Comments (0) Best Hardware and Housing Materials - 2012
Habitat for Humanity ReStore
6161 S. Loop E Freeway
Houston, TX 77087
713-643-1100
If you are smitten with the perfect set of sconces or French doors or bathroom vanity or just about anything in this warehouse, you'd better snap it up: "About one half of the donated inventory moves in about a month," says staffer Mark Goodson. When Habitat picks up donations from people's homes, ReStore is where it lands. But the inventory is "not just torn out of a house," Goodson says. ReStore buys at a low cost from, for example, vendors for flooring materials such as laminate and tile, and adds a modest markup. They can even mix paint. Some companies, such as Lowe's, donate discontinued items such as wood cabinetry — three finishes, including a scrumptious cherry, are available — for the cost of unfinished wood from most dealers. ReStore customers are giving to a greater cause, as Habitat is able to build an average of one house from the monthly sales at each retail outlet. Don't forget networking: We found an excellent carpenter, James Montgomery, who's one of the volunteers at the store.
