MANATEE
They’re having a birthday anniversary — 2 years old and growing.
Thanks to a poor economy and consumers anxious for bargains, Manatee’s Habitat for Humanity’s ReStore has turned into a successful venture, says General Manager Larry Stephens,
To prove his point, Stephens points to the stats:
n 900,000 pounds of product kept out of the landfill.
n $9,500 collected from metal recycling.
n 6,300 donations from the community and 35,000 customers.
n More than 15,000 hours of volunteer service provided.
n Creation of 10 new jobs for Manatee County.
The store on Hardin Avenue in Tallevast is a treasure trove for rummage sale seekers as well as landlords and remodelers who browse the warehouse full of household items and home furnishings like kitchen cabinets, light fixtures and furniture.
Habitat volunteers often deconstruct homes and salvage all the useable items that are then resold or recycled at the store for scrap metal.
“For every $1 we sell, that’s 1.1 pounds that doesn’t go into the landfill,” said Stephens, who is proud of the “green” aspect of the business. All metal that can’t be used including copper, brass and aluminum is recycled.
The Manatee store is one of more than 700 across the country run by Habitat for Humanity which provide bargains for those who need them. The stores took in $15 million in sales last year, Stephens said.
“We are going into season right now, we get a lot of snowbirds and low-income homeowners looking for a bargain,” he said.
A three-time-a-year fundraiser with Furniture Warehouse also is underway, a money-maker for the store, which will receive furniture donations from buyers at the furniture business who, in return, will receive a $100 discount on purchases of $500 and more.
Mark Richmond, owner of the five Furniture Warehouse stores locally, said after 20 years in business he looked for a local nonprofit to help and decided on Habitat for Humanity and the Food Bank.
“We thought it was the right thing to do to give back to the community,” Richmond said. The Habitat stores in Manatee, Sarasota and Charlotte counties benefit from the weekend events held in October, December and February. Beginning today, donations will be accepted and customers will be given the discount through Monday.
A couple hundred participants usually donate to the three stores during the event. Since 2008, the events have produced 164 donations worth about $25,000 for Manatee’s Habitat for Humanity, Stephens said.
