Successful DIY class

Last Saturday the ReStore hosted a class on furniture refinishing.  About 25 people attended.  The instructors, Steve and Sal have been involved with Habitat for Humanity New Castle County for years and have a vast amount of knowledge to pass on in do-it-yourself classes.  We are hoping to have more classes of this sort in the future.

The class was recorded.  Leon Barton is in the process of editing the video.  Once that is finished it will be posted on youtube.com.  Search habitatnccpr for all Habitat New Castle County youtube postings including a ReStore commercial.

Sales milestone at the ReStore

Despite slower than usual sales this past February the ReStore hit a major sales milestone during the month.  In the last week of February we reached $2,000,000 in total sales since opening the store almost nine years ago.  The ReStore has grown tremendously during its existence and growth has accelerated in the last few years.

Most of our growth has come through word-of-mouth.  In the last few years we have increased advertising for the ReStore with billboards, a facebook page, and a radio ad.  Moving to a new, more visible, location has also helped people discover us.  It took six years for us to reach $1,000,000 in sales; we reached the $2,000,000 mark less than three years later.  Since moving to the new location we are on an even faster sales pace.  We probably won't make the next million in half the time it took to make the second million but we hope to come close.

One of the keys to our continued success will be finding donors.  We have cultivated a large customer base but we need to increase donations to have enough to sell.  We are working on getting our name out to local stores and other business to encourage donations of discontinued items.  We are also trying to contact retirement communities and real estate agencies in the hopes that we will be recommended as a place for people in transition to donate furniture or other household items that are no longer needed.

We are grateful to all the customers, volunteers, and donors who have made us successful.

Deconstruction at office building

An office building in Wilmington is being converted to be used by non-profits for office space and a school.  Habitat ReStore has the opportunity to get many of the items that are removed from the building.  This not only helps the ReStore obtain a significant number of items to sell but also keeps a large amount of building supplies out of the landfill.

Cabinets and Shelf Units from Deconstruction

The process of deconstructing this nine story building is a lengthy one.  We have been working on it for a couple of weeks now and expect to take a while longer.  So far we have obtained doors and storage cabinets.  Many of the cabinets have already sold but there are more to come.

Doors from Deconstruction

Zenith Products making regular donations to the ReStore

Zenith Products has begun giving regular donations to the ReStore.  We will be picking up a donation from the New Castle headquarters roughly once a week.  Zenith is a leading manufacturer of bathroom storage and organization products.  Some of the companies products include bath cabinets, vanities, shower caddies, shower rods, and other accessories.

The ReStore has received donations from Zenith Products throughout the years.  Everything we have gotten from the company has been a good seller.  Currently we have bath towels, wash cloths, shower caddies, and  curtain rings available.

Companies often have product that can no longer be sold (overstock, discontinued products, returns, etc.) but are still in good condition.  Donating those items to the ReStore allows the company to move the product out of warehouse or sales floor space and get a tax donation.  It also prevents these items from ending in a landfill.  The ReStore is very pleased and excited to have this opportunity to partner with Zenith Products.