Do-It-Yourselfers love ReStore

Two ReStore Outlets help keep 3 million pounds out of landfills

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Local Do-It-Yourselfers head to the Habitat for Humanity ReStore at 510 County Road D West or 2700 Minnehaha Ave. to get inspired.
The outlet sells new and like-new furniture, appliances and building materials at discounted prices. The inventory comes from donations from individuals (free truck pick-up) and companies.
“Our customers and donors tend to have a social purpose beyond donating or buying goods,” said Pete O’Keefe, ReStore Director. “They want items with value to go to someone who can use it and ReStore can make that happen. The best part is that proceeds from ReStore helped build five affordable homes within the Twin Cities. It’s environmentally friendly and a lot of good comes out of the process.”
There first ReStore opened in New Brighton in 2015. The Minnehaha location opened in 2016, and most of its staff live in the neighborhood.

Benefits businesses, too
The ReStore Outlets expect to keep three million pounds of used items out of landfills this year; and more than 10 million pounds over the past five years. This includes leftover building materials from construction and demolition, some of the biggest contributors to landfill waste.
Lake County Builders, a Twin Cities construction firm based in Excelsior, heard about ReStore from architects and clients.
“LCB tries to recycle as much as possible and also always work with only disposal companies that recycle,” remarked production manager Bruce Bebo who has worked there for 30 years. Donating items to the ReStore Outlets fit with their goals.
They have donated many cabinets, interior doors, millwork and more over the years totalling thousands of dollars.
“The reason LCB does it is to not have things go into the land fills plus others can make use of these items,” said Bebo. This means the company pays less in dumpster fees too. “Plus we feel good knowing that many of these items are going to be reused,” said Bebo.
“The ReStore is a very good resource for our company and we plan on always using this company in the future.”
ReStore Outlets encourages people to reduce waste by donating used goods to the store; to recycle by buying used goods and keeping tons of building materials and home furnishings out of landfills; and to repurpose through Do-It-Yourself projects.

Donations help local families buy their first homes
Every dollar raised from sales goes into building homes and supporting local families to buy their first home. ReStore staff members are normally assisted by hundreds of volunteers each year; however, most volunteer opportunities have been suspended due to the pandemic.
“We’re proud of the work of our ReStore staff during this difficult year,” said Chris Coleman, President and CEO of Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity. “They provide a great community service, help protect the environment, and make a significant contribution to our mission of creating, preserving, and promoting homeownership in the Twin Cities.”
More at restore.tchabitat.org.

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