Hays Habitat for Humanity ReStore opens in new location

By JAMESBELLHays Post

Aftermonths of searching for a new location, the Habitat for Humanity of Ellis County ReStore will open Saturday in its new home at 2707 Broadway Ave., Hays

“We areexcited to be back up and running. We’ve heard from our customers that theycan’t wait to start shopping at the store again,” said Leslie Wyatt, Habitatfor Humanity of Ellis County executive director. “One of our volunteers saidbefore the move that every time we move, the store just gets progressivelybetter, and I believe she’s right.”

Thestore will open with all new inventory, as most items in the previous locationwere donated to other area nonprofit organizations or sold.

Previousstory: Habitat for Humanity of Ellis Co. seeking new building for ReStore

“We havehad some awesome returning supporters that have generously donated severalitems to the store in recent weeks,” Wyatt said. “We’ve got some really niceitems in.”

Itemsfor sale are often rehabbed by the organization’s volunteer staff.

“We haveseveral volunteers that have different skill sets at the ReStore,” Wyatt said. “Sometimeswe'll have a piece of furniture or other items that comes in that is missingsomething. We have volunteers that will actually take the items and renew themto almost new for the benefit of the organization.”

Customerswill find those rehabbed items along with other typical thrift shop offerings.

“Wehave pretty much anything every other thrift store would have, with the oneexception,” Wyatt said. “I don't know if other thrift stores fix stuff up likewe do.”

Withthe new location, the ReStore will expand hours.

“Weused to be open from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. [Saturday’s], but a lot of garage sales endaround 2 p.m.,” Wyatt said. “And so one of our volunteers had the idea to stayopen until 3 p.m., that way people that are having a garage sale and theydidn't sell everything, and they don't want to put it back in their garage, theycan bring it to us.”

Thenew location also has a new feature outside, which she hopes will be utilized bythose in need.

“The HaysDaily News, they donated some newspaper stands to us,” Wyatt said. “I've hadthem for a while in our storage. And I sanded them and painted them and turnedthem into the Free Little Library and the Blessing Box outside.”

“That'ssomething we didn't have at the other store, but I always wanted, so I'm prettyexcited about that.”

TheReStore is accepting donations. Wyatt said the organization is a goodoption for those looking to clean out garages, basements and even whole homeswhen needed.

“We’vedone that before, where we receive almost the whole household of things,” Wyattsaid.

Thestore accepts new and gently used household items. However, no clothing, couches,entertainment centers or mattresses are accepted.

“Wepretty much will take everything,” Wyatt said. “We still have a receiving area thatused to be like by the big doors at the other ReStore.”

All donationsare tax-deductible.

Supplementingthe smaller building, storage containers are being used outside tohold merchandise, she said. Retail space takes full advantage of shelving and wallspace to hold as much merchandise as the previous location.

Whilethe store supports the Habitat for Humanity mission, “to bring people together tobuild homes, communities and hope,” Wyatt said a diverse group of residents shopat the location for different reasons.

“We havea lot of people that come in that are crafters. We have people that come inthat are treasure hunters,” she said. “But everybody seems to find somethinghere that they want or like or they can't leave without.”

Sales fund the organization’s Brush withKindness or Critical Home Repair program to repair homes for low-income EllisCounty homeowners.

“Thefunds are also used to purchase homes within Ellis County that will becomehomes for Habitat partner families,” Wyatt said. “Selected Habitat partnerfamilies are given a no-interest affordable loan on a home within Ellis Countyin exchange for paying a monthly mortgage, donating sweat equity hours andmaintaining income within the qualifying income ranges.”

Applicationsfor these programs are accepted year-round.

Toobtain an application for a home or home repair, call or text 785-623-4200.

TheReStore will be open from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. every Saturday and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.on the first and third Tuesdays of the month.