MILWAUKEE — Milwaukee is full of incredible stores and hidden gems. And new shops are added to that list all the time. At the end of August, a thrift store for art supplies opened, making art materials accessible for everyone.
It's called Magic Hands Creative Reuse in Milwaukee's Murray Hill neighborhood. A spool of thread is $0.50 used or $1.00 new. You can fill a bag of fabric scraps for $3.00. Folders are $0.10, highlighters are $0.25, and stamps range from $0.50 to $3.00.
“I think art making is magical. It’s an alchemical process. You’re taking something that, again, maybe is someone else’s trash, and they’re just looking to get rid of it, and you’re turning it into your own treasure," Emily Downes, the owner of Magic Hands Creative Reuse, said.
Downes is a lifelong artist, has hosted art workshops for more than a decade, and teaches animation at UW-Milwaukee. She wanted to make art ultra accessible. Everything in her shop was donated, from the yarn to the googly eyes to the glue to the popsicle sticks and to the jewelry. It’s all second-hand, gently used, or even brand new. For basically $1.00, you can get all the supplies you need to make art.
“Come in here and walk away with a paint, a paint brush, maybe some watercolor paper and a pencil and a ruler," she said about the power of a dollar at her store.
With supplies being so affordable, I wanted to know if it all makes sense business-wise. Well, people are coming in so much that Downes is constantly restocking her shelves. But ultimately, this is her passion. She believes in the power of art and making it accessible to everyone.
“Yeah, I mean, the labor that’s involved with, like, sorting through donations and everything is pretty intensive, but I think the value and what this offers offsets all of that, so it’s worth it to me to sell things for $0.25," she said.
Watch the story to see more of Magic Hands Creative Reuse...
Downes splits the space with Amanda Bennaton, who owns Studio B & Company. It’s an arts and crafts space for children ages 0 to about 8 years old.
“We’re trying to do more free-form, open-ended stuff. Teach people basic skills, but kind of let them be in charge of what they do," Amanda Bennton said.
The businesses pair well because they both focus on art, accessibility, and encouraging people, young and old, to explore their creativity.
“Freely express themselves versus having more structure," Bennaton said.
Magic Hands Creative Reuse is a dream come true for Emily Downes. It started as a pop-up, and now it has a formal storefront with one of her favorite phrases on the wall - Art is Magic.
However, she’s also a full-time teacher at UWM, so Downes is figuring out how to balance the new workload. At the time of publication, the shop is open on Tuesdays from 2 pm - 7 pm and Sundays from 10 am to 4 pm.
More information about Magic Hands Creative Reuse can be found here. To learn about Studio B & Company, click here.
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