The Northwoods Habitat for Humanity ReStore will soon have its own new habitat.
The store is relocating to the former Sears building on Lincoln Street in Rhinelander.
Neighboring a Dairy Queen and On the Go Laundromat, 908 Lincoln Street has stood empty for some time.
Now, white paint on the building’s windows announces its newest inhabitant: The Northwoods Habitat for Humanity Restore.
“It’s official, we own it!” Dave Havel, the organization’s executive director, said. “We’ve got all this space which is, of course, awesome. That room in the back, there’s is a large area where we’ll be able to bring inventory in and get it cleaned up like we do.”
The Habitat for Humanity ReStore accepts donations of things like appliances, building materials, flooring and kitchen cabinets.
The profit the store makes from selling those supplies supports Habitat for Humanity’s mission – to build homes for people in need.
Havel said this move will make the Northwoods chapter of Habitat for Humanity more efficient.
“Where we’re at right now, it’s really three separate buildings, so this will become way more efficient because we’ll have everything in this building in one area,” he said. “So it will make it so much easier for customers and certainly easier for us to manage the business.”
Havel said he hopes the ReStore will start to generate more profit, which would allow the organization to build more homes.
Right now, he said, they build about one house each year.
If all goes well, he’s hoping that number will increase.
The Northwoods Habitat for Humanity ReStore started moving on Friday.
With the help of staff and lots of volunteers, they’re optimistic the new location will be open to the public by April 5.
