{"id":183419,"date":"2026-04-02T14:23:18","date_gmt":"2026-04-02T14:23:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/183419\/"},"modified":"2026-04-02T14:23:18","modified_gmt":"2026-04-02T14:23:18","slug":"brooklyn-creative-reuse-opens-at-industry-city","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/183419\/","title":{"rendered":"Brooklyn Creative Reuse Opens at Industry City"},"content":{"rendered":"

By keeping art materials out of landfills, Brooklyn Creative Reuse aims to give shoppers cheaper options alongside creative classes.<\/p>\n

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Stephanie O\u2019Brien of Brooklyn Creative Reuse. Photo by Susan De Vries<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\"\"\"\" by Anna Bradley-Smith<\/a><\/p>\n

Stephanie O\u2019Brien, a longtime art industry worker, always focused on how to create sustainably, both as an artist and working with arts nonprofits. The Prospect Lefferts Garden local long dreamt of having access to a creative reuse center that salvaged old materials and gave them a new life. With none in Brooklyn, she decided to start her own.<\/p>\n

O\u2019Brien launched Brooklyn Creative Reuse<\/a> in December 2024, and after a year of pop ups and fundraising, she opened a brick and mortar space in Sunset Park\u2019s Industry City<\/a> this month.<\/p>\n

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The nonprofit aims to keep art materials and adjacent supplies out of the landfill and resell them at an affordable price to people getting into new hobbies and crafts, as well as offering classes by teaching artists in a range of subjects.<\/p>\n

Brooklyn Creative Reuse accepts donations of all kinds of art-related materials, including fabric, yarn, drawing materials, sewing machines, paint, pencils, pens, and anything art supplies-adjacent, including office supplies, O\u2019Brien said. \u201cWe accept anything that could be used in some sort of creative way, so it\u2019s very open.\u201d<\/p>\n

The materials are then resold or used in the classes and workshops, which have included hand quilting, zine making, still life drawing, collage, and recently, a make-your-own Labubu event. \u201cWe like to hire teaching artists that have their own fun, creative ideas that they want to teach,\u201d O\u2019Brien said. \u201cIt\u2019s kind of open to whatever artists are interested in bringing to the audience.\u201d<\/p>\n

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O\u2019Brien said she hopes people will take advantage of the classes and workshops on offer, \u201cand also take a moment to just create in the space \u2014 we\u2019re really hoping that people want to enjoy their time here and spend their free time creating.\u201d<\/p>\n

She also wants people to consider buying reused art supplies rather than buying brand new, \u201cso that we can keep things in the circular economy and people can afford more art supplies.\u201d<\/p>\n

Any profit made from the materials and classes is used to pay for the space and the teachers, and is mostly put back into the business, she said. Currently, O\u2019Brien is the only staff member and the nonprofit is largely run with the help of volunteers overseen by a board of directors.<\/p>\n

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O\u2019Brien said she toured a number of different locations for the permanent home.\u00a0 Industry City stood out because of its creative energy. \u201cIt\u2019s a lot of artists and tattoo shops and tailors and just people that already are in the arts,\u201d she said. \u201cWe felt like the energy here was very welcoming to a sustainable creative organization coming in, and the space itself is very creative, being in the Industry City building has a good vibe to it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Even with the brick and mortar, O\u2019Brien said Brooklyn Creative Reuse would still hold pop up events with other community organizations across the borough and \u201cmeet people out in their neighborhoods.\u201d As the nonprofit grows, she said they will eventually offer donation pick up.<\/p>\n

Brooklyn Creative Reuse will be open Wednesday through Sunday. Open hours started this week, Wednesday and Thursday from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. and Friday through Sunday 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. There will be an official opening party on Saturday, April 18, 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.<\/p>\n

[Photos by Susan De Vries]<\/p>\n

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