On the surface, The Basement is your standard streetwear-focused Facebook group. It started as a haven for people who wanted to sell, buy and trade rare items from streetwear brands like A Bathing Ape, Stussy, Supreme, Supreme and more Supreme. Even more rare than the pieces members are trading, though, is a space on the Internet where users can go for help even when dealing with the most sensitive and personal topics.

The group is still categorized under Facebook’s Buy and Sell category but now trades much more in the emotional well-being of its members by supporting lively (and loving) discussions. Hate-free discourse is an occurrence as rare as a unicorn these days; comment sections on other streetwear sites like Hypebeast devolve into in-fighting, with responses like, “man get the fuck off this website you old fool,” and “Slap yoself and yo mama.” In contrast, The Basement boards read like a group of friends keeping in close contact, rather than several thousand unconnected — and uncaring — streetwear fans.

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