By Jamie Nash:
Although their businesses are different in name, Michael Gainer of ReUse Action and Megan McNally of Rusted Grain are partners. Both are focused on sustainability and achieve this goal through making new creations from old material. Reclaimed wood from doors, flooring, cabinets, garages, and even church pews can be restructured and cleaned up to yield everything from furniture to knick-knacks.
The materials come from all over Western New York and each has a story. When a customer purchases a creation, they also receive a sheet of paper with the origin, age, and other interesting information about the materials, and a photo of what the structure looked like in its past life. McNally says that this portion of the purchase can be the best part for some folks. “People recognize the places these materials come from, and can relate their new item to the past. In a city where architecture is being demolished all the time, people don’t want to lose that history, and can benefit from the recycling of materials that have seen so much,” she explained.
The two businesses share a space at 1212 Jefferson Avenue on Buffalo’s East Side. The building is spacious and has room for new business partners. ReUse Action and Rusted Grain have their workspaces largely on the first floor, with Gainer’s and McNally’s offices on the second. The second floor also has room for a few more offices, and has a couple large, unused rooms. One would be great for an art studio. “With us being builders and having this practical, get-it-done attitude, some artistic energy would be a nice addition,” she said.
McNally also mentioned that her partnership with ReUse Action is symbiotic–the businesses not only share space and materials, but also help each other out and bounce ideas off each other on a daily basis. She said they would like to do the same with anyone looking for a creative space to start up a business or to just get work done. It isn’t too expensive, McNally said, which makes it easier for her to pay employees, satisfy customers, and expand as a business.
So if you’re looking for a friendly place to start a new business venture, or would like to commission ReUse Action or Rusted Grain for a project, contact Michael Gainer at 716-949-0900 or Megan McNally at 716-912-5529, or email at reuseaction@gmail.com.
To read more about ReUse Action, go to reuseaction.com. To see what Rusted Grain is up to, check out reuseaction.com/category/rusted-grain/.