SCARCE in
Addison (IL)

The workers here are very mean and rude if they find out you are homeschooling. They will only let school teachers shop and will kick you out otherwise. This policy only hurts kids who want to learn. I would not recommend shopping here if you value kids receiving an education. There are plenty of shops elsewhere for used books.

I really like this place! I donate lots of good things, mostly books, notebooks and workbooks. I like looking around and they have a nice selection of adults and kids DVDS. Also, they have holiday and regular greeting cards. They have cute holiday decorations too. If you are in the area, please go in this place and check it out.

Reduce reuse recycle! Amazing resource for teachers and the local community. Large selection of used books, CDs, & records.

I am a librarian at a high school who is on a limited budget. I love being able to donate our old books here so that other schools could use them. I also love being able to find items we need.

This is a conservationists dream facility for educators focused in teaching sustainable practices and having their students explore.important topics.

What a great facility! A little confusing on the check in…. I think you need to check in before you shop. I don’t really know. I’ve been here a few times and each time, I find cool things for my classroom. Lately, I’ve need stem stuff for an afterschool club and scarce has not disappointed with options or ideas. Thank you.

I visited Scarce frequently as a teacher. I could always find supplies and other materials that I needed to support my teaching. I appreciate that I could get the materials at an extremely low cost. The move to the new location really made visiting Scarce even better as it is much easier to find what you need. When I no longer need items in my classroom I am happy to drive there to donate the materials. Great place for teachers.

Scarce offers a variety of resources to help you teach and decorate your classes. My students benefit from art supplies, pencils pens, novel sets, etc. I find tons of resources to scaffold learning and enhance my lessons! I highly recommend Scarce to everyone! If you're not a teacher, but you enjoy a great deal, I'm sure you will find something interesting on the other side of the store. Books, art supplies, cds, movies, and more.

SCARCE is a great and stress- free non-profit organization that will make sure you are completely satisfied with your purchase! Customer service is exceptional. I highly recommend this organization if you are in the market to purchase teaching tools/supplies and reading material. A valuable resource!

Love Scarce! My last trip I left with 2 boxes full of teacher materials, including books for my classroom library, and only spent $10! A true honey hole for teachers!

Like a big garage sale for teachers…pay by the box for new and used classroom items. I picked up a bunch of binders, folders, markers, crayons, colored pencils and math manipulatives. What an awesome service that reduces waste and allows teachers and schools to stretch their budgets. Staff is also helpful!

If you're a teacher looking to add to your classroom library, then you want to visit 'Scarce'. Walk with your teacher ID, and set up an account when you walk in at the front desk. You'll get a box. If you fill it to the top, at checkout, you'll pay $10. If you only fill it half way, the cost is $5. Don't walk with children under 18 years old because they will have to wait in the waiting area as they are not allowed inside the book area. Go get your classroom library stacked at 'Scarce' with textbooks and novels, among other things.

Absolutely love this place. I had the pleasure of interviewing the founder on my cable community television show Y? Why Not! Kay's dedication to recycling, helping teachers, and focusing on ways to save the Earth is outstanding. This is an absolute place to go for teachers looking for discounted supplies and for music lovers. They have a section for albums and cds if anyone is a collector.

This is an amazing place if you love books & music. This organization helps support teachers and ultimately students and could use your help to complete that mission. They also have some Office supplies, DVDs both Movies and TV, childrens books, musical instruments. Aisles and aisles of books and Vinyl records - even antique books and 1st editions. Looking for something rare or unusual, they might have it and so worth the adventure - like spending an hour or so in an old bookstore or old fashioned record store. Prices are unbelievable! A must for music and book lovers.

Very nice place if you are a music collector, they have a huge variety of music and for the most important collector. Also, they have a very good selection of teacher supplies for every teacher. If you are a teacher come to SCARCE to see their selection and variety.

Scarce is a wonderful place for any teacher in need of materials for teaching or supplies. While there I found a whole set of books for writing. There is even a section for newer resources. I found adult coloring books and dominoes. Very helpful staff. I live about an hour away and the finds made the travel worth it

This place is absolutely amazing! From basic school supplies to books to curriculums, they have anything and everything a teacher could need, all for $5 a box! So so so helpful as a teacher stating from scratch!

Love this place. One side is all for teachers and the other is for everyone else. They have records (vinyl), books and some gift type things. Lots of books for kids. Also bought some plants. It is a non for profit store. The staff, who are volunteers are very friendly and helpful.

Fantastic place for teachers to find amazing deals on all the odds and ends of teaching supplies, from text books to fiction books, from pens to pencils, cardboard tubes, binders, learning games, scales, microscopes, tens blocks, pattern blocks, fabric, on and on. Bring your school ID and take home a box for $5! You can also donate all those supplies that are taking up space on your basement. I did!

Everyone needs to know about this place. They recycle all kinds of materials that you had no idea where to take. They sell used books, albums, CD's and 45's... it's an interesting place. If your into recycling ♻️ and keeping good products out of landfills. This is the place.

Great place with scarcely used books and music of all kinds, types and genres. Their low prices and friendly staff makes it a fun experience. You may also donate books and music. Monies raised goes to their efforts to reuse and donate resources back to teachers around the world.

Horrible company. Don’t waste your time. Front desk staff was incredibly rude. Made me wait over 10 minutes to be checked in while they chatted with a friend on the phone. Then refused to let me enter because I home school and according to the same rude front desk person, I don’t qualify to come into their store. Never mind the fact I have an account with them and have used this store previously. They also told me my daughter (5 yo) was not allowed in the store. I’ve never been told by ANY store that I’m not allowed to bring my child in. This store is set up like a bookstore or library, so why am I allowed to bring my child into Barnes and Noble but I’m not here. That’s actually discrimination and illegal. Over the years as this company has grown the customer service has just gotten so bad. There was absolutely no one in the store and they refused to let me in also. No wonder the store was empty.

SCARCE takes all kinds of every day items and finds their highest and best use for them. It is a wonderful place to re-home books & music (CDs and Albums). SCARCE donates them to teachers, organizations and makes some to the public for a small donation. Good news for people and keeps good stuff put of the landfill!

Although it was a little bit confusing to find the place, I'm so glad I donated to SCARCE. Everyone was kind and very humble. It felt really good to donate to a nonprofit organization instead of a big discount store. They are definitely helping out and I highly recommend looking over their list of items that you can give. One thing that I didn't know, and I'm not sure if I had a dumb moment but.... I was not sure if I was supposed to knock on the door or just walk in, since it was a solid door that looked like it would be locked. I found out that you just walk in. Just in case anyone else is confused.

Sadly, the person who runs this place is very rude and dishonest. Most volunteers are very pleasant and the concept is great. The director's attitude overshadows everything good. I have never had any positive interaction with her. 1st of all, she lies and says that they don't deal with homeschoolers and never have, though 18 years of personal experience says otherwise. Years ago, before they moved, everyone could come and openly shop for materials. In recent years, homeschoolers have to to pay an annual membership fee, $5 per text, and are limited to certain materials. I've paid the annual homeschooling fees to shop there, when I homeschool, and I've been turned away twice. She was very rude on several occasions. My 1st visit to the new location, a worker escorted my 8 year old and me in to shop. Instead of politely saying children could not be present, she and an older guy yelled and screamed, berating me, and put us out! The fact that my 8 year old was shaken and upset should've convinced me not to return. During my last visit, a volunteer asked a question on my behalf. I am homeschooling credentialed teacher, who also teaches at an institution, but paid for a membership to shop for personal items in an effort to keep things honest., She again was very nasty. She argued with me that no one can be both. She said I couldn't get or purchase any materials, though I paid for a homeschooling membership months before! That of course was my last time donating, paying for a membership, or shopping there for either purpose. I thought she had something against me or homeschoolers. I know 2 teachers who spoke with her and they said she was very nasty. 1 called asking a question and she was rude and abrupt. The other visited and said she behaved as if she was bothered by being asked questions and made accusatory statements. Great concept, which would could benefit teachers, families, and the environment. It's wonderful if you don't see or speak with the director. I and the others who've been crossed by her just don't have the time or energy to waste being treated that way. I"d rather pay for materials, along with respectful treatment, as I shop for them elsewhere.

As a public teacher from a low income school in Michigan this is a great resource for teachers. They have entire sets of textbooks that were very needed at my school. We are currently using everyday math at our school but we were short resources. I was able to get many copies for our school. The kids will no longer have to share! Many other hands on resources as well. I will be stopping by every time I am town visiting family. You need teacher I'D and they request that you donate 5 dollars a box full! Well worth the donation! Amazing place doing great thing for the community and kids!

Teachers spend so much of their own money on their classrooms. What other profession does that? This is a great idea to receive free materials. Scarce has everything imaginable. Every time I go my car is filled to capacity. It's awesome!