Habitat opens ReStore
Discounted home improvement materials for sale
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| Ryan Prewitt photo Mike Bales, of St. Charles, shops around for bathroom sinks at the new Habitat ReStore in St. Peters. The store sells new and used home improvement products, and proceeds go toward the construction of Habitat for Humanity homes. |
Officials, volunteers and supporters of the organization celebrated Thursday the start of a three-day "soft opening" of the county's first Habitat for Humanity ReStore.
Habitat ReStores, now a nationwide trend, are retail outlets that sell new and lightly used building and home improvement materials at a discounted rate. Proceeds help fund the construction of Habitat houses in local communities."Our mission is to give a hand up to our homeowners, not a handout. This is our opportunity to be self-sufficient as a charity organization in the community," said Ashlee Johnson, Habitat's executive director.
Rather than give houses to low-income families, Habitat provides an opportunity for them to pay the costs through a 20-year, interest-free mortgage. Applicants also must spend 350 hours of "sweat equity" helping to build the home, along with local churches, businesses and other volunteers.
And the Christian housing ministry has a lot on its plate.
Habitat's latest venture, the $1.2 million Ashland Meadows subdivision in Wentzville, would boost the number of Habitat homes in the city to 20 and the total in St. Charles County to 38. Four of the eight houses are slated for completion by the end of the year, and the rest are scheduled for completion by summer 2008.
Also under consideration is a piece of property along Heppermann Road in Wentzville, which could accommodate about 34 Habitat homes.
A ReStore that could help fund such projects has been in the works for a while, Johnson said.
Habitat officials originally hoped to build the facility in Wentzville but ditched the plan, priced at $700,000, when they relocated in June to 130 Trade Center Drive W. in St. Peters. That building, which the organization leases, houses the ReStore.
Johnson hopes proceeds from the ReStore will generate enough money in the first year to build three Habitat homes, which cost about $65,000 each for building materials alone. The Celebration of Trees, Habitat's primary fundraiser, brought in $25,000 short of its goal this year, and the new store hopefully could offset that shortage, she said.
Since its opening in 1990, the St. Louis affiliate's ReStore has had similar success. It's budgeted to bring in about $150,000 in 2008, said Dan Sise, St. Louis Habitat's director of operations.
"It's a great asset, not only to our organization, but to the community as a whole, for the recycling of new and used building materials that might otherwise end up being thrown away," Sise said.
St. Charles County Habitat officials hope to continue that trend by creating jobs, helping the environment and, ultimately, building homes for hardworking, low-income families.
One full-time employee and volunteers, including Habitat homeowner clients completing "sweat equity" hours, will staff the store.
Surveys also will be available at the ReStore that ask customers what items they'd like to see more of and what store hours and prices they'd prefer.
The facility's grand opening is scheduled for Jan. 5.
WANT TO HELP?
The home improvement materials Habitat currently accepts include:
> doors
> windows
> cabinets
> vanities
> large appliances
> hardware
> nails and screws
> tools
> plumbing
> electrical items
> flooring, such as tile, linoleum, carpet and hardwood
Volunteers are needed to perform a variety of jobs, such as receiving, cleaning or selling merchandise.
For more information on how to donate, volunteer or sponsor the Habitat ReStore, e-mail Andrea Hughes at humanityrestore@yahoo.com or call 636-978-512.
