Supplies
Ask around before you buy. People may be willing to loan or give you things. Check the recycling area in the GCC basement. Certain places on campus, especially Commons, will regularly have lots of cardboard they may let you use. The Health Center regularly has lots of styrofoam. The Discord is a good way to connect with people.
What you're looking for may already exist in Renn Fayre storage. There's a lot of crap in there. Check the storage spreadsheet or email the czars if you're looking for something.
Building Materials
Obviously Home Depot and Lowes are places you could go, but if you want to shop local and pay less for wood, check out these secondhand stores. They focus on home renovation stuff, so there are lots of doors and windows, but a lot of cool other stuff too. Worth going even if you aren't buying things!
Reclaim NW
This is a really great junk/hardware store. If you're looking for wood and don't need it to be pristine, go here. They have 2x4s and plywood at probably 50-60% of what Home Depot would charge. There is also just a lot of cool salvaged junk that might spark your creativity.
7639 SE Foster Rd. Portland, Or. 97202
Rebuilding Center
Similar to Reclaim, but a smaller selection (still a huge place though). They also have wood and it tends to be in a little bit nicer shape than Reclaim.
3625 N Mississippi Ave, Portland, OR 97227
Fabric
Michaels is of course an option, but if you want to shop local, try these.
Fabrics for Less
A much wider, and sometimes weirder, selection of fabrics than most stores. Price is about on par with others.
12115 SE Powell Blvd, Portland, OR 97266
Reed College Swap Shop
The best place to go for fabrics.
GCC Basement
Craft Supplies & Junk
The Bins
All time favorite. It's where things from Goodwill go to die, so it's got everything. Very cheap because you buy by the pound. Many garbage treasures to be found.
1740 SE Ochoco St, Milwaukie, OR 97222
SCRAP
Great store focused on used and miscellaneous crafting materials. Very cheap and their inventory changes all the time.
1736 SW Alder St, Portland, OR 97205
Reclaim It
A vintage and secondhand crafts store. Cheap and always different stuff.
1 N Killingsworth St, Portland, OR 97217
Tools
Ask on the BARF discord, there are a lot of people who will let you borrow things. The czars may or may not have a communal drill you can use.
South East Portland Tool Library (SEPTL)
A really amazing place, a library for tools! Tools of all kinds, from circular saws to shovels. You must have membership, but it's free (suggested $10) and very easy to sign up for when you're there. Only SE residents can rent, but at or near Reed, you're good. Late fees are crazy low, like $1 every two weeks. You can check tool availability online. Their hours are pretty limited.
1137 SE 20th Ave Portland, OR 97214
