GEORGETOWN, DE - The way Jeff Joseph sees it, the new Sussex County Habitat for Humanity resale center accomplishes three goals: It gives area residents a place to buy affordable building materials, home furnishings and appliances. It recycles many materials that would end up in the landfill. And it helps Habitat raise money to use toward affordable housing projects. "This is really a rare thing," he said.
Habitat's ReStore, at 107 Depot St. in Georgetown, opened Friday and was full of shoppers looking for bargains. They found everything from lawn and garden care products to paint and carpeting, as well as windows, doors, dishes and furniture. There was a new pet door still in its box. And yes, there was even the kitchen sink, a dozen or so of them.
The center is the third that Habitat operates in Delaware. The resale center offers used and surplus building materials, fixtures, furniture, tools and appliances. Everything is at least 50 percent less than the retail price. Wendy M. Daudt, of Seaford, came looking for furniture. She found an office chair that will work nicely and sent her son, Bryan, off to look for a matching desk. "We're getting ready to build a new retail store ourselves," she said.
Daudt, who has done volunteer work for Sussex County Habitat, said she "wanted to stay involved." David Zorb, of Lewes, was looking at furniture, too. "My wife might be looking for a desk," he said. The retail store has been a year in the making. Kevin Gilmore, executive director of Sussex County Habitat, said the model for Habitat ReStores is tried and true in other areas.
But in Sussex, the organization needed to find a large, retail space in a central location. They found 14,000 square feet in an old ice plant on Depot Street that volunteers spent the past three months sprucing up. "Geographically, we wanted to be in the center of the county," he said. Gilmore said contractors often have surplus materials after they complete a job or if they do a renovation, they have perfectly good materials that can be used again. Often, he said, it is cheaper for builders to throw the excess away.
But by donating it, they get a tax break, someone else has an opportunity to buy inexpensive building materials and space is saved in the landfill. "It's a win-win," he said. Gilmore said they first ask if Habitat can use the materials in one of its construction projects. If the organization can't use it, it goes to the ReStore. "It still supports what we're doing. Whoever buys these products, I like to think it can improve their living condition," he said. When the Sussex County Habitat group launched its Restore project, it was Joseph who headed the committee. Joseph said all the proceeds from the store go toward building affordable housing.
Source: The Daily Times