The Habitat for Humanity Stores play a vital role in the organization’s mission of building a world where everyone has a decent place to call home.
In 1991, the very first Habitat for Humanity ReStore opened in Winnipeg, Canada with the first ReStore in the United States opening in Austin, Texas. Since then, the Habitat ReStores have been expanding with close to 1,000 stores open in 5 different countries!
As for Habitat for Humanity Seattle King County, we launched our first Store in SODO on February 16th, 2008 with the Bellevue Store opening shortly after on August 20th, 2011.
On January 15th, 2016, Habitat SKC relocated the SODO Store south to its current location in Southcenter. On July 13th, 2018, the Auburn Store (Habitat SKC’s 3rd Store!) opened its doors to the lovely city of Auburn, WA.
The ReStores themselves have raised well over a 100 million dollars as an additional source of revenue to help build homes and repair homes for hardworking families.
On a regular basis, people gather at the ReStores to either shop, donate their slightly used goods, or volunteer their time to the Store. After all, the Stores play their role as a community builder in the local area.
Many come to the Habitat for Humanity ReStores to gather materials for their own home repair with prices that beat the standard retail price. Furthermore, depending on one’s specific area, some of the ReStores offer classes and workshops to educate people on upcycling to lengthen the life of the owner’s favorite furniture pieces.
Regardless, since 1991, the Habitat for Humanity ReStores have made an impact, not only in the organization itself, but as a resource for those who live in the community. They prevent usable goods from going to landfills and provide affordable materials that every homeowner needs to keep their house in top condition.