Habitat for Humanity has expanded the selling space for its bargain-basement ReStore by more than one-third.
The Summit County affiliate of the Christian housing organization cut a ceremonial ribbon Tuesday to mark the addition of 15,000 square feet to the Romig Road store. Interior walls have been removed to expand the store to 42,000 square feet, making it one of the larger ReStores in Ohio, said Rochelle Fisher, the affiliate’s president and chief executive officer.
Clive Rainey, the first volunteer with Habitat for Humanity International, came from his home in Guatemala for the occasion.
“This is what dreams are all about,” Rainey told a group that included staff members, volunteers and board members. “… When you step out in faith, this is what can happen.”
He spoke in the middle of a warehouse-like store filled with new and used goods that have been donated by individuals and businesses or reclaimed from demolished homes. Among the items were furniture, major appliances, cleaning supplies, building materials, hardware and even old milk cans and an arcade video-game machine — some showing signs of wear, others in their original packaging.
In 2011, the store took in about $600,000 in sales before expenses, contributing about 48 percent of the affiliate’s budget, Fisher said. The money supports Habitat for Humanity’s efforts to provide decent, affordable housing to people in need.
The Summit County affiliate has built or rehabilitated 167 homes and has done repairs at another 15 houses, Fisher said.
The affiliate opened its first ReStore in November 2007 on Canton Road. Two years later it moved to its current home, the former Handy Andy store at 2301 Romig Road.
The ReStore is open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays.
Habitat accepts donations of new and gently used home furnishings and building materials. Some are used in the homes it builds, and the rest is sold at 70 to 90 percent off the retail price. The organization prefers that people bring in the items but will pick up some large donations, Fisher said.
Details are at www.hfhsummitcounty.org or 330-745-7734.
Mary Beth Breckenridge can be reached at 330-996-3756 or mbrecken@thebeaconjournal.com. You can also become a fan on Facebook at http://tinyurl.com/mbbreck, follow her on Twitter @MBBreckenridge and read her blog at www.ohio.com/blogs/mary-beth.
