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Volunteer Butch Harps straightens shelves at the ReStore
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Seven years ago, Chuck Phillips moved into his Washington County home, which was built by Habitat for Humanity, a non-profit group that helps the needy obtain simple, affordable housing.
Since then, the City of Washington employee has more than returned the favor to the organization by helping others build homes, and more recently, by serving as manager of the Habitat for Humanity’s Washington resale store, Renovation Station.
“We are judged by how we treat others and by what we do for others,” Phillips says. “I knew that I could come in here, get this thing opened up, and help it serve as a conduit to start generating some revenue to put something back into the program to build homes for people. That’s my way to give back.”
Renovation Station, also known as ReStore, opened in September at the former site of Reed & Cameron Hardware at 54 W. Wheeling St., in downtown Washington. It sells building materials and home improvement items, and is open two days a week – Thursdays, from 3 to 7 p.m., and Saturdays, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
In addition to offering affordable building materials, the ReStore gives residents the opportunity to help out by donating new or gently used products and equipment, and also a chance to volunteer as a store worker.
All proceeds are used to fund the building of homes in Washington County.
“The store is totally non-profit, so that all revenue generated through the sale of these donated items actually goes toward helping us to create a greater budget to build more homes,” says Conrad Rossetti, ReStore business manager and WCHFH vice president.
“We want to appeal to everybody. Even though our prices are so low, that’s just because all of our stuff is donated. We have some good stuff. Look here first, because you may find what you’re looking for, and you may save a lot of money.”
Items sold at the Renovation Station include appliances (refrigerators, dishwashers, stoves, washers, dryers, small appliances); building materials (roofing, siding, interior and exterior doors, windows, flooring, cabinets and countertops, paints and stains, trim and architectural items); lighting and electrical items (fixtures and ceiling fans, lamps and chandeliers, parts and supplies); plumbing (sinks, faucet sets and spigots, parts and supplies); and miscellaneous items (hand/garden/power tools, hinges, hooks, hasps, house numbers, adhesives, caulk, knobs, handles).
According to Rossetti, ReStore was constructed to support Washington County’s Habitat for Humanity mission to build decent, affordable housing in partnership with qualified low-income families.
Management also hopes to help improve the local neighborhoods by providing homeowners a cost-effective way to maintain and improve their homes. It is also a goal of the Habitat group to save the environment by reusing and recycling to preserve landfill space.
Renovation Station relies on contractors to donate leftovers from jobs, misordered items, used items from remodeling projects, and items from demolition projects.
Major retail donors include Lowe’s, Home Depot, Lorenzi Lumber, and 84 Lumber. These stores donate all-new items including surplus inventory, discontinued or obsolete items, and returned items that can’t be sold after being opened.
“What we have here isn’t just for the working poor who can’t afford to go to a retail store to buy things. We’re getting some stuff in here that is pretty high end,” Rossetti says.
“We still target to sell, if it’s new, at 50 percent off retail value. If it is slightly used, we’ll price that at 20 or 30 cents on the dollar.”
Rossetti got involved with WCHFH nearly two years ago after retiring from a 44-year career in industrial sales management with a manufacturing company.
“I knew that there was something that I wanted to do in my next life’s venture to somewhat give back. I had a good career, was very fortunate. I just had a personal need to do something in the community,” he says.
“I thought with my background in industrial sales management and working with people at all levels, it would be a good match with the skill set that I had acquired over the years.”
He quickly helped the resale store get off the ground and began working three to four days per week scheduling pickups and handling day-to-day business.
Another major participant in the resale operation is volunteer technology specialist Butch Harps. The Washington resident constructed the store’s computer network and built a server to keep the place up-to-date.
He has also volunteered at the store, serving as a co-manager with Phillips.
“Once I came up, did the network and everything, the place got hold of me. The things that they do for people made me decide to show up and help out at the resale store. I figured I’d put my skills to work on the building products and things like that,” Harps says.
“At the beginning, I wasn’t the kind of person who would give to charity. But this place got me, and I really enjoy doing it. I like it because in the long run, it is helping somebody.”
Volunteers like Harps are what keep the Habitat and Renovation Station running, according to Phillips, who has managed the store since its inception. Phillips has even recruited his wife, Jeannette, 19 year-old son, Cody, and 13 year-old daughter, Sierra, to help out at times.
The family has taken their Habitat experiences to heart and hope to do the same for fellow families in Washington County. “I think the nicest thing was to meet some truly caring people that were probably living by the standard of giving more than you take,” he says.
“I live my life that way and raise my two children the same way. My wife and I both encourage that. It’s not about what you’ve taken in for the day; it’s about what you gave.”
