Ottawa Construction News staff writer
The east-end location of the popular Habitat ReStore has moved from 2370 Walkley Dr. to its new location at 768 Belfast Rd., near Trainyards.
“In addition to a better location with street front visibility, the new ReStore location has a larger showroom and a better layout,” says Myrna Beattie, director of retail operations with Habitat for Humanity National Capital Region (Habitat NCR). “This means that we’ll be able to offer customers more product in a better format, improving their shopping experience.”
Habitat ReStores operate as a social enterprise, supporting Habitat NCR’s mission to build safe, decent and affordable homes for low-income, hard-working families across Ottawa and the region. ReStore revenues help to offset the administrative fee of Habitat NCR, ensuring a higher percentage of donor dollars and corporate sponsorships go directly towards building homes.
The two Ottawa Habitat ReStores, including one at at 7 Enterprise Dr. near the intersection of Hunt Club and Merivale, sell home renovation products at roughly 50 per cent of retail prices. “We receive some new and returned product directly from partnerships with Home Depot, for example, but we also receive lightly-used products from individuals who are replacing fixtures like lights, vanities, or entire kitchens” says Beattie. “Anyone can donate to the ReStore, and anyone can shop at the ReStore.” For customers, there is no tax charged on their purchases. Those who donate to the ReStore may receive a charitable tax receipt for the value that their item sells for in the store.
While new stock arrives daily through donations and sells just as quickly, frequently stocked items include kitchen and bathroom fixtures, cabinets and countertops, interior and exterior doors, windows and window coverings, a huge selection of flooring and tiles, light fixtures and bulbs, paint, stain and wallpaper, hardware, plumbing and electrical supplies, trim and mouldings, lumber and building supplies, and much more.
Even items like extension cords, painters tape, sandpaper, screws and nails can be purchased at half the cost of retail.
In addition to saving customers’ money and using profits to support building homes for low-income families, Habitat ReStores divert waste from landfills. In 2011, ReStores across Canada diverted over 20,000 tonnes of material from landfills. Individuals can also help to reduce waste by donating items that might otherwise be thrown out. The ReStore at 768 Belfast Rd. is also a designated e-Waste center, with recyclable items ranging from television and computers to printers, telephones, cameras, radios and more.
