Community members in the East Bay who are familiar with arts and crafts and the art of reusing, may visit this local non-profit on the regular, but for the general public, you may need an introduction.
The East Bay Depot for Creative Reuse has been a mainstay in the lives of crafters, artists, reusers, donators, dreamers and educators for decades. It first opened in 1979 in Berkeley and now lives in a spacious and bright location in North Oakland on Telegraph Ave. This is the place to find art supplies and materials, and the occasional home goods, all with a sustainable impact.
You see, the goods sold at the Depot are finding a new life. You may find the opportunity to give them that new life yourself if you stop in. What do they have there? You might find any number of things like: envelopes, paper and pencils, pens and markers, ribbons and fabrics, paints, stamps and canvasses. You might find a vase or a plant pot, or maybe some colorful jewelry or rocks. The options vary day to day and month to month, depending on what donations they have received. When a person or business has something good that they no longer have a use for, this is a place that item can go. And if you’re not sure what to do with your new materials, check out their calendar for upcoming workshops!
Art supplies for sale.
I am an avid Depot user (and SCRAP user when I’m in SF) so I am familiar with their offerings over the years and have donated many items in the past. I was interested in learning a little more and shedding some light on the workings at the Depot so I asked them to share more about their organization and their offerings. Take a look at some of their insights at the bottom of this article for some interesting facts.
Here are some facts for getting yourself there or donating:
To visit the East Bay Depot for Creative Reuse: 4695 Telegraph Avenue Oakland, CA 9460 Wednesday-Sunday 12-6pm To make a donation, drop off hours are: Thursday and Saturday 12-3pm (note, please don't leave items outside, or they may have to pay to get it hauled away to the landfill) Their Website is: https://www.creativereuse.org/
The East Bay Depot for Creative Reuse inside the store
Why did the East Bay Depot for Creative Reuse start?
In 1979, two inspired Oakland City School teachers needed art supplies for school. They started asking for donations and the story unfolded…
What do you specialize in?
We have two specialties: getting teachers the materials they need for creative supplies and gathering people! We offer teachers $25 a month in free creative materials for their classrooms, and then provide a deep discount for purchased materials beyond that. We offer workshops for the community like sewing courses! We love showcasing how we can keep materials circulating and give supplies new life, and maybe multiple lives.
What donations are you looking for?
The most wanted materials are jewelry, fabrics, yarns and stationary supplies. Our least wanted items are toilet paper rolls and books.
What was the coolest donation you received?
One day there was an entire bowl of dental molds! A dentist was retiring and they donated all their plaster casts. We have also received jewelry in bulk from people who donated via Ridwell. We also have a bunch of old vinyl!
Something to note:
Everything gets weighed, so they have an ongoing count of all the poundage that has been diverted from landfills!
Youth learning arts and crafts at the East Bay Depot for Creative Reuse
