Richmond Metropolitan Habitat for Humanity CEO Jane Helfrich (Photo by Ash Daniel)
When Richmond Metropolitan Habitat for Humanity opens its second Richmond-region ReStore at 1201 Mall Drive in Chesterfield on April 28, the retail outlet will broaden the nonprofit’s reach to a new area, offering lower-cost building and home-improvement supplies, decorative home items, and appliances.
“We did a market analysis of the Richmond area, and we determined that to generate more funds, it was necessary to open the store on the south side of the river because there is great potential,” says Kristin Vinagro, Richmond Habitat’s director of communications. “Every purchase goes to the mission of helping to create affordable housing.”
The proceeds from Habitat’s first Richmond ReStore, at 1901 Roane St., have helped the organization fulfill its mission of building homes for people who previously were in unsafe, unhealthy or overcrowded living situations. A requirement of accepting a Habitat house is to put in sweat equity, attend home-buyer education programming and to provide a modest down payment.
Habitat, along with donors and volunteers, helps families with new builds, rehabs, critical home repairs and credit counseling. The organization has built or rehabbed 343 homes in the greater Richmond area since 1986. Donations, volunteers and hard work from Habitat home buyers now build about two dozen residences in the area each year.
Richmond ReStore produces 25 percent of Richmond Metropolitan Habitat for Humanity’s revenue each year, which helps create housing for Virginians who are in desperate need. Shopping at the ReStore also has environmental benefits, since it diverts usable materials away from landfills. There are 898 ReStores throughout the country.
Vinagro says inventory at the new 17,000-square-foot ReStore, located across from the Chesterfield Towne Center mall, will include kitchen cabinets, paint, appliances, washers, dryers and furniture, as well as trim and lumber donated by contractors, builders and individuals. Shopping at the store is an adventure, according to Habitat, because every day there’s new inventory to choose from, with prices up to 90 percent below retail.
Note: Richmond magazine Associate Publisher/Editorial Director Susan Winiecki chairs the board of directors for Richmond Metropolitan Habitat for Humanity.
