A Local ReStore location
For 25 years, Joe Connell built and renovated homes and he was always stunned by the amount of waste generated by construction sites. Perfectly good materials and tools, chucked to the wayside at the end of the day because, frankly, there wasn’t anywhere else to send the stuff.
He clarifies to Good News PDX that he’s not trying to throw stones or point fingers. He himself pitched plenty over the years. But recently, he found a better outlet for all that extra stuff left over after a project was complete.
Like a Goodwill for power tools he says.
ReStore started 15 years ago in Texas. Today, there are over 600 nationwide including about 15 in Oregon and Washington, one of which opened this weekend. The concept is identical to any thrift store . . . people (mostly contractors with amterials left over from a job) donate the hardware, supplies and tools to the store. Volunteers then sell the materials at a reduced rate to local do-it-yourselfers. All the proceeds are then kicked to Habitat for Humanity.
And Connell, who now has a hand in running all the Portland / Vancouver locations, says they show no signs of stopping. Matter of fact, he expects ReStore will be a household name in the next few years.
You can check out a nearby location here.
