Do you remember the Honest Shop from 2019, a self-serve store that showcased and sold items handmade by local creators? The shop operated on a self-service basis, relying on the honesty of customers to record their sale and pay.

On December 15, for the holiday season, MOCA is launching a new iteration titled honestshop21, presented within the framework of GTA21 at MOCA is a space that sells goods by makers in the local community, with a specific focus on the Junction neighbourhood. There is no special selection process for what can be sold—provided the products are handmade. The shop is presented as an extension of Tom Chung‘s artwork 50 Shelves for MOCA, which explores democratic design and is itself an edition that is for sale.

All of the items in honestshop21 are handmade, priced and shared by local producers. This unregulated model for trading provides a unique community snapshot and an alternative to commercial mass consumerism; one that is driven by locality, individuals, enthusiasms and goodwill. The shop operates on a self-service basis. Although artists set the price of their work, the project relies on customers’ honesty to input and pay this price (or more), and record their sale in a growing inventory.