Brooklyn Creative Reuse Opens Brick and Mortar at Industry City

Stephanie O’Brien, 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.

O’Brien launched Brooklyn Creative Reuse in December 2024, and after a year of pop ups and fundraising, she opened a brick and mortar space in Sunset Park’s Industry City this month.

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.

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’Brien said. “We accept anything that could be used in some sort of creative way, so it’s very open.”

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. “We like to hire teaching artists that have their own fun, creative ideas that they want to teach,” O’Brien said. “It’s kind of open to whatever artists are interested in bringing to the audience.”

O’Brien said she hopes people will take advantage of the classes and workshops on offer, “and also take a moment to just create in the space — we’re really hoping that people want to enjoy their time here and spend their free time creating.”

She also wants people to consider buying reused art supplies rather than buying brand new, “so that we can keep things in the circular economy and people can afford more art supplies.”

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’Brien is the only staff member and the nonprofit is largely run with the help of volunteers overseen by a board of directors.

O’Brien said she toured a number of different locations for the permanent home.  Industry City stood out because of its creative energy. “It’s a lot of artists and tattoo shops and tailors and just people that already are in the arts,” she said. “We 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.”

Even with the brick and mortar, O’Brien said Brooklyn Creative Reuse would still hold pop up events with other community organizations across the borough and “meet people out in their neighborhoods.” As the nonprofit grows, she said they will eventually offer donation pick up.

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.

[Photos by Susan De Vries]

Related Stories

• Students Get Hands-on Experience Restoring Green-Wood Cemetery
• Park Slope Gift Shop Rider Attracts Regulars With Local Artisan Wares
• Public Review Starts for Controversial Rezoning of Sunset Park’s Industry City, Angering Locals

Email tips@brownstoner.com with further comments, questions or tips. Follow Brownstoner on Twitter and Instagram, and like us on Facebook.