Thank you for opening this place. What a great idea to help recycle art supplies. I find it a great place to pick up materials for my kids.

My daughter loved this place! I wish we lived closer. I love the idea of having a place that recycles your arts and crafts materials. They even take donations at the end of the month. The last two weeks of the month. My daughter loves to journal and needed scrap booking matetials. She saw TW online and wanted to check it out. There's even a free section for teachers. Great place for Our Planet! read more

My new fave place! just went in for the first time & I found sooo many gems & tools that I needed for my art hobbies & everything at amazing price! The cashier was super helpful and friendly as well. While I was there I was able to connect to other local artists overall a fun experience. I'd definitely recommend! read more

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Special place for artists of any variety! I love donating & shopping here. The newer location is slightly tricky for parking & donating, but 5 extra minutes to find a spot is no biggie. As others have noted, make sure you seek the dates & lists for donations. As an artist, there is always some treasure or material to take home at a reasonable price. Unique place. read more

While exploring the neighborhood, I stopped into the Wasteshed. What a great non profit! They have a very wide selection of items and you could easily spent a ton of time here going through all the items. The Wasteshed has it all from old photos, buttons, ribbons, sewing patterns, frames, boxes, wrapping supplies, vintage post cards...there is something for every crafter. They have a $5 minimum for card transactions but also take cash. read more

The Wasteshed - Art Supplies Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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My review is for the new location at 1754 N Kimball. I am mad at myself for not checking out The Wasteshed way sooner than I did. My craft of choice is scrapbooking, and I doubted they would have much in the line of scrapbooking. I was so wrong. They have amazing vintage buttons, paper packs, loose paper, embellishments and stickers. Oh, the fun I had adding to my stash, and spending only around $21. Scrapbookers, keep in mind that if you see a paper pack kit, there could be items missing from it. These items are donated, so this means a kit that looks complete might not be. I was not bothered by this due to the price. Not everything is priced, which is usually something that bothers me, but I got the impression that the staff would gladly work it out. Though they were busy, a nice gentleman priced a couple of the paper kits for me when I was really on the fence about just bringing them to the register, unpriced. He seemed to sense my tension about asking for price, so he went and got his price gun and swiftly took care of business! I wish I had caught his name because he was the best. We went on the date of their grand opening for the new Chicago location on Kimball. It was busy, but so fun. I can hardly wait to go back to browse. The staff there is very kind and helpful, and I look forward to going back when the store is less crowded. Anyone with a creative bone will love this place. Also, they have loose colored pencils for a dime each, which is so nice because sometimes it's just one color someone favors, such as the client I work for. He is autistic, and he uses just a few colors of a colored pencil box. I love that I was able to add to his stash for such little money. I'd been looking for silver colored pencils for him online, but I was deterred by the cost to get them shipped. Thanks Wasteshed for being such a great resource for people who favor crafting on a budget! read more

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Found picture frames that I was not able to get anywhere else. Brought some items that I wanted to donate, but was disappointed when I discovered that the store was not accepting donations till September. read more

Fun selection of arts and craft supplies. Plenty of room to wander around and see what is for sale.

Absolutely obsessed with the Wasteshed, it's truly a crafters paradise! The prices are always right and staff is kind!

I loved this place!! We went and looked around at the amazing variety of supplies, and I ended up finding some Prismacolor colored pencils! 10/10!!! read more

Love the idea of the Wasteshed and glad I finally got a chance to visit! They don't accept donations daily, but I came on a weekend. The store was clean and well organized by type of craft. As a fine artist, I found the selection to be a bit lacking if you are looking for artist grade art supplies, but I think it's a great place to start for beginners who want to get their feet wet without spending too much. There are also a bunch of fun vintage things (buttons, scrapbooking supplies, even photographs)! I unfortunately didn't find anything today, but worth checking out if you're in the area! Very unique concept. read more

The Wasteshed - Art Supplies Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I love this place! I have gone to browse several times and love looking through everything. Now, I will usually only stop in when starting a project to see if they have what I need and it's so satisfying creating something without having to buy a bunch of new supplies! read more

Reduce, reuse and recycle at the Wasteshed. All your crafty needs, school supplies and then some.

Heard about this store from a friend so took my crafty daughter to check it out and she was in heaven. Issy B nailed it, "crafter, poor artist, or inspired up-cycler" the ability this store has to make sense of so many odds and ends of randomness boggles the mind. The traffic off the street on a Saturday was respectful and definitely drew in crafty hipster types and more. Someone has pretty good taste in music as well judging by the tunage being played in the store. Both the folks working there were friendly, helpful and pleasant. They are good to teachers and also have volunteer opportunities. If you are 1) Crafty 2) Wish to support local small biz 3) Be 'Greener' in your choices 4) Wish to save money over Michaels or Hobby Lobby Then get yourself on down to The Wasteshed read more

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This place is super cool! We went to get sewing notions and left with a host of really cheap knick knacks. Highly recommend coming by here if you have any craft project or art that you're working on. We stopped here first to get what we could before heading to Joanns to get the remaining things and honestly found a lot at the Waste shed. Will be coming back for sure especially for fabric! read more

I would call before you make the trip to Wasteshed. They are very selective about what they accept. I waited in line along with other people and we were all turned away with our items we wanted to donate. I recommended to those turned away to consider donating to Brown Elephant in Andersonville. They accept a broader array of items and you won't waste your time. read more

You know when you think of something in your head and you're like, "man, I wish that actually existed"? That is the waste shed for me. It is literally the perfect store for any eccentric crafter, poor artist, or inspired up-cycler. I want to live here. The people who work here were even nice enough to humor me when I absolutely gushed to them about how fabulous their store was. Anything you need, they got it. You want pipe cleaners in cool colors? Done. You want assorted buttons? You better watch what you ask for, because you're gonna get it. And you're gonna get it hard. How about some tiny balls of yarn? Your entire home and everything you love is about to be covered in precious colorful granny squares. Note: the waste shed is a time vortex. It may feel like you are there for five minutes, but hours will have passed by the time you are purchasing eight pounds of assorted ribbon. read more

It's great! We definitely come by here first if we need to get various odds and ends, from office supplies to paint, yarn, etc. You often leave with things you may not even think you need, but realize you do once you see it! 10 / 10. read more

THIS REVIEW IS FOR THE EVANSTON LOCATION I'm a teacher and this place is gold! I did a quick google search for thrift stores in my new community and this place turned up. I kept meaning to check it out and as soon as I walked in I started kicking myself why I waited so long! Super reasonable prices, extremely clean and organized in a logical way. Amazingly friendly folks and really cool vibe. I admitted to an employee I was just parusing as my bank account was hacked, so I had no money- but as a teacherI was really curious. She got super excited and led me to a large section of the store taped off and marked "free for educators"... Like, seriously?!?! We talked a good bit and exchanged ideas for art projects (BONUS!) I just grabbed a few things bc I didn't want to just take things without paying for ANYthing... and grabbed all the change in my car and ran back in to put it in the donation can. Going back as soon as I can. They're a nonprofit which works to end waste in landfills. Go there! NOW! *masks are still required. They do have some just in case* read more

I don't think there's a better used art store in all of Chicago - every time I come here for something specific, I always leave with dozens more treasures! The staff is always kind and helpful, and the entire store feels so inviting and warm. I'm so happy to live so close to this gem! read more

This is one of my favorite places in Chicago! It has such unique art supplies - I get lots of stickers and vintage cards and fairy supplies as well as random vintage items and much more! The staff is always ultra friendly and helpful and the music is always really enjoyable as well. They also graciously hosted a screening of my documentary, "Uncle Fun: You're the One" - we had a great turn-out and a really fun time. Also, a super cool free section for teachers and even a free area outside the store! read more

Love this place! I went there to volunteer the other day. This place is a heaven for art freak like me. They have stuff for sewing, candle making kit, a whole lot of fabric, stamps and etc. It's not big but will keep you busy for like an hour. read more

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They have so many crafting goodies! I will always check here first before buying anything new. I love they have classes too. I wanted to start logging all the things I saw so I could keep track in case I need something for a project later. I check their Facebook often for updates. And the free section for teachers is special. I dropped off a bunch of slightly to new office and craft supplies and they took all of it. I checked with them beforehand about a couple random things like tote bags and they were quick to respond. Friendly staff. read more

Must stop for your creative supplies! Whatever your project there is something here for you - beading, sewing, crochet, knitting, print making, scrap booking, painting, rubber stamping and everything in between! Fun place to head into to get the creative juices flowing. read more

Creative Reuse. But watch that first step (up and then down), they're doozies! Their mission is to accept your cast-off materials, either traditionally intended for artists or alternately that could inspire artistic intentions. If that latter condition puzzles you, they have a list of materials that they will accept (and stuff that they'd rather not get) at their Web site (http://www.thewasteshed.com/ ). Just click on the "donate" hypertext link. So whether you've got materials from a profession or a hobby in the arts or a craft, they may go well here. Just email or phone with your list and Eleanor will let you know. If you are in the arts or practice a craft, you owe it to yourself to visit the shop once in a while. Just browsing the shelves and containers may either help you find something that you're project needs or inspire you to start a project or explore a change in something in work. Like any place that relies on serendipitous contributions for stock, don't hesitate if you do find something that you like. It's unlikely that by the next time you come here, the same things will be around. So grab it when you find something that will work for you. read more

The best place in Chicago to find unique, lightly-used art, craft, and office supplies! They also have a large section of teaching supplies that are free to educators. If you make things or work with children, this will be your new favorite store. Their selection is always changing and never fails to inspire a new creative project for me. The last time I visited, I bought embroidery floss, two large pots for houseplants, the exact buttons my sweater was missing (!), and a ridiculously underpriced used art book. My total at checkout was under $10. The staff is sweet and helpful, and they can answer all your questions about what fabric, paper, or 70s psychedelic furniture decal to buy. I couldn't recommend this place more. read more

If you have a creative mind, this is the place for you! Friendly staff with such a wonderful concept. Do yourself a favor and stop in, you will not be disappointed. read more

I love craft stores and I love recycle/upcycle stores and this one checks both those boxes! The girls who volunteer there are very nice. This was my first visit and I could have stayed there for hours looking through everything! read more

This place is a whimsical wonderland of toys and supplies and gadgets that will inspire projects you never knew you wanted to do, ways of fixing things with, say, a handful of popsicle sticks heretofore unimagined, and a newfound commitment to the importance of reuse. Practically, it's a one-stop spot for all things crafty. Politically, it's a chanllenge to our consumer-oriented society of buying new, of our attachment to ownership and profit. Super low prices on stuff that'll help us all dodge the cycle of production-to-store-to-landfill, and so much fun! So much glitter! So many weird fabrics! read more

love to get materials here for my various home and classroom projects.

Beware. Watch their every move on ringing up your purchase. Also don't fall for insane prices. In many cases, you can get new stuff cheaper. I believe the the "non-profit" money is going their pockets. They over rang an item I purchased by 1000%! I'll upgrade this review when they give me a total credit on the overcharge. read more

This place seems like a scam to me. It's also super dirty, cluttered and impossible to find anything you're looking for. The prices are totally outlandish given that everything is used. The woman who runs the shop is unfriendly and seems pretty uninterested in helping her customers. Her profit margin must be insane because she's selling heavily used art supplies at retail rates. I guess she deserves one star for not so cleverly disguising this junk shop as some kind of nonprofit sustainability mission. Overall, the waste shed was really just a waste of my time. read more

As an art teacher I was elated when people told me this place existed, however after a single visit to this place all my hopes were thoroughly crushed! I made a yelp account all to warn others to avoid this glorified junk shop. I will tell you why with a few examples: 1) The store is utterly disorganized. I talked to the extremely rude lady behind the counter and asked if they had some of the supplies on my shopping list. She didn't even know what stock she had! She also looked mad that I would even expect her to?! 2) Prices in the store were totally random! All the supplies were used, and I found out donated to her for free, but everything was still priced like they were almost new! Has the girl who runs this place even stepped foot in a real art supply shop?? 3) I was in the shop for almost 30 minutes trying to dig through all the junk. During that whole time I was the only customer in there. But the woman behind the counter didn't even offer to help me and didn't seem at all interested in my business in the slightest! 4) I asked the woman working if they ever get some of the stuff on my list and she said maybe? ARE YOU SERIOUS? That isn't an answer to the question I asked! "Waste Shed" isn't just a clever name. This place was a complete waste of my time!! read more

While I like that this resources exists, her prices are anything but "mission statement loyal". As an example...a sock monkey fabric she had in stock, just a few yards long $30. REALLY? I could buy this retail and still pay less! Vintage greeting cards $1. EACH. Wow. If "affordable" is what you are looking for, look somewhere else, at least for fabric and vintage greeting cards on the day I went. While other supplies, are more "affordable", use discretion when price watching here. Being that the Wasteshed is given all that is in the store, you would think all merchandise would be priced accordingly with that in mind. The Wasteshed might just think about opening up as a "retail used", rather than "affordable thrift". read more