Habitat Reopens Danbury ReStore

e Housatonic Habitat for Humanity’s ReStore has reopened on Shalvoys Lane across the street from the Catholic War Veterans Hall near White Street.

The ReStore is a discount home improvement store that sells reusable and surplus building materials to the public at a fraction of the retail cost.

The proceeds help support Housatonic Habitat for Humanity, and Executive Director Mary Aly said the new store is bigger and better located.

“It helps the community. It fights inflation,” said Paul Tocco, director of ReStore operations.

Tocco, who has worked for Habitat for a year and volunteered for two, said the store is popular for people looking for cabinets, windows, appliances and tools, but the tools stay on the shelves for the least amount of time.

The new store is roughly 12,000-square-feet in size, compared to the old one on Shelter Rock Road, which was about 4,000-square-feet, Aly said.

The new store has more parking and a better loading area.

On Saturday, one man purchased a pallet of granite paving stones, which were lifted onto his pick-up with a forklift.

“The loading space is better, the parking is better,” Tocco said.

One person at the grand opening of the new ReStore at least pretended she was unhappy about the new location.

“Now people will know about it,” said Carol Bowman of Danbury. “You wouldn’t believe what I built from the old place.”

Bowman then listed off her front door, a built-in closet, legs for a computer desk, a kitchen back splash, and on Saturday she was starting to gather materials for a second built-in closet.
“We started the renovations five years ago. If it wasn’t for the ReStore, we’d have run out of money a long time ago,” Bowman said. She said using materials from the ReStore, the built-in closet cost about $75.

“It’s a great opportunity in a rough economy,” said Danbury Mayor Mark Boughton, who cut the ribbon on the new store. “People are buying building supplies at a reduced price.”

Bathroom sinks were selling from $20 or $25. A dual bathroom sink that looked like it was Corian was selling for $90. An American Classics Sandlewood vanity cabinet in the box was selling for $75.

A Kenmore black finish side by side refrigerator/freezer with three small dings went out the door for $75.