear, wardrobes, school supplies and more to Tulsa’s most vulnerable citizens. “It’s really at the outreaches where people are taking lots and lots of things, and we never stop people from taking lots of things—it’s not like you’re only allowed five items. It’s like, take what you need,” Jessica said.

The couple hopes to someday turn Bad Business into a non-profit, but until then they will be set up at First Fridays, shows, events and outreaches directly helping those in need. They are currently in need of children’s clothes, so if you have some old clothes you’d like to donate, you can find the Bad Business bus outside of Tulsa Artist Fellowship’s Cameron Studios on October’s First Friday.