Good Garbage Center for Creative Reuse

Crafty stuff! Artsy stuff! Fabrics, paints, buttons, ribbons, door knobs, maps, and anything else that might be re-​used into arts and crafts.
Supply varies all the time. Donations in and purchases out. The room where things are priced as they fit in a bag (rather than individually priced with stickers) can be a real steal if you happen to be there at the right time for your type of art needs.
I’m not a crafter but I have brought my mom here. She’s lucked out on fabric and buttons (maybe $ 25 worth for a few bucks) along with other small items to make quiet books and the randomness of the items also gets the creative brain juices flowing for new projects.

Hoarding is too strong of a word, but let’s just say that I have a proclivity for amassing craft supplies. I’m a sucker for pretty string, a bold fabric remnant, a snazzy DIY tool.
And the boxes and boxes of these supplies that were clearly evident during my move last year, prove that.
So rather than spending mucho dinero at the big box craft stores, it’s a relief that I can usually find the craft bits I’m craving at Good Garbage — for much, much less.
PLUS, Good Garbage is a non-​profit.
PLUS, you can take classes there.
PLUS, you can donate unwanted craft items to them. (Which I should probably do at some point soon, considering the amount of craft items I still haven’t used.)
On my most recent trip, I needed some sequins, beads and buttons — yes, NEEDED!
Lynn, the executive director, pointed me to a drawer in one of her bins that was chock full of bags of sequins. She also pointed out a string of holiday pearls (the type you might have seen strung around a Christmas tree.)
I was in and out in five minutes, and for the bag of supplies, I was only put back $ 5. There are bags at the front of the shop that you can fill for a predetermined price.
This shop is definitely overflowing with supplies, but the neat thing is that you will likely stumble across items that you didn’t know you needed — yes, NEEDED! — but nonetheless spark some creativity.
Before you make a trip to a larger corporate store or online, see if Good Garbage has what you need!

This place is amazing! I love to get supplies here because it’s affordable and environmentally sustainable. Lynn, the owner is so nice and friendly. They offer workshops and other fun events too. Definitely worth checking out because their inventory is constantly turning over. I always find something when I go there.

My first introduction to Good Garbage was at a Unilocal Event, actually, the one at the Tim Faulkner gallery back in October. It was an amazing event and Good Garbage let us help decorate Day of the Dead panelings that were going to be auctioned off. That’s when they were in Portland.
Fast forward to now. Good Garbage recently opened a storefront on Frankfort Ave, across from Comfy Cow. Prime location if you ask me. The store is a lot of fun, you can shop or join one of their evening activities to do arts & crafts. It’s like your Pinterest supplier come true.
If you decide to shop, pick a bag up next to the door, small are $ 5, medium $ 10, large is $ 20. You fill the bag with the bulk items of your choosing and pay at the counter. The bulk items range from scrapbook pages, greeting cards, thread, fabric, tiles, beads, corks, crayons, markers, shells… That’s just to name a few. The DIY projects I have just increased two-​fold after my visit to Good Garbage. I can’t wait to go back!
For those of you looking to find a new home for your art supplies, Good Garbage can help with that too! Just saying. Give this place a try, you will not be sorry.