Surplus Store Helps Habitat For Humanity

Looking for a new shower stall or strips of molding at a deep discount? Check out the new Habitat for Humanity Builders Surplus Store.

The store, which opened last week at 850 E. Trent, sells windows, doors, carpet, lighting fixtures, sinks and large appliances. Proceeds benefit Habitat for Humanity’s non-profit efforts to build affordable homes for low-income Spokane residents.

The store is staffed by volunteers, said Manager Kathy Brown. All of the items for sale are tax-deductible donations from local builders and building supply stores.

“All of these things have routinely been offered,” said Brown of the donated materials, “but couldn’t be used in a Habitat home.”

And for years, those donations that couldn’t be used to build Habitat homes - chandeliers that were too fancy for basic housing or items that weren’t needed for current projects - were turned away. After reviewing Spokane County Solid Waste data from 1995, Brown estimated that the equivalent of at least 15 homes was being thrown away in usable building supplies each month.

By selling those materials, she said, Habitat for Humanity staff and volunteers hope to meet three goals: to fund Habitat-Spokane administrative costs, to reduce the waste stream and to provide an affordable place for area residents to purchase building supplies.

New building materials are priced at 50 percent of their average retail price. Used materials are priced at about 25 percent of retail. Some is discontinued merchandise from local stores or items with small cosmetic flaws. The store does not accept returns. On its first day of sales, last Thursday, the Habitat store sold $1,769 worth of merchandise.

This sidebar appeared with the story: DETAILS Habitat store

Habitat-Spokane’s Builders Surplus Store is open from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. on Thursdays and Fridays, and from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. on Saturdays. Donations are also accepted on Tuesdays from 1-4 p.m and on Wednesdays from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Call: 535-9517.