Habitat for Humanity ReStore opens in Longfellow

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Story and photos by MARGIE O’LOUGHLIN Habitat for Humanity opened their second ReStore in the Twin Cities on Sept. 15 with three days of events and celebration. Located at 2700 Minnehaha Ave., the store has easy access from the adjacent Greenway Bike Trail or, for those who drive, parking is available in the off-street lot in front of the store. re-store-opening-38Photo right: The first shoppers gathered outside the new Habitat ReStore on Sept. 15. The concept behind ReStore is simple: to be a non-profit home improvement outlet selling new and used building materials, home furnishings, and lighting at deep discounts. All revenue from ReStore goes to support Habitat’s work of building, repairing, and rehabbing homes for local families. The 23,000 square foot space for the Longfellow ReStore is being leased from its neighbor, Zimmer Biomet. According to ReStore operations manager Pete O’Keefe, the budget for the project was about $400,000. “That might sound like a lot of money,” O’Keefe said, “but we could never have done this build-out without the significant in-kind contributions and donations we received.” Lots of contributions Contributors included Ryan Construction, who provided construction supervision, access to their list of sub-contractors, and countless hours of labor and materials; RSP Architects, who did all of the design work for the project pro bono; the Butler Family Foundation, who made a gift of $100,000; the Margaret A. Cargill Foundation, who made a gift of $200,000; and Target Properties, who donated a full-scale property analysis before construction began. re-store-opening-65Photo right: Last, but far from least, was Valspar Paints. According to John Hagerman, Habitat communications specialist, “Valspar has contributed $35 million to our projects across the country since 1979. They donated 1,800 gallons of paint for the opening of this ReStore alone. It’s all part of their commitment to the community.”

It’s a game changer Habitat president and CEO Susan Haigh was on hand to deliver welcoming remarks to the first shoppers. “When you buy something at our ReStore,” she said, “every dollar that doesn’t get used paying salaries or store overhead goes to help families in need of housing. Our first ReStore, located in New Brighton, was so successful in 2015 that they were able to build homes for six families with their proceeds.”

re-store-opening-01Photo left: Habitat for Humanity president and CEO Susan Haigh said, “More than 2,600 families have come knocking on our doors since Apr. 1. The need for affordable housing in the Twin Cities is very real.” Haigh explained, “We believe that home ownership is a game changer. When we’ve surveyed our homeowners about what’s changed since they’ve gotten into stable housing, almost all of them say that it’s been great for their kids, but it’s also been great for them. More than 90% of the parents say they’ve either gone back to school or are planning to. One way or another, nearly all are actively working on improving their lives.” ReStore welcomes donations of doors, light fixtures, appliances, furniture, hardware, tiles, tools, plumbing, flooring, cabinets and more. Hours of operation are Tuesday-Friday, 10am-6pm, with donations accepted until 5pm. ReStore is open on Saturday from 10am-4pm, with donations accepted until 3pm. ReStore is closed on Sunday. All donations are tax deductible. re-store-opening-58Photo right: Celebrity Do-It-Yourself TV host Amy Matthews (second from left) revved up her chop saw for the opening “board-cutting” ceremony. Matthews is a licensed general contractor who has been involved with Habitat since she was 14 years old. She offered DIY workshops throughout the three-day grand opening of ReStore and encouraged people to learn new skills. Mayor Betsy Hodges and the Minneapolis City Council approved a resolution in 2014 declaring Minnehaha Ave. from Lake St. to Minnehaha Falls as the “Minnehaha Mile.” This section of the street contains more antique, vintage, retro, second hand and re-use stores than any other commercial corridor in the state. With the addition of the Habitat for Humanity ReStore and the Better Futures Warehouse at 2620 Minnehaha Ave., that mile just got a few blocks longer. For more information about volunteering, donating or shopping at ReStore, go to www.tchabitat.org or call 612.588.3820.

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