In 2007 at the Echoing Green New Fellows conference, they asked us to answer the very simple question, “Why Do You Do What You Do? (WDYDWYD?)”

It’s a question I revisit so often. The answer informs how I choose to focus my energies and the work I choose to embrace in my life.

I’ll be honest, the prospect of launching another “store” in the city of Buffalo does not inspire me. But I’m inspired by the prospect of how a store concept can be tweaked to serve a much larger purpose. So why are we really opening another reclaimed building materials store?

The reasons are many, but we’ve always viewed our store model as a destination for bringing people together, for sharing information, for teaching. The community aspects of a store bring smiles to our faces and motivate us to do what we do. We’re able to create job and training opportunities for young people, provide valuable services and products to people who need them, and this time around we’re going to also provide retail sales opportunities for artisans and artists who feature reclaimed materials in their works. It’s a win win for everyone and even Mother Nature throws us a nod by keeping usable materials out of the landfill.

We need your help!

We’re looking for artisans and artists who would like to sell their products in our store. We want to support locally made products. We want to support the artisan and restoration arts (a huge focus of the Guild @ 980), and we want the store to have lots of useful and interesting products our customers can enjoy in their homes or businesses.

If you know of artisans, artists, woodworkers, metal workers, glass workers, or the like, send them our way by forwarding this message to them. There’s a consignment agreement and an informal jurying process, but we’re eager to build relationships with talented makers.

How To Apply

If you’re interested, email a short bio to stephanie@reuseaction.com, with several photo examples of your work. Once we’ve received that we’ll respond with a consignment agreement and set up a date for you to bring some of your works to the store. The only requirement is that you use reclaimed materials in your  work.

We’ll be accepting products as early as the week of September 7th. Please share this opportunity and then join us at our opening September 12th.

We’re eager and excited to support both local economic development and the reclamation of materials for reuse!

Onward and thank you,

Michael