How to Support Furnish
Furnish Studio + Salvage is not a typical retail store. We don't have one particular style and we don't specialize in a specific kind of item. We make every decision based on our mission to reduce items going to the landfill, not based on profit margin. Therefore, sometimes we need a little extra help from our community.
Yes, this post is an ask for support, and we're asking you to show your support with your dollars.
Now, that probably sounds rather crass. We have many people who tell us how much they love what we do. We are asking for help because we want to be able to do MORE for our community, even when it's not the most lucrative, like:
Participating in the future phases of the plastic collection project with Alaska Plastic Recovery
Taking more paint that would have been dried and thrown in the landfill and turning it to furniture paint
Collaborating with more businesses on innovative events like the Thrift Store Bus Adventure
We certainly have made some business decisions that impact our bottom line and might seem silly to some, but they were very intentional and here's why:
We do not charge our vendors rent. We have a family of 30+ artists who love to create with material that already exists, rather than sourcing brand new. To keep costs low for these makers, we only take a commission percentage. Most consignment retails stores take either a higher commission percentage from each sale or charge commission in addition to monthly rent.
We are not a non-profit. We made this decision because we wanted to create jobs in doing this work as a growing industry, and not just rely on volunteers. Therefore, when we spend time and materials to transform items that we've saved from the landfill, there's a cost associated with that.
If you're still reading at this point, thank you! We appreciate that you're willing to listen. Asking for money is hard and we don't like doing it, but we're all about transparency. Here are a few options on how you can best support Furnish, in order of impact:
Shop with us. This is always going to be number one. We have something for everyone - if you're not looking for furniture, buy a gift for a friend's birthday. If gifts isn't your love language, take a look at the soaps, napkins, and other items in our Reduce Single-use section. Because we know you all have to shower and eat at least weekly!
Attend one of our workshops + events. Often the amount of your ticket goes straight to Furnish. We try to have a variety of activities and skills you can learn - or just spend some quality time with us or bring a friend.
Buy a gift card. See #1.
Bring us your furniture that's ready for a second life. When you no longer have use for an item, there are many options in Anchorage to give that item a second life. We support ALL of them, as long as it's not the landfill, and bringing your furniture items is very helpful. Email us to talk more (salvage@furnishstudioandsalvage.com).
THANK YOU, ANCHORAGE! Our goal is to provide you with an alternative to the landfill for many, many years to come. We appreciate all our neighbors, customers, vendors and friends we have made so far and look forward doing so much more in the future!