SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC News) – You can’t put a price on a box of colored pencils your daughter has outgrown or a collection of beads passed down from your grandmother. Kim Davis, the founder of Re’Cuse It, knows that, and is trying to give those items a second life.
The shop, located on West Genesee Street, opened about a month ago. Through donations from community members, Re’Cuse It provides affordable art supplies while supporting teachers, artists and crafters throughout the area.
Davis, an artist herself, was born and raised in Syracuse, and loves being able to give back to the community she’s spent her whole life in.
“I think everybody should give back something in their lives,” Davis said.
She explained that 90 percent of the store’s inventory comes from donated materials that might otherwise end up in a landfill. Those supplies are then resold from the shop at affordable prices, making professional-grade materials more accessible to those who may not be able to afford them otherwise.
But Re’Cuse It has become more than an art supply store. The shop has quickly grown into a community gathering space where artists and local organizations come to connect.
Through the “teacher closet” program, Davis has already helped support 13 teachers by offering access to free art supplies to be used in classrooms. She also hosts regular classes that are already drawing participants, and she says that nearly every donation and customer comes with a story.
“There was a young 15- or 16-year-old kid who came in… she didn’t think her artwork was good enough. I encouraged her to put her artwork in the fair, and she actually filled out the application and sent it,” Davis said.
Looking ahead, Davis hopes to expand the shop’s offerings with additional classes, clubs and community programs.
Audio Transcript: Re’Cuse it is bringing new life to used art supplies
Sarah Turner: How do you put a price on a box of colored pencils your daughter has outgrown, or a collection of beads passed down from your grandmother? At ReCuse It, founder Kim Davis is giving those items a second life.
Located on West Genesee Street, the Syracuse shop has only been open for a month, Through donations from community members, the store provides affordable art supplies while supporting teachers, artists and crafters throughout the area. Davis says she loves being able to give back to the community that she’s spent her whole life in.
Kim Davis: I think everybody should give back something in their lives.
Turner: Davis, an artist herself, says roughly 90 percent of the store’s inventory comes from donated materials that might otherwise end up in a landfill. Those supplies are then resold at affordable prices, making professional-grade materials more accessible to people who may not be able to afford them otherwise.
But ReCuse It has become more than an art supply store. The shop has quickly grown into a community gathering space where artists, educators and local organizations come to connect. Classes are already drawing participants, and Davis says nearly every donation and customer comes with a story.
Davis: There was a young 15, 16-year-old kid who came in… she didn’t think her artwork was good enough. I encouraged her to put her artwork in the fair, and she actually filled out the application and sent it.
Turner: Looking ahead, Davis hopes to expand the shop’s offerings with additional classes, clubs and community programs. and in its first month alone, ReCuse It has already supported 13 teachers through its free teacher supply closet.
Sarah Turner, NCC News