Originate Natural Building Materials in
Corona de Tucson (AZ)

Great products. Pricey but you get what you pay for.

Great selection of reclaimed building products. Doors, hardware, flooring, and new paint/plasters.

..WALKED UP TO ENTRANCE.. ..OPENED DOOR.. ..IMMEDIATELY REPRIMANDED VERBALLY : "WE'RE HAVING A MEETING" ! WAS SHUNNED OFF DURING BUSSINESS HOURS.. ..NOT GOOD CUSTOMER SERVICE.. ..INTERESTING, OTHER 1 STAR REVIEWS CONTAIN WORDS : RUDE, MEAN.. HMMM... ..AND WHY SO MANY READERS AGREE WITH THE ONE STARS.. LOOK AT THE NUMBERS.. HMMM.. ..if one has no customer / people skills, then count your money and push your pencil in the office.. ..let your hired help provide courtesy on the sales floor..

rudest owner i've ever had the misfortune of meeting. no empathy and she blows up at the smallest of interactions. seriously, no matter how good what they sell is, it is not worth dealing with natasha. yikes.

It takes a lot for me to write a bad review about a place. Operating a business of any type is difficult enough, so giving low-star ratings to small businesses is not something I take pride in or enjoy doing. The store itself is not the problem; I have enjoyed shopping at Originate, and have always found unique materials that you can’t buy at larger retail stores. Prices are good, and the young lady who works there has helped me every time, and has always been so nice and great at her job. My experience with the owner, however, is such a contrast to everything I have stated in my previous words about the store. Being ignored, not greeted or acknowledged… perhaps these actions are considered rude, I can live with that, and don’t really care to be honest. But being rude and completely condescending when I have been nothing but nice and friendly every visit, makes no sense to me. I made the mistake of opening a sliding glass door that allows access to the back, the same door I have used every time I shop at the store. As I struggle to slide it open, the owner reprimands me for opening the door, and isn’t shy about showing her irritation. Instead of coming to help me with the door, she comes to make sure her door was okay, then asks me if I can see and read the sign on the door that said it was “inoperable.” The sign she put on the door was printed from a computer with a font size slightly larger the font you’re reading in this review, and the doors are huge. Furthermore, when customers enter a store or place with a lot of visual stimuli, in most cases, they’re not necessarily going to notice your size 10 Helvetica font. Try making it obvious- caution tape, or a couple of traffic cones if you don’t want customers going a particular direction. But bottom line, be nice that we are actually in your store, spending money- we could be somewhere else. But what blows me away, is she made a concerted effort to ask me three times, in front of another customer, if I saw the sign and was able to read it, pointing it out in a patronizing manner. Because of the way I was treated today, I have no desire to ever shop or visit Originate again.

I've never seen another store like it - such a high-quality, curated selection, with a clear focus on natural and non-toxic materials. Really, a unique resource for the community.

This company has my highest recommendation! My parents live with me and since both of them suffered from respiratory problems, I wanted to ensure the products that the builders used for renovation were natural and eco-friendly. Hannah was a lifesaver and helped us pick out clean and good quality materials that were also affordable. Thankfully, the building process went seamlessly and I’m relieved that all of us can live in a safe environment. Many thanks!

We recently had to put in all new flooring in our home due to a flood and these guys were so helpful! We were concerned about the safety of our children and we specifically wanted safe and non-toxic materials. Hannah and Natasha were totally on the same page as us as far as finding healthy alternatives for everything we needed. We went with Earthweave wool carpet and Fabrica hardwood flooring. Natasha even made some extra calls to the companies to help us make sure that nothing was chemically hazardous. Great experience!

I am a real skeptic and feel like it is really hard to find people that show up when they say they will, know and accel at their craft and will give you an honest days work for your $. Andrew and Caleb at ATN delivered on all these things! They gave me a reasonable bid, stayed within the budget and delivered a dream bathroom. They took our vision and made it a reality and led us along the whole process. They worked collaboratively with us and gave us honest feedback and advice all the while giving us the final say. This process can be very invasive and and Caleb and Andrew worked in a manner in which sometimes we wondered if they were even here. I would highly recommend using ATN and can't wait to have them on our next renovation. Thanks Guys!

It’s really nice to be able to have a locally owned shop that offers sustainable materials for natural building. Natasha and her daughter are incredibly friendly. They have a wide selection of items. my girlfriend and I will be shopping with them for our house that we will be building soon. I’ve also attended a couple workshops here which has been an incredible opportunity to learn about natural building. Thanks to Natasha, organizing and holding it at her store.

I have always had the hardest time finding paint that doesn’t give me a major headache so my friend recommended I try here and I am SO glad she did. I was able to get natural paint for my house that had virtually no smell at all. I’m so pleased.

As they assisted us in selecting eco-friendly products that complimented our aesthetic tastes, their dedication to sustainability stood out to us. We are overjoyed with the outcome; our house now reflects our personality, all because of Originate.

A wonderful shop in so many ways. The selection of quality products is vast and inspiring - I really love the lime paints, the plaster options, and the architectural salvage items. There’s a huge collection of books and resources for customers to look at and read, and the owner and employees are always friendly and helpful. Tucson is lucky to have the ability to get these types of products locally - thank you Originate!

The recycled materials we received from Originate not only added personality to our home but also complemented our eco-conscious lifestyle. Noah and Daniel made sure that everything went according to our instructions and were kind enough to deal with every problem. I am highly satisfied with their service.

Great selection of reused building materials! Love shopping local for my reclaimed wood

Fantastic store! We're so glad we found Originate Natural Building Materials as we're in the process of remodeling and definitely did not want to expose ourselves to any of the toxic, chemical-laden products available from all the run-of-the-mill supply centers. Natasha is incredible and went out of her way, above and beyond the call of duty, to make sure we got everything we needed. We LOVE this cozy-cottage style store and hope to be purchasing all our remodeling needs from them again in the future. THANK YOU, Natasha!

These folks are a little off the beaten path here on Main Street just south of Speedway, but rest assured you won't be wasting your time because what they don't have in their inventory which is really well-stocked and plentiful, they sure do make up for in expertise and just downright excellent service! Great place!

I am so grateful to Natasha and this amazing company Originate! Both the owner and service provided are exemplary from the moment you connect. Their mission and ethos of "...functioning as a community resource. We enjoy sharing knowledge about natural building materials and helping you to make environmentally aware choices during the design and build process." is exactly what anyone should be searching for when building their own house. I have been exposed to extremely hazardous environmental toxins in each home I have been and I wish I had known and heard of Natasha and her quality high caliber materials that she uses in the building/design of one's home. I wish there were hundreds of her and the services she provides out there in this country. It would certainly have saved my current dire health concerns after being exposed to high levels of mold due to water damage & leaks that is just to mention but a few of the issues. I urge anyone who is suffering from major health concerns that it is most likely due to unsafe, shoddy, cheap materials and shortcut practices (implemented by builders) in the building of your home. A home should be a sanctuary that is well built using safe, eco-friendly and healthy, clean quality materials and if that is what you are searching for, look no further - Originate will make it happen! To your health and well-being!

I have been a customer at Originate for fifteen years. Natasha has helped me with flooring, indoor and outdoor paint, and even research for possibilities that I didn't always bring to fruition for both my home and a yoga studio. Her intentionality in what she curates and provides as well as her perseverance for both Originate and other local establishments in a changing world that isn't always in support of small business or the environment is something I deeply respect.

Originate is a place that aligns with my values as a carpenter and furniture maker. Natasha provides services that better our world and health while adding beauty and character to our places. Her incredible knowledge about each product she represents is thorough to say the least. I’ve bought many items from her salvage yard. She treats me with kindness and respect and goes out of her way to order a finish that might not be in stock. Thank heavens Originate exists.

I’ve been buying products from Natasha at Originate for over 15 years. Whether I’m doing the smallest job and need a tube of calk, or a massive flooring job throughout my house, Natasha provides great advice based on years of experience with natural building materials. If you are looking for building or home repair materials and supplies that prioritize human health and the environment Originate is your place. I can’t wait for my next project.

Having recently purchased our house my wife and I were excited to visit a store we thought would align with our vision of sustainable, quality products. We arrived a bit early and while sitting outside waiting, a lady sauntered by staring at us as if we were unassuming pests. She turned out to be the owner. Admittedly we didn’t know it was appt only, but a kind gentleman greeted us and said they had a cancellation, so we were able to come in. He remained kind and helpful throughout the visit. Unfortunately, the owner didn’t acknowledge our presence once we were inside. Which is strange in a small shop with only 2 customers present. That is until we asked the gentleman a question about a product on the walls, which she took the liberty to jump in and answer with a fantastically rude and condescending response. It’s one of those moments that catches you off guard. And one you should never have as a customer. Bottom line, it’s a small shop with products you can find online or elsewhere, and some salvaged goods out back. Despite having some interesting materials, the owners clear disdain for her patrons or total inability to understand her own pathetic interpersonal skills make it a total pass. I’d rather have rats eat my face off than give her 1 cent of my money. What a wasted opportunity.

I can't express how glad I am I found this company. My boyfriend realized he had a chemical sensitivity a few years ago. Massive amounts of research on how to make our home safe for him left us overwhelmed until we found Originate. They helped us with low to no VOC paint, grout sealer, caulking, and window coverings. Natasha's knowledge of products and brands that are low to no VOC is amazing. She even pointed us in the direction of another fantastic local shop for furniture. I can't thank her and the other lovely lady upfront enough.

Staff was nice and had great prices in the pavers I got from them. Some reclaimed items definitely will only fit niche uses, but there are some good items here.

My husband and I just bought our first home in Rio Rico, about an hour south of Tucson. We’re environmentalists and were completely thrilled to have found Originate and the beautiful recycled products they offer. Since they are open by appointment only due to COVID, we were happy to drive to Tucson specifically to see their products. After so much research we knew exactly what we wanted, but as anyone about to spend $4,000-plus dollars, we had questions. One would think by making an appointment, they would know you were coming, but, upon arrival, Natasha, which surprisingly turns out to be the owner, was so incredibly rude it made us both want to walk out on the spot. She made it seem like no one else had questions and she was so confused by the simple ones we asked. I was completely shocked by her attitude, especially in the time of COVID when businesses are suffering. After just buying a house and seeing so many professionals back to back, it was extremely off-putting and disappointing to think that in order to get the countertop we had been ready to purchase, we’d have to support such a terrible business owner. Her staff saved the visit and answered our questions happily, but we unfortunately decided not to buy from them.

I was impressed with the setup and the service. It was an unique experience, and as a customer looking to make changes to our home, I could not have asked for a better experience. It is one of those unique Tucson places that I wish more people knew about. The one star review for this place is pure jack-assery and unwarranted, in my opinion. If want a great deal, something unique, something Tucson, and something worth going in your house, try this place out. If you want something unoriginal and corporate, go to home Depot. Thanks for the great experience. We will be back again.

Natasha is very knowledgeable about materials as well as how to apply them. She uses her shop and home to experiment with the products she sells as well as runs workshops to learn. And honestly, I come here primarily because she has the best tactile products that happen to be natural and healthy.