Milwaukee Habitat For Humanity ReStore

I love this place for small odds and ends for the house. You can probably find everything here at one point or another! You do have to hunt for a deal sometimes, but it’s well worth a visit or two for each project. Just this weekend, we got some $ 10 exterior light fixtures — can’t go wrong!

Did you know that the revenue from this store alone helps build SIXTEEN homes for families in Milwaukee?
ReStore collects donations and sells in the store. They have partial cans of paint perfect for a feature wall, landscaping bricks to add some flair to your flower bed, fixtures to update your washroom, doors, windows, gutter, tile and even retro console record players. I was delighted to discover they also cleaned up after the Barnum (as in, Barnum & Bailey Circus) estate sale. I missed the auction, but I was able to bring home a piece of Wisconsin history… and support Habitat for Humanity!
Before you throw anything away, consider donating to ReStore. Even broken appliances are broken down and recycled for scrap, parts and kept out of landfills. After an afternoon of volunteering, I realize that the store is more than just an awesome place to find deals on building supplies, fixtures, household items and more. The people are wonderful to work with, willing to teach you how to do things you’ve never done and show you uses for things that you thought did not matter anymore.
Everyone here was amazing to work with. They can even accommodate larger groups, so organize a group of friends or coworkers today. What are you waiting for? Help a family in YOUR community move their family into a home… or find something nice to decorate yours and help out at the same time!
Fun Fact: Are you remodeling your kitchen? Call ReStore! They will send out a team to demo and haul away your old cabinets and fixtures for FREE. It is also a tax-​deductible donation and it helps them stock the store with more items to raise funds for Habitat for Humanity.

Love! I’ll keep this short and sweet. Donation: Very easy and convenient. Takes many household items (ex: ceiling fan) that other thrift stores won’t take. Shopping: A plethora of items for updating or retrofitting your home. You may have to dig for what you’re looking for, but you’re likely to find some gems if you’re patient!

Does ReStore have pick up available or does everything that is donated need to be dropped off?

HOW MUCH MONEY GOES BACK INTO THE COMMUNITY?
I met Larry Starkey, Restore Director and asked him this very question. This is a non-​profit enterprise with the goal of providing much needed support to those in the community who need it most. Non profits typically have a certain percentage of their take used by overhead. That includes salaries, rent, fuel for their trucks etc. Like St Vincent De Paul and Goodwill, many folks are supporting the Restore’s with the idea that a portion of their hard-​earned dollars is actually going back into the community under the «habitat for humanity» name.
So back to my question. What percentage is actually being returned to the community via Habitat for Humanity and what percentage is going towards salaries and other overhead. Mr. Starkey would not answer my question and appeared a little on the offensive side which made me wonder if the public is being misguided and that an unusually small percentage of their profit is actually helping others.
If I were operating a non profit store with the express purpose of giving back to the community, I would be anxious to let folks know the percentage of income being returned… unless I had something to hide. While I am not suggesting any wrongdoing by anyone, I am curious why this info was not forthcoming.
Don’t get me wrong. I like the store and love the selection (although their prices are too high for some items for a second-​hand store) but I go there knowing that I am helping others by buying at that store.
Or am I?

Satisfy your greatest Pinterest fantasies. This place is brilliant. It’s like Home Depot meets Goodwill meets a flea market. The selection is MASSIVE. Landscaping stones, tubs, appliances, lumber, doors… new things, old things, things with character.
I think it’s especially useful when you’re doing projects that don’t need to be flawless. Like a sink or workbench for the basement… furniture for a playroom… stuff for a weekend cottage. I love it.

4 stars for the Habitat for Humanity ReStore.
I’ve been curious to see what this place is all about ever since it moved to this location a few years back. Basically, people will donate just about anything that is deemed ‘reusable’ from home tear downs, landscaping projects, surplus, etc. There is a lot of ‘used’ product, but still in usable condition. The ReStore then takes these items and sells them, with the proceeds going to Habitat for Humanity.
If I could sum up my experience yesterday, it would be: «A shitshow rummage sale of random mishmash and Goodwill castoffs (but all of it still in reusable condition and going to a good cause).» A lot of the sections were one big hot mess. But that’s ok. All it takes is one visit, and you’ll immediately understand what I’m talking about.
I am of the understanding the inventory changes on a daily basis, and it’s best to get there early in the morning if you’re looking for something specific. For example, a current home project has me needing an extra shelf in our kitchen. I was looking for a specific type of board to use as a shelf (size didn’t really matter, I can cut it down — I just needed something that was reasonably priced, and it needs to look nice). As I found yesterday, there wasn’t really much of a selection of boards that I would want to use in my kitchen. There were plenty of other things though, and I wound up walking out with two good sized glass blocks for future crafting projects — for $ 7.00. For the size of the blocks I walked away with, you would pay a lot more at a Lowes or Home Depot.
And there are plenty of other things. Doors, windows, paint, tools, vanities, lighting, tile, etc. Even some artwork! Anything you would want or need for home construction can be found here. I was surprised to see they even had a small «music» section with CD’s for sale. Yes, you will have to dig a little. (So wear crummy clothes when you go!) Unfortunately, they have a few junky things too, but it goes with the territory. I saw some old doors and windows that looked like they were on their last legs. However, those are exactly the type of item crafters would pay good money for. Hey, the paint and wood are already weathered, so it will save time and look authentic at the same time.
On the other hand, my father in law found an awesome whirlpool tub for their new house for a great price. And here’s the best thing: it was brand spankin’ new, still in the box! Really, they have a little bit of everything here.
I agree with Johanna’s assessment there is a lot of unique stuff to be found. It goes to a good cause. Donate and shop at the ReStore!

We went here for their 50% off everything sale and it was awesome! The prices aren’t what I’d consider bargain basement on some things (cabinets and furniture) but other things like tile, lighting, and paving stones are dirt cheap. It really depends on what it is, and what you’re looking for. They have some unique stuff! Come here prepared to spend a long time sifting for treasure, and bring a big car/​truck/​trailer — you never know what you’ll come home with!