Habitat for Humanity will open thrift ReStore

Intermountain Catholic

+ Enlarge

Layne Burrows, ReStore warehouse manager (left), and Bill Huntzinger, ReStore manager, stand with a supply of sinks. They anxiously await 12 semi loads of new products. IC photo by Christine Young

SALT LAKE CITY — "Habitat for Humanity is opening a ReStore in Salt Lake City," said Stephanie Carter, Habitat for Humanity ReStore assistant manager.

"The True Value Hardware Store convention is being held at the Salt Palace the last week of September. They work with the local Habitat for Humanity affiliate, and they are donating nine to 12 semi-truck loads of new products for our ReStore that we will be able to sell," said Carter. "This is a thrift store for construction material.

"True Value has over 2,400 vendors, and of those 2,000 vendors will donate their merchandise to us," said Carter. "Our facility is located in the old Maytag building at 1276 South 500 West in Salt Lake City. Our entire facility is 30,000 square feet. Our grand opening is scheduled in November on Veteran’s Day.

"We need 70 volunteers to come and help us get these products organized, onto pallets, and stretch-wrapped to be picked up by local truckers," said Carter. "On Oct. 2 and Oct. 3, we need about 15 volunteers from 6:30 a.m. to 10 a.m., and again from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. to deliver donated materials and transfer carts to vendors.

On Oct. 4, from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m., Oct. 5, from 6:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., and again from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m., and Oct. 6, we need volunteers to wheel the carts over to dropped pallets, to load the merchandise onto the pallets and shrink wrap the product," said Carter. "We hope to organize into 11 teams of five individuals. As we anticipate over 2,000 vendors who will be leaving their demo products for us, this is a very large undertaking."

A Habitat ReStore is a facility that supports the services provided by its local Habitat for Humanity affiliate. The income generated from the project goes specifically toward expanding the building program of the local habitat affiliate.

ReStores recycle overstocked, discontinued, new and gently used building materials donated by manufacturers, stores, contractors, and individuals. These donated items are sold to the public or used in construction of habitat houses. All revenue from sales goes to the local affiliate in support of its building program.

"There are over 600 ReStores nationally. This is the third ReStore in Utah," said Carter. "One of the ReStores is in Utah County and the other is in St. George. We will share a lot of our products. If one store gets a lot of one particular type of product, we will share our donations with the other ReStores. That way we won’t have just one thing to sell, and all the stores can be stocked and have more to sell.

"Right now we have three paid staff members including myself, Bill Huntzinger, the ReStore manager, and Layne Burrows, the warehouse manager," said Carter. "We will be hiring a cashier in November.

"So we will also need volunteer retail clerks," said Carter. "Also if you are donating construction material to our ReStore and cannot fit it in the back of a pickup truck, call us and we will come and pick it up.

"The Home Builder’s Association will build an entire home this week. It is called Blitz Build," said Carter. "I have never been to one, so I am quite excited.

"They began Monday morning in Magna. Workers started the home at 6 a.m., and they’ll work around the clock until they finish some time on Thursday night," said Carter.

Utah companies have donated all the materials, and they are doing all the work at no charge. Normally, it takes nine to 12 months to build one of these homes. This is Habitat’s 11th blitz build.

ReStore appreciates and accepts appliances in working order. They also accept architectural items, bathroom fittings, doors, cabinets and countertops, electrical items, fans, flooring materials, new carpet at least 10 feet by 10 feet, hardware, lighting framed mirrors and glass, furniture, lumber, plumbing supplies, roofing materials, tools, vents (floor, ceiling, returns), wall board, sheetrock, windows, and lawn and garden products. They do not accept household items or clothes.

For more information, call ReStore at (8021) 263-0136, or fax us at (801) 263-0727.