Have you been to a Scrapstore?

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Meanqueen
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Have you been to a Scrapstore?

Post by Meanqueen »

Some people have the idea that Scrapstores are full of rubbish. If you look inside them they are full of usefull stuff recovered from commercial and retail businesses, which can be used for lots of craft or diy projects. You can buy materials very cheaply, for example, fill a supermarket basket for £5. They also have larger items like reclaimed timber that you can buy.

I was at the Hull Scrapstore yesterday, it is housed in an old junior school, and it was a hive of activity. People were bringing stuff in and customers were buying it and taking it away. Of course I had to fill a basket, I felt like a kid in a sweet shop. They have that much stuff it would take ages to describe it here, best to have a look for yourself. If you want to find out where the nearest one to you is check this page.
Scrapstore directory

Ilona
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Babycakes
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Re: Have you been to a Scrapstore?

Post by Babycakes »

There is something similar in Belfast called Play Resource Warehouse...but you can't use it unless you are amember of a group that works with children or young people - it's not open to the public )gr:
I've been to it loads of times when I was working with various summer schemes and the like, it's like finding Aladdin's cave!! I do wish they'd let the public use it though.
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madmum
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Re: Have you been to a Scrapstore?

Post by madmum »

thanks for that link )t' turns out we have one in peterborough,guess where we will be going when hubbs is off next )c(
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p.penn
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Re: Have you been to a Scrapstore?

Post by p.penn »

Just had a look Ilona - that looks fab. The one in Worthing only allows groups to join though and it's £20 to join the other one in Lewes. You would have to use it regularly at that price, wouldn't you?
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Meanqueen
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Re: Have you been to a Scrapstore?

Post by Meanqueen »

The different stores seem to have different rules, some have a membership some don't, some are just for children and groups, some are open to anybody. They sell a lot of stuff which you would normally buy in a shop in the High Street, like stationary, papercraft items, fabric, wool, they have usually been donated from a shop closing down, and are a fraction of the price. We sell perfectly good greetings cards for 10p each. In Hull yesterday they had a lot of those mosiac ceramic tiles, the sort on a hessian backing that you stick on the wall and grout in between. They were £1 each, and you could probably find enough of the same colour to do a bathroom or kitchen. You have to go and have a look to see if it is going to be worth joining.

Ilona
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p.penn
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Re: Have you been to a Scrapstore?

Post by p.penn »

That's a good idea Ilona )t'
Helen xx

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Homemade
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Re: Have you been to a Scrapstore?

Post by Homemade »

I started going to the Bristol scrapstore many years ago - treasure trove. Now I use the more local Wiltshire scrapstore in Lacock (Where they film all the period TV stuff). They charge membership but it's open to families as well as childcare professionals. They even have birthday parties - making things from the scrapstore.
It's absolutely essential for craft stuff for the kids I look after but it also has usefull "frugal " stuff -carpet squares for doormats, fabric for tablecloths and any amount of things for turning into christmas pressies. They have stuff like sheets of gold card that can be made into boxes or card, cellophane for exciting wrapping paper, remaindered birthday cards, biros, paint, I even got a novelty beer glass with Hubbies favourite football team on - best pressy of the year!
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Dinchy
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Re: Have you been to a Scrapstore?

Post by Dinchy »

Wow, thanks for that Ilona. I had not heard of Scrapstore before but I shall be dragging my staff along to the nearest one in the not too distant distant future to pick up some stuff for playgroup )t'
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untouchable
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Re: Have you been to a Scrapstore?

Post by untouchable »

The one closest to me wants £40 for 'membership' :shock:

Don't think I will bother with that then lol
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Homemade
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Re: Have you been to a Scrapstore?

Post by Homemade »

The wiltshire scrapstore has a day membership of £3.00. Try asking if yours would consider that.
Went again on thursday, came back with two big bagfulls of stuff, enough to keep the kids in paper and collage and threading for weeks - great fun.
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Re: Have you been to a Scrapstore?

Post by chick-chick »

Hi, I went to the scrapstore in Swansea this evening, it was fantastic there we had lots of things, my eyes were everywhere..what fantastic places these are, my son had some items for school and we were charge £1.50 for a bag full of stuff..Brill..I'm a member now and cant wait to go again..I have bought lots of things to make in the school holidays with my son..I would recommend 100% )t'
thanks to Ilona for posting the links for my nearest scrapstore.. :-D
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Meanqueen
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Re: Have you been to a Scrapstore?

Post by Meanqueen »

I am very pleased to hear that some of you are having fun in your Scrapstore. If the membership is a problem, tell the people who are running it, they might have a special deal. The price you pay for the stuff is so cheap, it might be worth having the membership. We sell a supermarket basket load for £5, and you can pile it up, worth a heck of a lot more.

Ilona
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