Monday, May 19

Scrappy Little Spot.

This weekend my good friend, artist Leigh Wells introduced me to Scrap. I'd heard her speak of Scrap so many times, a place where she rummages through their gritty, packed to the gills warehouse for reusable materials for her artwork. Paper, old photographs, paints, old books - it's all there at Scrap for the taking, or at least, at dirt cheap prices. It's a scrounger's paradise for reusable art parts. And by bringing new life to these old objects, Scrap reduces the huge amount of waste headed to our city's already crowded landfills.

Scrap is an old warehouse full of donated cast-offs from all kinds of people, businesses, and local artists who have all contributed to Scrap's stockpile of goods. There's old frames, fabric remnants, paper, yarn, buttons, cards and envelopes, old letters, candles (I swooped up a bunch of votives). We even saw old teeth molds (Leigh was strangely drawn to these, but she resisted, gosh darn it!).

Kids love it, too, and there were a bunch of them in Scrap this weekend, exercising their imaginations, and finding recycled goods to make their own art projects. So, if you are an artist, or crafty person in seek of inexpensive, reusable materials, you should most definitely check out Scrap. And if you have items you'd like to donate, check out Scrap's website to find out about drop offs, or in some cases, arrange for a pick up.





Scrap
801 Toland Street
San Francisco 94124
Open Tues thru Saturday 9a - 5p
415.647.1746

25 comments:

Janis said...

How come I've never heard of this? I need to check this place out... Thanks for the find Victoria!

Jen Renninger said...

I have wanted to go here for years! I remember reading about it a long time ago and regretting the fact that I live on the other side of the country!

It looks even more amazing in your pics than I imagined....

Looks like you had fun!

Anonymous said...

thanks, victoria! i used to go to a place like this in santa barbara called art from scrap and i've often wondered if there was something similar around here.

Leah said...

Looks like a great resource! For the same sort of thing over in Oakland, check out The East Bay Depot for Creative Reuse on Telegraph.

You can get all sorts of goodies (my sew-crazy daughter loves the fabric remnants, which are pennies apiece, and there's an amazing array of other fascinating ephemera). And then you can bop across the street for a sublime fried-chicken sandwich at Bakesale Betty or a fabulous meal at Dona Tomas or Pizzaiolo. Yum!

Victoria E said...

I've heard so many things about this place, but still haven't been ... amazing!

Anonymous said...

Wow! I'm so jealous. I wish I could visit this place.

Pippin said...

What an amazing place! Is there anything like that in San Diego? Maybe I should start a store like Scrap.

Anonymous said...

Thank You! For pointing out a place to donate excess yarn to. :-)

Anonymous said...

Great Find! Thank you so much.

Anonymous said...

wow!
I'd be in heaven if Scrap was closer to home. Perhaps I'll be able to check it out in the future.
thanks!

Anonymous said...

i'd heard of this place, can't wait to visit during mt next trip home.
more proof that SanFrancisco is the best city ever!!
;-)

#41x14 said...

I am addicted to SCRAP and may start a 12-step program now that there are new people learning about this addictive place. Besides keeping stuff out of landfills, SCRAP is run by the San Francisco Unified School District! Great pics, you make this place look gorgeous!

read me... said...

WOW what a great find!

Anna said...

sounds awesome, like the emporiums we have in Auckland, but with crazier stuff!

Anonymous said...

That places looks like so much fun.

Kelly said...

Portland has a place also called SCRAP. Same premise (might even be related some how) It's fantastic. For any Portlander's here's the link to ours: http://www.scrapaction.org/

annie said...

ive been going to scrap for years :) its awesome. i've also been to the east bay reuse depot and picked up a mailbox - the white kind with the red flag on the side. its now filled with tons of letters and postcards ive received over the years.

sfgirlbybay said...

I am so happy to know this post was beneficial to so many of you! And to know there are other outposts across the country for other artists seeking inexpensive materials. This rocks, no?! :)

Please continue to share and I will list them in a new post, soon.

C-Rett said...

why cant we have them here??? lemme die....

yasmine said...

oh i chanced upon this place when i went to the ramp, and it's crafty heaven! there's also a few other places in oakland and berkeley, and these places are so awesome!

Anonymous said...

Wow, what a really cool place to look around in and I love how the dental stuff is labeled creepy, hehe

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Prêt à Voyager said...

Seen this online before, but you make me want to go even more now. Only a 6 hour flight away... :(

Anne