ReStored
Pam Boyd/pboyd@eaglevalleyenterprise.com |
To the uninitiated eye, it hardly seems possible the sales floor will be ready for shoppers in just three short days. But Habitat ReStore manager Tom McKay is undaunted by the challenge.
So he isn’t losing sleep over the fact that a few sofas, some large armoires and a boatload of chairs are all that the store currently has to offer, not to mention the fact that the entire rear part of the ReStore building is currently empty, added to the fact the clock is ticking down to the ReStore’s Saturday grand re-opening.
Well at least he isn’t losing a lot of sleep. Yet.
“I do wake up in the middle of the night and shout ‘light bulbs!’” said McKay with a rueful grin.
“I just can’t say enough about how this could not be done without everyone’s help, but most especially without the help of our core, weekly regular volunteers. They have so much pride in what this place has done and will continue to do.”
Tom McKay
Habitat ReStore managerSupport Local Journalism
Habitat for Humanity of Eagle and Lake Counties ReStore is reopening in its former location along Chambers Avenue this Saturday, Oct. 18. It’s a homecoming for the store, which was abruptly closed down Feb. 1 when heavy snowfall collapsed the roof at the rear of the building.
The ReStore reopened just a couple of months later, at a location near Costco in Gypsum, next to Heidi’s Brooklyn Deli. But from the beginning, that site had some drawbacks. Most particularly, the site couldn’t accommodate the outdoor storage sheds where the ReStore displays and sells building materials. So when roof repairs were completed at the Chambers Avenue location, the ReStore was ready to return.
“We have trucks and we have volunteers and we have stuff. The stuff is kind of all over the place,” said McKay.
In addition to the Gypsum retail operation, the ReStore has been setting aside furniture and home furnishings donations in a couple of storage units in anticipation of returning to Eagle.
“We have kind of been sandbagging items for the re-opening event, plus we have 20 more rooms of donations from the Sebastian coming Friday,” said McKay. “Starting Saturday, everything will be back in one location.”
Welcome news
For officials with the town of Eagle, its welcome news that the ReStore is coming back to town.
“The town of Eagle has been in contact with Habitat since the unfortunate snow event last spring asking how we can be of assistance,” said Eagle Town Manager Jon Stavney. “We are delighted to have the ReStore back in town. They are a draw and an anchor on Chambers Avenue.”
McKay noted when the store moves back to its original digs, it will hopefully bring along an expanded customer base. The high visibility location near Costco meant more people discovered the store, he noted.
“We feel our excellent deals and high quality items will warrant people coming the extra five miles to shop in Eagle,” he said.
Personal pride
Moving the store not just once, but twice, during the course of the past year has meant expanded duties for people who aren’t event paid for what they do. McKay noted without its volunteer corps, the ReStore couldn’t operate under normal conditions and he is astounded by the volunteer efforts related to both moves.
“Volunteers are the ones who make it all happen for us and Eagle is a great place for volunteers,” he said. “I just can’t say enough about how this could not be done without everyone’s help, but most especially without the help of our core, weekly regular volunteers. They have so much pride in what this place has done and will continue to do.”
With the newly rebuilt back building, McKay said the ReStore will be more “shopper friendly” and he also has plans to construct or reclaim two additional outdoor storage sheds for recycled building materials.
He invites everyone to visit the ReStore at its new, old location beginning Oct. 18. Regular store hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday. The ReStore is closed on Sundays. The ReStore can be reached at 970-328-1119 or like the operation on Facebook.
