By JAN McLAUGHLIN
BG Independent News
As people gathered for the grand opening of the Habitat for Humanity of Wood County ReStore on Thursday, some shoppers weren't deterred by the ceremony.
Dakota Blattner and his wife of Bowling Green had their hands full with a vintage wall clock, a macrame mirror, a painting of an octopus, two glass dolphins and a candle holder.
“We like the ReStores in Maumee and Findlay, so we came to check this one out,” Blattner said. They were pleasantly surprised by the “strange selection” of goods they picked up.
While the Blattners focused on smaller items, others examined the sofas, coffee tables, kitchen tables and chairs.
“I love a good thrift store,” Megan Young said as she ran her hand over a table in her basement that looked perfect for crafting.
“This is my favorite thing to do,” said Young, a Habitat for Humanity International representative who attended Thursday’s grand opening.
Justin Spangler of Bowling Green had a truck loaded with electrical and roofing supplies. And a family of five eyed the homemade ice cream maker.
After years of building homes throughout Wood County, Habitat for Humanity finally has its own home for a ReStore in the former Bee Gee Rental & Sales store at 829 W. Newton Road, Bowling Green.
“This is a historic day for Habitat for Humanity of Wood County,” said Mark Ohashi, the organization’s executive director, who said he first talked about a ReStore when he came to Wood County in 2014.
“We knew this was going to be a huge project,” Ohashi said. But the group knew the venture would be worth it because it would allow the organization to build and repair more homes in Wood County.
“Every couch sold, every sink, every appliance, every gallon of paint sold will help us build another home,” Ohashi said.
This is the second attempt to open a Habitat ReStore in Bowling Green — this time with a business plan designed for success, Ohashi said. This time, Habitat hired a store manager, two additional employees and additional volunteers.
“Because of the preparation we put into the project, we are very confident that it will be a success,” Ohashi said. He thanked the ReStore committee led by Kim Brummel.
Looking out at the crowd gathered for the grand opening, Ohashi said this moment was a long time coming.
“It feels a little surreal,” he said.
“We looked at several buildings in Bowling Green,” Ohashi said, citing support from Bowling Green Economic Development Director Kati Thompson. “This is perfect. It was ready to go.”
In a business Ohashi describes as a cross between Goodwill and Home Depot, the ReStore accepts donated appliances, furniture and building materials — and then sells them to the public at discounted prices.
The ReStore also accepts overstock items that hardware stores need to get rid of, as well as surplus building materials from contractors.
Habitat officials purchased the 14,000-square-foot building for $950,000 in hopes that the ReStore will provide more reliable funding for Habitat for Humanity of Wood County.
“The organization wants to become more independent. This will contribute to unrestricted funds,” Ohashi said, citing the ReStore’s projected annual gross sales of $300,000. “We hope to grow from there.”
Habitat built its 54th home in Wood County last year. Each year, the organization builds an average of two to three new homes and also makes repairs to several others.
“If we can increase that to four or five (new homes) and expand our repairs, that’s our goal,” Ohashi said.
The average Habitat home costs about $150,000 in building materials. The organization benefits from corporate sponsorships, reduced costs from vendors and occasional government grants. But these depend on the economy. A ReStore ensures stable financing in difficult times.
“This will be an important funding mechanism for Habitat in Wood County so we can build more homes, repair more homes and help more families,” he said. “We want to make sure we’re serving the public.”
During the ribbon-cutting ceremony, Mary Hinkelman, executive director of the Bowling Green Chamber of Commerce, said the ReStore is a great addition to the city.
“This is a great way to help our community,” she said, describing the store as a recycling center of sorts.
Mayor Mike Aspacher echoed those sentiments.
“Do what you can to support this company because it’s important,” Aspacher told the crowd.
According to Ed Metzger, a member of the ReStore committee, Habitat ReStores serve multiple purposes in the community.
First, they offer inexpensive items for private households. “People looking for everything from furniture to appliances to building materials can get them for significantly less,” Metzger said.
Second, the stores provide a place where items that still have life in them can be reused in other homes. “It keeps these things from ending up in landfills,” he added.
And third, money raised at the store will be used to repair and build new affordable homes in Wood County, Metzger said.
“It brings more income to build and repair homes in Wood County for people in need,” said ReStore committee member Beth Genson.
In addition to accepting items from home, the ReStore also provides an opportunity for companies like Home Depot to get rid of excess inventory or local contractors to get rid of unneeded supplies.
“It’s a great place to shop,” Genson said.
ReStore employees offer free pickup of furniture, exercise equipment or other large items.
During the soft opening last week, ReStore employees were pleased with the number of shoppers and the number of items donated. The store's top sellers were couches, said Robin Swanson, the store manager.
“A lot of people just showed up – it was exciting,” Swanson said. “And the quality of the furniture is higher than I expected.”
Swanson praised Ohashi for making the dream for the ReStore come true. And he praised Swanson for “transforming the place.”
“I firmly believe that we are all called to serve our community,” she said, and to affordable housing, sustainability and hope.
The store can be reached at ReStoreWoodCounty.org or 419-572-1324.