GARDEN CITY, Idaho — A volunteer-run art supply store in Garden City is giving new life to materials that would otherwise end up in landfills, offering local artists and crafters affordable options for their creative projects.
"We are kind of like a thrift store for art supplies," Joanie Scofield, Executive Director of the ReUse Market said.
Scofield, along with a team of volunteers, runs the nonprofit shop which started in 2006. Customers can find threads, knitting needles, fabrics, jewelry, school supplies and much more for pennies on the dollar.
"It gives them a much more affordable resource for materials. You know they're not paying retail, they're not shipping through a big merchant and having to wait to find things," Scofield said.
The organization's primary mission is environmental sustainability, keeping usable materials out of landfills and in the hands of artists who can put them to use.
"The things that we handle, you know, thread, fabric, yarn, paper even, is pretty lightweight but just in 2024 we diverted over 7.29 tons of material out of the landfill," Scofield said.
Scofield added that giving these items a second chance at life helps local artists and our environment.
"They know that they're having an impact on the community that they're rescuing materials and keeping them out of the landfill, so I think that's a big part of it as well," Scofield said.
The ReUse Market is open Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 12-5. They accept donations on Tuesdays.
