Remember phone booths? Those once-common sights on street corners, central to spy movies and Superman’s quick changes, have mostly vanished with the rise of smartphones. But what happens to these charming relics? Instead of letting them rust away, creative minds worldwide are giving them a fascinating second act! Believe it or not, these old boxes are being reborn in some truly surprising and useful ways. Let’s explore 10 inventive ways defunct phone booths are serving our communities today, proving that even old tech can learn new tricks.
10. Wi-Fi Wonders: A Modern Tech Twist
It seems a bit funny, doesn’t it? The very cell phones that made payphones old news now benefit from their transformation. Around the world, old phone booths are becoming Wi-Fi hotspots. This gives everyone access to free internet on their smartphones.
New York City, for example, started a cool project in 2014. They turned their old payphones into “LinkNYC” kiosks. These don’t just offer super-fast Wi-Fi. You can also charge your phone or find out about city services. South Africa also tested a similar idea, showing this isn’t just a one-city wonder. It’s a smart way to keep communities connected in the digital age.
9. Tiny Libraries: Big on Books
Do you love discovering new books by chance and dislike library late fees? Well, you’re in luck! There are over 150,000 Little Free Libraries across the globe, and at least 20 of them are tucked inside refurbished phone booths. These mini-libraries operate on a simple rule: “Leave a Book, Take a Book.”
It turns out these sturdy, weatherproof phone booths make surprisingly good homes for books. Even Iceland, a country known for its high literacy rate, has turned its last remaining phone booth into a Little Free Library. What a fitting tribute to reading!
8. Going Green: Solar Charging Hubs
Red is the classic color for phone booths, but some are now sporting a vibrant green for a very good reason. Near London’s Tottenham Court Road, six old phone booths have been transformed by the Solarbox project. They’ve been painted green and fitted with solar panels.
These eco-friendly booths use the sun’s energy to charge people’s phones, offering up to 100 charges a day! Over in South Korea, they’re taking green a step further. Phone booths there are being converted into charging stations for electric bikes, another great way to help the environment. Their goal is to transform 900 booths.
7. Heart Savers: Defibrillator Stations
This idea is truly life-saving. The Community Heartbeat Trust, an organization in the UK, is turning old, unused phone booths into stations that house defibrillators. Why phone booths? They’re easy to spot in any community, everyone recognizes them, and they protect the equipment from the weather.
This is especially vital in rural areas where it might take a long time for an ambulance to arrive. For example, in Cornwall, average ambulance response times can be incredibly long. Having a defibrillator nearby can make all the difference in an emergency.
6. Call for Cuisine: Mini Restaurants & Bars
From calls to cuisine! In 2016, a clever London restaurateur turned a retired phone booth into a tiny pop-up salad bar called Spiers Salads. It was fitted with refrigeration and served a variety of fresh salads. Talk about a small footprint!
Another creative use comes from an Atlanta business owner. At The Red Phone Booth’s Dallas Fort Worth location, a classic red phone booth acts as a secret entrance to a speakeasy. Guests have to dial a secret number on the phone to get in. Inside, they can enjoy drinks and food inspired by the Prohibition era.
5. Art on Display: Pocket-Sized Galleries
You don’t always need hours to appreciate art. Sometimes, a few minutes is all it takes, especially when the gallery is inside a phone booth! Cleveland boasts what might be the city’s smallest art gallery, set up in an old payphone booth.
In New York, artists like Patti Smith have transformed old payphones into public art projects. Laguna Beach, California, has a phone booth that hosts rotating art installations, giving different artists a chance to share their vision. Some artists aim for whimsy, while others use the space for serious messages, like a London booth gallery raising awareness about the Holocaust.
4. Dial-a-Poem: The Bard Box
Imagine stepping into a phone booth, picking up an old-fashioned receiver, and hearing poetry! The Telepoem Project is making this a reality by turning unused phone booths into “3-dimensional literary magazines.” Visitors can dial different numbers on a vintage phone to hear over 1,000 poems.
These special Telepoem booths can be found in states like Arizona, California, and New Mexico. If poetry isn’t your thing, how about a laugh? In Washington D.C., the Joke Phone lets kids (and adults!) dial for knock-knock jokes, fun facts, or positive messages. It’s a fun way to brighten someone’s day.
3. Helping Hands: Support for Seniors
If you need help, most of us just grab our cell phones. But what about those who find new technology tricky? In Shanghai, 500 phone booths are being updated to help. These refurbished booths feature a simple digital screen, smart cameras, and a special hotline for seniors.
Other places have realized that simply keeping some payphones working is the best way to help. In Portland, Oregon, the Futel No-Pay Payphone project provides free calls. One booth near a homeless encampment allows residents to call doctors or family, offering a vital link to support and services.
2. Fresh & Clean: Hygiene Hubs
This one might surprise you! In a German village called Grossenbrode, you can take a dip in the Baltic Sea and then rinse off in a converted phone booth shower. How cool is that? And if you’re not near the beach, a phone booth toilet could be a quirky addition to your garden.
In Hong Kong, when the public was asked for ideas to reuse 2,900 phone booths, some interesting suggestions came up. Besides toilets, people proposed turning them into smoking booths, nap pods, or even stress-relief booths where you could safely shout your frustrations away!
1. A Call to Remember: The Wind Phone
Perhaps the most touching use for an old phone booth is the Wind Phone. This concept began in Japan with Itaru Sasaki. After his cousin died, Sasaki set up an old, disconnected phone booth in his garden. He used the phone to talk to his cousin, letting his words be “carried on the wind.”
After the devastating Tohoku tsunami, Sasaki shared this healing space with his community. He invited those who had lost loved ones to visit the wind phone and speak to them. This simple, powerful idea has since spread worldwide, with replicas offering a quiet, public space for people to connect with those they’ve lost and share their grief.
Isn’t it amazing to see how a little creativity can breathe new life into something forgotten? These ten examples show that phone booths are far from obsolete. They stand as a testament to innovation, community spirit, and the enduring charm of these iconic structures. From bustling city centers to quiet rural villages, reimagined phone booths are proving that with a bit of thought, the past can beautifully serve the present.
Which of these phone booth transformations do you find most inspiring? Or do you have another creative idea for an old phone booth? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
