Film Biz Recycling: “the most awesome boutique/prop house FOR the world”
Film Biz Recycling boutique & prop house, 43-26 12th St, LIC
Film Biz Recycling, located on a super nondescript street in Long Island City, is a remarkably unique thrift store that is, quite simply, chock full of awesome.
Your jovial host is founder Eva Radke, whose 15 years in film have brought her to the conclusion that the biz wastes – A LOT – but that can be rectified by recycling, giving to charity, and setting up the craziest thrifty-type boutique and prop house for film/TV peeps AND ‘regular’ shoppers to buy and rent things from. In addition, Film Biz Recycling is NYC’s only not-for-profit prop house.
Described as “the intersection of environmentalism and media,” FBR is not only a fun place to visit (especially in LIC with its rich film history), but the shop is also run with a genuine dedication to being green, earth-conscious, and straight-up generous. The unique thing about FBR is that they receive continuous donations from film and TV productions, which make for an interesting collection of items to peruse – especially with the humorous categories they’ve devised for organization. I mean, where else can you find a shelf dedicated to vice?
Film Biz Recycling is located at 43-26 12th Street, 2nd FL, LIC, 718.392.3304 (map & directions). Open Monday thru Friday 10am-6pm, Saturdays 12pm-5pm, or by appointment 24/7.
Film Biz Recycling [Website]
FBR Frequently Asked Questions [Website]
Just opened: Film Biz Recycling [Time Out]
Film Biz Recycling boutique & prop house, 43-26 12th St, Long Island City
oh, #1 i’ll have to respectfully disagree about the ‘garbage’ part, at least – there ARE items that are new and of course the majority that are used, but there wasn’t anything in there i could classify as ‘garbage.’ one man’s trash is another’s treasure, though, i suppose? also, the owner makes it a point to be open and really negotiable (as it seemed when i went there), so you should try to negotiate the next time you go – their point really isn’t to rip people off or make a ton of $$ off of them, you know? it IS to save things from ending up in the garbage and being totally wasteful.
I still don’t believe this claim that Film Biz Recycling exists to save items from being thrown out. Did it ever occur to the film productions that they could instead donate this stuff to a local charity, like Hour Children or Goodwill?
If the shop exists merely to make a profit, then be honest and say so. It’s a turn-off to dress it up as some noble enterprise that is saving landfills from garbage.
#3, they DO donate to charities, check their Year End Report: http://www.filmbizrecycling.org/home/2009-end-final/. States clearly that they donated to “33 charities in all five boroughs of New York, and Connecticut” this year. So they DO donate, but they’re also giving shoppers and film biz people the chance to come in and buy/rent/reuse what would otherwise be thrown away. You should read their website/that report and let their purpose speak for itself. Be open to things! If they’re NYC’s only not for profit prop house, that should say something too.
Wow. Do people have some surplus negativity leftover from the holidays? It’s a non-profit knick-knack shop. Jeeesh.
Billions of dollars worth of STUFF is thrown away in the movie, tv and theater industry every year. It is in fact shameful. But production companies do no have budgets for management to facilitate giving this stuff away. And lets face it you couldn’t have 500 civilians show up to scavenge a movie set. it would be pure pandemonium. Regardless of your attitude that this is just junk business….it really is doing a valuable service. I bought a knife set that was priced on the web at $200+ for $45. If we continue to buy new things we will be sitting on a garbage pile as in the movie Idiocracy. One would think the population is already at the film’s portrayed level of consciousness.
Good and worthwhile idea, bt In the age of bedbugs I personally prefer to buy new.
Production companies do not have money to give the stuff away because they don’t want to.
Although, the Sopranos production company did. They had more than 500 civilians show up for days to purchase props from their storage facility in LIC. It was well organized and very very cheap.
This place on 12th St. is making money selling used stuff, which is fine. I just wish they didn’t build it up to be something more than that.
Are used car dealers considered “not for profit”?
What about junk yards?
I hate the word “Jeesh”.
Jeesh.
Hi everyone! I’m Eva, the founder of Film Biz Recycling. I hope it’s cool I reply here.
Film Biz Recycling was founded to give the entertainment industry an outlet for its massive amount of useful materials. The prop rentals and sales fund the mission to research, inform and reach out to the film community and help it address the triple bottom line: profit, people and planet.
We donate just about weekly to Goodwill and Hour Children (I gave them a personal check, too). Ask Sister Tesa next time you are there. I also send many, many productions to Build it Green! in Astoria to avoid tossing paint, lumber and the like. We donate anything animal related to Brooklyn Animal Resource Coalition, much to Materials for the Arts, I have sent truckloads to Housing Works the list goes on and on.
The stuff in here is great and always negotiable. We give loads of discounts to theatre groups, student films and folks who really LOVE it, but just don’t have the scratch.
Part of the mission IS to keep things from being thrown out, but the bigger picture is to get the industry to think sustainably and future-friendly. We hardly try to come off as a hero of some sort, if anything we understate the impact we have had.
Additionally #1, The Sopranos was a very unique case. Most TV commercials, TV pilots and films just wrapped do not have a huge following. Think about it, they have not aired yet, so there is no real draw for the masses. In the “good ol days” after the set sale they hired a dumpster and tossed it in. It was my job to coordinate that.
Do not let your single experience with an exceptional show convince you that that’s the way it is and you know how it goes. You just don’t.
Oh, and believe me, I’m not in it for the money, I make in a week what I used to make in a day. That’s an 80% pay cut and it took me half a year to even get to that. So, excuse the e-guffaw, #1, that you think it’s all for profit. It’s a deep seated desire to make my life’s work meaningful and positive and this is the best way I know how.
One more thing, #1. In know who you are. You shopped here and would not quit talking about The Sopranos. Since you are in a similar business, I would dig deep and examine the motivation of your comments. Accusing me of being dishonest and essentially green-washing is serious business from where I stand. Take a good look in the mirror next time you want to trash (with bed bugs) a competitor, if you can stand it. I think we should help one another in this day and age. Put that in your pipe and smoke it.
For the rest of you guys Happy Happy 2010! Woot woot!
Not-for-profit means you have 501 (c) (3) status from the IRS, meaning you are able to issue tax deductions to donors.
It also means the profits do not go to a board of directors or share holders or a CEO’s bonus, but instead back in to the mission to expand, create scholarships, or sponsor other missions, etc.
Whoever asked if a junk yard or a used car lot is a not-for-profit – you are confusing the issue. They all monetize by REUSE, and could, technically be not-for-profit. In such a case, that junk yard or used car lot would fund homeless shelters or drug rehab centers and their operators would get paid a fixed salary and not benefit from a HUGE profit margin.
Someone is obviously disgruntled. It’s a prop-house for crap’s sake. Who cares. Looks interesting. Happy New Year. Jeesh.
Thanks Eva,
The clueless will be clueless. Some of of us can appreciate your mission. It is tiring to say the least to deal with sorting, cleaning, bookkeeping, organizing, pick ups or deliveries of objects. All the energy of all those different people. Oh yes….and there is the public as well……after organizing you still have to deal with the public. I’ve been in prop houses. Your place may offer that service but one gets the sense that things are turning over and the public gets a glimpse and an opportunity to buy some cool stuff.
Eva,
I am #1 and can assure you that I am not and never have been in a similar business, and therefore I have absolutely no motive to my comments other than posting my opinion. Further, Sopranos was not my single experience and I certainly never mentioned Sopranos to you. So please don’t think you know something that you don’t.
I simply shopped at your place and said the prices should be a bit cheaper. I will probably shop there again as I do enjoy such places.
Best wishes and Happy New Year.
Eva,
Lighten up woman.
This place is a lot of fun, and everybody there was very sweet. We found an artist’s doll, an unopened flatware set, two nifty old school cafeteria trays, a 1945 book I’d been looking for, a set of three miniature flower pots, and a hot pink coupon enthusiast kit from maybe the late sixties, with folding scissors included … all in good condition and all for only $20, total.
What’s sharp about it is that you’ll be poking around the “antiques” and then you’ll find something that’s very obviously a purpose-made prop, like a book that’s been painted shut, or a telegraph machine.
They’re having a big sale in a few weeks, apparently, and we’ll be there.
Not very good role playing, or have we got a multiple personality here?
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It’s a fun place to rummage through but most of the stuff was secondhand even before it became props in different shows, making it now thirdhand or garbage.
Than said, I think the prices should be somewhat cheaper.
At the Soprano’s sale the idea was to get rid of the merchandise to remove it from storage. They realized that the next step was the dumpster, so they priced it accordingly.