This article originally appeared in the Chatham News/Record on Tuesday, April 24th, 2014. It is copied in full here.
Habitat, retailer join forces for donated furniture by Mike Gates
Chatham Habitat for Humanity and Kimbrell’s Furniture are in the midst of a joint venture to benefit all parties involved. Including the shoppers.
It began on April 21st–a discount system for Kimbrell’s shoppers who want to donate their replaced belongings, which will then go to Chatham Habitat’s ReStore in Pittsboro.
“When customers come in with merchandise, we’ll give them so much for their furniture,” says Kimbrell’s store manager Melissa Aney. That discount will go toward a given customer’s purchase. Want to buy a couch? Plan on getting rid of your old one? That couch could be worth a pretty penny at Kimbrell’s.
One customer, for example, got $300 for a sectional applied toward her new piece of furniture. Once the deal is finalized, it’s a simple matter of taking the old and leaving the new.
Because most furniture has to be ordered and delivered, the truck dropping off the new purchase will pick up the item being traded in. Then, the furniture will be taken to the ReStore, where it will be put up for sale. And when it’s sold back into the community, the money will go to building local Habitat homes.
Kimbrell’s and Habitat will take just about anything, not just chairs and couches–though the ReStore certainly looks forward to these types of items. “Upholstered furniture is very important to us,” said ReStore manager Mike Breedlove. “I’d say that’s what we sell the most of.”
And if the trade-in item in question can’t be taken by the delivery staff for whatever reason, there’s a workaround. If it’s too big or too bulky, Habitat staff will go out and haul it away themselves. “Pickup is not a problem,” Breedlove said.
Still, there are some items that Habitat just can’t use, like mattresses, box springs, and futons. But don’t give up yet. Kimbrell’s will still keep most of those items on site for other community service projects. “Even if it can’t go to Habitat, we’ll still take it,” Aney said.
The stores won’t take broken items, of course, but will consider most other conditions.
For more information or specifics on the event, contact Kimbrell’s furniture at (919) 663-6010 or the Chatham Habitat ReStore at (919) 542-0788. Chatham Habitat also has a table up at Kimbrell’s, located at 117 Siler Crossing in Siler City, to help people through the process. There is no requirement to make a purchase.
“Even if someone doesn’t want to buy something, if they just want to donate it, bring it up here,” Aney said. “We’ll make sure it gets to where it needs to go.”
Aney wants to see the venture turn into an annual event. Kimbrell’s approached Habitat about the program, and Aney says she wants to do what she can to help the community. “The more stuff we can get, the better it’ll help.” Aney said.