Sounds Cool, But What is a ‘ShedHead?

Since its inception in 2014, The WasteShed has become part of the fabric of Chicago, stubbornly pursuing its original mission: to be an accessible and reliable creative reuse resource for the city and the region at large.

Accessible, by having a wide open door (other than when the pandemic forced us to change our tactics), welcoming staff, and materials priced at a fraction of their new cost. In 2022, our Chicago store shifted to a by-donation model, making our inventory accessible to truly everyone. No memberships, no gatekeeping, just getting the people what they need.

Reliable, by having consistent hours for shopping and intake, communicating our policies clearly and unapologetically, and working to attain stability and consistency in our operations, no matter what comes our way.

As a result, thousands of teachers, artists, families, and small businesses have made us part of their routine, whether they stop in twice a week or twice a year. We refer to our regulars, with the greatest love, as “ShedHeads”.

Some ‘ShedHeads’ we love:

• The ChiArts high school kid who found nice drawing materials he otherwise couldn’t afford at The WasteShed, and as a professional artist still visits us a decade later when he’s home from New York City to see his parents.

• The after-school art teacher who visits both WasteShed locations to get supplies for her classes. Every. Single. Week.

Sometimes, we wonder if these folks take us for granted a little bit. But that’s ok! 

We want to be taken for granted. We would love to be as much a part of the Chicago landscape as Humboldt Park, or the Sears Tower - an amazing thing that you don’t really have to think about, because it’s just there.

Here’s where you come in: a small monthly donation can help The WasteShed become sustainable… so we can continue to serve 30,000 people a year with $800,000 worth of art materials that would otherwise be landfilled.

Help us reach our goal of 300 sustainers by August 30th!