SCRAP PDX

Rachel Wear

I really appreciate the concept of this non-profit. As someone who does arts and crafts, I can think of so many occasions when I have purchased something and then didn't like that activity. Or wanted to try something out, but it was really expensive just to experiment. The beauty of Scrap is that if they will accept your donation of partly used art project materials, someone else will find those treasures and enjoy them. I'm told that you're supposed to finish projects that you start, and if I'm not going to finish it, someone else should. Before I went, I made a list of things that I could use if the price were right. And more importantly, if they had it. It is impossible to know what they have until you go in, and their employees said that it's always variable. I found several items on my list, a couple of things I hadn't thought to put on the list, and not all of them were used or opened. Several items were new, which costs a little bit more, but is still ridiculously inexpensive compared to any of the chains that sell crafting supplies. DO NOT GO TO THIS STORE UNLESS YOU HAVE TIME. Don't take anyone with you that won't enjoy looking at art supplies for a long time. You will not be left alone to dig around. I specifically went by myself so I wouldn't be rushed by anyone, which would be especially frustrating when items could be anywhere. You are not going to be able to run in and find that one item that you need. It could be anywhere (see below). I roamed around that store for at least 45 minutes, digging through things I would have thrown away to find treasures. It reminds me of a saying I learned in college. "Fast, good, cheap. Pick two." If you go to buy something at a chain, it is more likely to be fast and good, but it won't be cheap. At Scrap, when you find that item, it will be reasonably good, and it will be cheap, but it will not be fast to find it, if it is there at all. If you don't have time to dig for it hoping you find it, save yourself a headache and just go pay more money and be done with that errand. There were a few reasons that I only gave it four stars. Reason number one is that they will not always have what you need. While I found some things, I did not find everything on my list, and not everything their website lead me to hope they had, but I found a couple things I didn't know I needed. Along with not having everything all the time, you don't really know what they have until you go in that day. But if you are someone who does a variety of arts and crafts regularly, you're always going to find things that you need. How hard can I complain about that though, because that's part of their concept. My second reason for giving four stars is that there is no order to the store and where things might be. Similar items had multiple locations, so there was back and forth while looking at those items. My third reason is that some of their inventory should probably be thrown away, in my opinion, if they can without violating their mission. Some of the acrylic paints were completely dried up and solidified in the containers. With the right project, I guess you could work around that (maybe? That's wild speculation on my part about grinding dry paint up), but that's not really what I was looking for in paint. Some of the other items were a little bit of a stretch calling it art supplies. Again there are things that could be done with a bunch of colorful plastic bottle caps, but the only things I can really think of are already being done by someone else to demonstrate what we could do with those lids. I feel like they've cornered the market, so I'm not going to try it. In the end though, the trip was a success. My hands were full enough that I kept dropping things on the floor, and my total purchases added up to $3.50. Some new items and some used. I look forward to going again when I have enough time to dig around, and seeing what other hidden gems will be there next time to help me finish more projects.

Angela Drake (Not Your Average American)

Love, love, love Scrap PDX! I went in search of a three ring binder and found a huge selection of options starting at 25 cents a piece! If I had young children, I would head here first for crayons, paints, and modeling clay. Their selection of crafty items from fabric to yarn, bottle caps to saran wrap, old photos to film canisters, is absolutely impressive. Not sure what you need? Then visit for inspiration!

Nicole Cole

This is a neat place to go explore and get inspiration. It's perfect for young children you are introducing to their creative side. It's not expensive if the child decides they are not interested you didn't spend a lot of money. I bought a old Magazine and some stickers for 2 year old. It was a quite road trip afterwards.

Mims

Went to pick up my online order but then had lots of fun poking through all the things in person (and chose a few more treasures) to bring home!