Syracuse Habitat for Humanity first began experimenting with the idea of selling used and surplus building materials in 2002 by organizing a series of “warehouse sales” using donated industrial space in the Syracuse area.  The warehouse sales, held periodically on Saturday mornings, provided an opportunity for homeowners, small contractors, and other businesses to purchase building materials and equipment donated by larger contractors and home improvement retailers at deeply discounted prices.  The sales were highly successful in a number of respects: donors were provided with a cost-effective way to dispose of unwanted, excess, and used materials as a tax deduction; low income buyers were able to gain access to quality building materials and equipment at affordable prices previously unattainable in the Syracuse area; and Syracuse Habitat for Humanity collected the proceeds from the sales to help support their mission of homebuilding and community development.  Additionally, the general public benefited greatly through the reuse of materials that would otherwise end up in a landfill, a burden to municipal infrastructure and the environment.

 

As the warehouse sales grew in exposure and interest, the event quickly attracted a loyal customer following and an increase in interest of donating materials.  In order to expand the scope and impact of the warehouse sales concept, Syracuse Habitat for Humanity decide to purse the start-up of a retail store, following the framework of the ReStore concept that was becoming popular across Habitat for Humanity affiliates nationwide.  The Syracuse Habitat for Humanity ReStore opened in 2004 in its first permanent location, 308 Otisco Street, in the Near West Side.  The Near West Side was the focus of Syracuse Habitat for Humanity’s building restoration projects for years, and the ReStore added a new dimension to that focus.  In 2021, the ReStore and the Syracuse Habitat for Humanity Office relocated to a new location at 514 W. Genesee Street, providing a fresh look and new opportunities for the store.