Terry Dee at HabiStore. photo: Ariel Campbell
Do you love thrift stores and salvage yards? Prefer to reuse, fix up, and recycle? Need home building and home improvement materials but have a limited budget?
Then get to the HabiStore. This place sells "recycled" furniture (say, donated from model homes) and "salvaged" building supplies (doors, windows, hardware, lumber, fixtures, etc. donated by retail businesses, contractors and individuals) at way-below-cost prices.
"The proceeds go straight into the construction account at Habitat Tucson," explains Terry Dee, the director of retail at the HabiStore. "You know how I like to describe the place? If Sam Levitz and the Home Depot got married, we'd be the result."
The store is actually an affiliate of the Tucson branch of Habitat For Humanity, an international non-profit organization that builds high-quality housing for low-income families. It enables people to build and buy their homes using "sweat equity" - both their own and that of legions of volunteers.
"Long Realty Cares Foundation donated $250,000 in 2005 to start the project," Dee explains. "KB Homes gave us 25 homes worth of model furniture in 2006. Lowe's has a national program with Habitat called Women's Build. There are so many local businesses so actively involved."
Dee is an enthusiastic spokesperson, a social dynamo, committed businessman and marketing executive in his role at HabiStore. A Tucson native, he came to this job after working 13 years as Home Depot's community affairs director.
A consummate salesman, Dee points to some awesome wooden doors with saguaro rib panel insets.
"Look at these doors.We got eight of these from someone who's upgrading their huge house." They were priced at $80 apiece, but are half off that day, as was all the furniture and appliances. Glorious.
The store doesn't sell clothes, but they do have a little library's worth of books for sale. They also collect canned food donations for the Community Food Bank and celebrate their 4th Anniversary this month.
HabiStore is located at 3840 S. Palo Verde (at Ajo), and HabitatTucson.org/habistore. Donation hotline: 889-7200
