Richmond's "leave a trinket" boxes are popping up everywhere
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Please enjoy the baby Groot figurine atop this trinket box off Patterson. Photo: Sabrina Moreno/Axios
There's a growing trend in Richmond with a simple premise: Leave a trinket, take a trinket.
Why it matters: The small, often hand-built boxes are part of a broader wave of spreading "sidewalk joy," or creating connection between strangers through random, swappable items.
The big picture: There are at least eight of them in the Richmond area, from Brandermill and Midlothian to western Henrico and downtown, according to a map that compiles similar spots worldwide.
- The boxes are tucked along sidewalks or outside homes and businesses and stocked with trinkets like Pokemon cards, anime stickers, a Santa hat keychain, sparkly shark necklace and Power Rangers figurines.
- The items regularly change as people visit and swap them out.
- The rules: Don't leave trash, food, or anything sharp or not-safe-for-work.
Fun fact: Videos of ones that launched earlier this year at 5900 Patterson Avenue (pictured above) and 7580 West Broad Street from Knick Knack Nook RVA have repeatedly gone viral.
The bottom line: People love a mini treasure hunt, especially when the treasures are hidden in plain sight.