Chesapeake Restores Opens Fourth Store in Columbia

On May 18, Habitat for Humanity of the Chesapeake will host community members at the grand opening of the Columbia ReStore. Breakfast will be served courtesy of Wegmans, a grilled lunch will be provided by Target, and a special afternoon “sweet treat” surprise will be among the day’s highlights for first-day shoppers. Funds from this store will contribute to building homes in Howard County.  Howard County Executive Ken Ulman and other dignitaries will be present for this festive occasion.

With spring home and garden projects underway, all of the Habitat ReStores provide local residents with recycling solutions for used items, while also offering shoppers discounted home and building materials. Stores are throughout the Baltimore metro area in convenient locations in Halethorpe, Dundalk, Pasadena, and Columbia (as of May 18) with proceeds used to help community members achieve the dream of affordable homeownership.

All four ReStores strive to reduce, reuse, recycle, and replenish through an innovative program where all participants benefit. Through donations received by individuals, retailers and contractors, the stores are able to sell gently used and overstock home and building materials to the community at deeply discounted prices.

The ReStores accept a variety of materials, including building supplies, furniture, cabinets, flooring, appliances, housewares and more.  Through this unique recycling initiative, the ReStores have been able to divert more than 1,374,135 pounds of goods this year from the waste stream.  Materials can be directly donated to any of the stores and ReStore staff are also available for scheduled pick up by calling the donation hotline, 410-633-0506. 

Shoppers can help recycle materials by renovating secondhand items. Maggie Johnson, a ReStore shopper and Habitat Chesapeake employee, purchased an old wooden toy chest for just 20 dollars. With some simple reconstruction and a fresh coat of paint, the furniture received new life as a stylish food and water stand for her golden retriever, Sally. Projects like these provide alternative solutions to costly decorating and home repair jobs. They also help fulfill Habitat Chesapeake’s mission of bringing partners together to build decent, affordable housing.

Run by a dedicated team of staff and volunteers, 100% of ReStore profits benefit Habitat for Humanity of the Chesapeake. ReStore Director Tim Kenney estimates the ReStores in Halethorpe, Pasadena, and Dundalk generate a combined $150,000 in monthly sales. Estimated sales for the Columbia ReStore will be $50,000 per month.  Kenney said, “Sales from the ReStores contribute approximately 12% of unrestricted income to HFHC's total budget, a significant contribution toward building affordable Habitat homes in our area."

The stores operating costs are also significantly reduced thanks to the many dedicated volunteers who contribute more than 1,400 hours of work each month. The stores are always seeking volunteers and welcome individuals and groups who want to contribute.

Information about donating, shopping, and volunteering, and details on how the ReStores are contributing to the betterment of the environment can be found on the Chesapeake ReStore website. Starting May 6, all stores will be open Monday through Saturday from 9am-6pm. To learn more, visit chesapeakerestore.org or call 443-297 5141.