Build It Green

Build it Green Brooklyn is definitely not closed.

I needed a toilet seat for the kids bathroom and a friend of mine had recommended this place to me. So I go there [their branch in Bkn] and I don’t know. Alright a group of young hipsters running a big warehouse, so far so good.
Then I had this weird impression that there was an appalling disconnect between the market pricing and theirs, not to mention the really bad condition of 90% of their inventory. I mean these are really salvaged items collected/​donated from old Bkn houses, barns, demolition sites etc, most are not attractive from a design POV being an architect myself, and yet the staff seemed quite deluded in the sense that they really thought they were running an Antique shop.
I’m saying this because one Staff at the front desk was checking some antique websites. I know this because I kept me there standing for 4 minutes waiting for assistance so I ended up watching his screen. It seemed to me that I was dealing with a very cunning group of people here. The kind of people who’d bother search for similar items online by checking antique shops, eBay etc. so they could price their items accordingly.
I didn’t particularly feel comfortable with this approach for the fact that these are donated/​collected salvaged material, consigned to B.I.G by New Yorke fellows to help other New Yorkers for the greater good of their city.
Anyway, so I stumble upon this old Shanks toilet seat with a wooden cover and flowers painted on it. I thought it’d be nice to get something weird looking for the kids for like $ 40 – 50 give and take, then BOOM!
Asking price was $ 999.
There must be an error I thought, until a person with grayish hair showed up, not sure if it was a man or a woman really, but his/​her answer was kinda condescending and he/​she acted as if he/​she didn’t have the time to talk to customers, although he/​she was doing nothing really other than going back and forth and walking around without a clear purpose.
Okay. Maybe he/​she had a bad day. but I wasn’t gonna squander $ 999 on a used toilet seat even if Louis XIV sat on it.
Come on Build it GREEN! We live in a country where the minimum wage is still south of $ 7.5 per hour. Does that mean that 60% or the our population would have to work 137 Hours to afford a used toilet seat from your junkyard?

Dear Matt,
Or at least that’s what I’m calling you because that’s the cashier’s name on my receipt. My boyfriend and I first started going to BIG about a year ago and every trip it was hard to ignore your bad attitude. We could easily go to Lowe’s across the street and pay equal or lesser price for the things at BIG, but we appreciate BIG’s mission and the fun of finding something totally one of a kind.
After a trip to both Astoria and Gowanus locations this weekend, I’ve made up my mind that it’s just not worth going down the sludge canal to have to interact with a sludge monster. Not only are the attitudes better in Astoria, so are the prices and quality of materials.
I’m surprised you haven’t been fired or been told to tone it down. Sure, a curmudgeon can be charming but there’s a fine line between curmudgeon and a**hole. Figure it out, or better yet, find a hobby so you can blow off all that steam. For someone who listens to The Album Leaf you need to find some chill.

I am in the Antique Restoration/​Furniture building field (not the let me slop chalk paint on this crap and sell it industry!) coming in here was exciting till I read prices. WTH, I have been to places from Texas to Louisiana to Chicago etc. your prices are a joke! The finds arent anything to come back for, and I will not. The hipster dudes at the counter make you feel stupid. I looked at everything, if you need paint or tile yeah decent prices. Lumber, your better off going anywhere else. The hardware, omg they talk to you like your ignorant, even when you call it by its correct name they act like you have no clue. I was very friendly and polite, you know manners that thing of the past. I was told that bc a broken off piece of a wall lamp was copper that it would be $ 70. You caught me! I was totally going to melt it down and pull one over on you. The books, don’t waste your time, price is written inside. You can expect to pay 400 times retail on them! The antique doors are cool but not worth their prices.
They are trying to compare the DONATED items to the prices at Find next door, which I don’t see things flying out their doors.
I suggest you walk across the street to the «junk» under the bridge by the home depot entrance, it will fill you truck for a ¼ the price. I loaded up with all sorts of cool metal pieces, claw foot tub legs, old railing sections, cast iron washtub legs, hardware, a dresser etc. I think it all cost about $ 600. Well worth it! Do bulk/​Pile o’ junk deals, not «how much is this piece».

We came here to purchase some outdoor pavers for our yard. We found something we liked but there are prices on almost nothing in the store. We inquired as to how much they were, first asking an older woman with short gray hair who didn’t want to get up from the desk to look. So we had to describe them to her, and she told us they were «probably 1 or 2 dollars each.»
Then we brought a second worker over to actually look at them and he said «yeah those are 2 dollars each.» So we purchased them after looking around the store for something to transport them on (difficult to find). On our way out, the woman from before who couldn’t be bothered to get up and made us describe the tile to her, said to us in an extremely condescending manner «Those are probably ten dollars each. You know, for future reference.» She made it sound as if we were trying to scam the store or something. Maybe we would have known the correct price had she gotten up earlier to look at them instead of saying they were «probably 1 or 2 dollars» without looking. Regardless, another employee also reiterated the 2 dollar price tag as well. The weirdly rude attitude to us as we were hauling our purchase out the door was uncalled for. I was going to return here for future purchases, but now will not be doing so.

Well… I’ve been watching the BIG website for months looking for kitchen cabinets/​sink/​faucet. Oh joy! The day arrived. I called to make sure the pieces were still there before I made the trek out. They assured me they were… except they weren’t when I got there 20 minutes later. Thaaaaaanks.
Only a small percentage (maybe 15) of their stock is posted on the website. What you see online (I question its existence after my experience) is much higher quality than the majority of what’s actually available. Everything is stupid expensive. Bait and switch anyone? Vinnie was double nice and helpful, the lady mentioned by other posters… meh. Condescending, cranky, and pushing old crappy stuff like I didn’t know what I was looking for.
My advice is to visit BIG BEFORE you start your project. It could be a DIY wonderland (great tiles) if you aren’t expecting anything and what they happen to have that day tickles your funky bone.

Lame atttitude, earth to the little hipster drones, you’re running a second hand store, not a high end antique store. I have purchased and donated a bunch of stuff at the Astoria location and frankly they seem much friendlier.
I stopped in to the Gowanus store today and was thinking about making an offer on three pieces of furniture. Big mistake, the hipster lady with the short grey hair immediately attempted to belittle me. I was informed that any type of haggling wasn’t worth her precious time. Guess someone’s knickers were in a twist about having to sit in a cold, dirty, dusty junk store. Really? no haggling at the «Non — Profit ’ second hand store, guess those Soy Chai Lattes are getting pricey.
I thought the purpose of BIGNYC was to keep stuff out of landfills, not bilk unsuspecting donors who should be paid for their antiques if they are going to be marked up to these retail prices. The unfriendly clerk informed me if I don’t like their «fair prices» I could go next door to Find (retail furniture outlet) and pay $ 2400 instead of $ 800 for the type of table I’m interested in. So BIGNYC is competing with a retail store. Seems pretty unfair to me, Find is working on 50% markup and they have to pay taxes unlike their friendly neighbor. The Demolition Depot at least has the decency to not claim to they are Non-​Profit. Someone should investigate BIGNYC Gowanus, something very shady is going on there.

The guy at the front desk, plucked eyebrows, you know the one, is a total jerk. So rude. Please, BIG Gowanus, please fire him. He does not fit the BIG ethos because he’s rude to customers and acts as if every question is a huge imposition. Please fire him. I was talking to a few of the staff and they are all really depressed because this guy has made their work environment toxic. BIG used to be so great. The prices are ridiculous (not all but many) and this guy projects the wrong attitude. It’s not fun going there anymore.

I love this place. I went in for a coffee table and got amazing service from that silver-​haired butch. They found me and my partner a bunch of conventional options for a good price but even better unconventional options for better prices! That woman has some good taste and some discerning humour. I’ll recommend for her taste and come back for her wry humour.

The guy that works behind the desk is a total tool. He pretended I wasn’t there while he checked his email when all I was trying to do was pay for my item. After a minute of uncomfortable silence he looks up and says, «Oh you want to pay for that».
He also had a conversation with another employee about how another woman who was shopping was being a jerk because she was in a rush. Dude, you work in a salvage shop. Stop acting like a total d-​bag to your customers and get it together.
He kind of looked like Jason Mraz, minus a couple chromosomes.

I want to love this place because I believe in repurposing materials and I enjoy searching through all the lumber for various special projects. However the same unfriendly cocky jerk guy who sits behind the counter has finally put me off. Not only is he rude and condescending but after I paid for my wood and the 2 minor cuts I had requested he decides to reprimand the female employee who cut the wood for me informing her that she should not have cut the wood for me because they were less than 12 inches. Thanks for yelling at your staff in front of me for helping me. Wow. If you want to source recycled materials do yourself a favor and drive to Astoria to the other location where the lumber selection is bigger and the staff is extremely more helpful and friendly. He also charged me for 2 feet of wood when I only took 14″. It’s worth going to queens to avoid Captain Prick.

I suggest whoever reads these reviews to check out this place personally
I have nothing but positive things to share. Polite staff & wide array.
As far as the prices go. Yes some things are expensive because they have high value. They will not sell cheap just because. Can you blame them for understanding the value of their goods?
A great place. Find out for yourself.
Thanks for the plant shelf ;)

Overpriced!!!

are you kidding me? Looks like the new trend for ripping people off AND avoid taxation nowadays is to simply start a «donation» based business.
a used microwave for $ 1,200 ?? Used fridge for $ 3,250? what is this?
Pardon my question, but aren’t these supposed to be recycled/​repurposed material extracted from salvaged barns and demolished buildings/​houses?
and what’s so GREEN about paying 1,500 USD for a recycled Early 20^th C. Colonial Style Wood Fireplace Mantel? It’s on their website! Right now, go and check.
The definition of GREEN is to basically SAVE on RESOURCES!
This is madness.

One thing this place does better than the sister location in Astoria is that it is more organized and much cleaner. It also has a better selection of miscellaneous things like plates, cups, electronics, art, and books. Unfortunately, they are overpriced and the staff is not the friendliest. In the Astoria location, the staff is extremely friendly. They smile at you, they ask if you need help, and they generally negotiate a fair price for things. Here, not so much. Take for example the vinyl records in Gowanus. They are trying to sell vinyl records with dirty, ripped covers, and scratched vinyl for $ 5 to $ 10. That’s too much. They also overcharge on many electronics and furniture.
But, if you dig around you may find something worth your money. They also have a very good selection of tiles, bricks, doors, windows, and pipes.

What to say… BIG! is awesome… I just bought my first home in Harlem and had very specific ideas on what I wanted to get done in it. In fact, I sold all of my older furniture in order to make way for my new envisioned home/​urban sanctuary.
I set out with the idea of keeping it green and keeping the 100+ year-​old essence of the apartment while at the same time bringing in modern structural changes. Living in Manhattan, not only does one find the prices prohibitive, but because of space restrictions, it’s easy to reconsider our relationship with the «things» that make up our homes. Every day, I’m constantly amazed at how much we throw away… the concept of where it all goes completely blowing my mind! I found myself wanting a new look but feeling ethically burdened for simply wanting something «new» — definitely a first world problem…
BIG! not only answered all of my decorative needs and moral dilemmas, but it also served up a friendly and helpful staff. I was helped in Gowanus buy a gent named Harvey. Harvey worked with me through every hurdle we passed. Upon delivery, I realized that not all of my order was there. Having paid for the movers separately, I called down to BIG to ask what happened (politely, of course!). Harvey apologized and before I could reply gladly offered to personally load up the rest of my order in his truck and bring it to me after work hours. Mind you, I live on 115^th street in Harlem, on a 5^th floor walk-​up.
Of course, this was the right thing to do, but the morale of business was never once questioned. Great/​friendly/​interesting staff, cool eco-​chic things, and decent/​flexible prices… I’ll be going back!

So… one year has gone by since I walked into BIG Gowanus and the store has become more of what I had hoped.
Still not into the overpriced furniture but, the available, tiles, paints, electrical miscellaneous stuff and doors will keep me coming back.
Sometimes I do not understand why something has such a high price tag and others dirt cheap… so, will keep looking around in here and hope I find it for a fair price.
Things I purchased recently:
Gallon Paints — $ 3
Radiator cover — $ 60
Ceramic electrical bases — $ 3
Balustrades — $ 6 each
Soon, I will shop for 3 solid interior doors to replace hollow doors.

I really want to love this location as much as BIG Astoria, but both the setup and staff here make that nearly impossible. BIG Astoria embodies the reuse/​recycle spirit and goes out of their way to provide an awesome experience, whereas BIG Gowanus is always plotting and scheming.
Much of their inventory isn’t priced, so that makes for an inconvenient shopping experience and gives the staff leeway to do a «quick» online search at the register and then quote a retail price. As others have noted, price points are too high and they rarely negotiate. This spot could stand to learn a thing or two from Ellis and crew at BIG Astoria.

I found an incredible exterior door for the backyard entrance of my wine store here. It’s gorgeous and was under 300, which if you could see it, you’d see, is a steal. I found a massive mirror for 15 dollars and a ton of pretty mercury glass votive holders.
I’ll say my heart belongs to BIG Astoria– bigger store/​more stuff/​more willing to negotiate, but these guys aren’t bad.

I moved out on my own for the first time and I must say that I am lacking in the furniture department. Building your perfect living space, in my opinion, is more than meandering through the crowded, chaotic aisles of Ikea. However, I must admit that I do own a few items, I can’t help it, it’s just so dang convenient. But I digress.
This may be biased considering I have had great experiences with its sister location in Astoria. Through my mastery of rummaging I have managed to find some amazing gems that are not only original and well made, but also affordable. Having gone to several shops similar to this one in Queens I had high hopes for Build It Green NYC Gowanus. Let’s face it, Brooklyn has hipsters, hipsters are on a budget, hipsters like quirky finds, hipsters kinda know where it’s at when it comes to second hand shit, right? Wrong! This location was a total let down. It was a collection of big ticket items that reflect Restoration Hardware prices. The items found here were nice, don’t get me wrong, but it was definitely more posh than the Astoria location. It lacks the ‘I-​found-​this-​in-​a-​dingy-​dark-​warehouse-​element’, which makes any find so much cooler.
I will definitely come back again, maybe, to see if it grows and adds more items at reasonable prices.