A new chapter will soon begin for Berks ReStore.
The store and donation center, which is run by Habitat for Humanity of Berks County, is closing its doors and moving to a new location in Wyomissing after more than 15 years.
The home improvement store is in the process of leaving its facility along Allentown Pike in Muhlenberg Township and relocating to a building at 1035 Bern Road.
Tim Daley, executive director of Habitat for Humanity of Berks County, said Saturday will mark the end of sales until the reopening of the new store, slated for late October.
Daley said the move comes just before the expiration of its lease at its current location. He explained that the nonprofit was informed a new tenant will soon occupy the space, forcing Habitat for Humanity to find a new location to serve its customers.
“We reached out to local real estate agents about our needs and toured about 15 potential sites before settling on the building in Wyomissing,” he said.
Habitat for Humanity’s ReStore location in Muhlenberg Township will close on Sept. 12 and reopen in October in Wyomissing. Tim Daley, executive director of Habitat for Humanity, stands inside the store. (BILL UHRICH/MEDIANEWS GROUP)
Daley said that while the new location will decrease the footprint of the store by 5,000 square feet, he believes the site is much more prominent and will accommodate many of its most frequent customers.
“Losing the 5,000 square feet means that we are going to have to prioritize what we will have on the showroom floor,” he said. “But we will continue to offer the same kind of materials that people have come to depend on us to provide.”
Those materials include a large selection of furniture, appliances, cabinets, building supplies and home goods that are discounted far below original prices. Most of these materials come from donations within the community and some are purchased through liquidation from popular national retailers.
Profits generated from the store are used by Habitat for Humanity to further its mission to provide affordable housing and homeownership opportunities.
“We want to be very relevant to shoppers,” Daley said. “We are looking to create a very unique shopping experience for those who are looking for treasures while being the place where those who are looking for reasonable prices can find what they need.”
Daley said he believes Berks ReStore is an asset to the community in many ways.
“We keep literally tons of waste from entering landfills by being a resource for those who may be just starting out in life, we offer people looking to downsize a way to donate items that they no longer need and we give young people an opportunity to volunteer their time doing something worthy for the community,” he said.
Habitat for Humanity’s ReStore location in Muhlenberg Township will close on Sept. 12 and reopen in October in Wyomissing. Tim Daley, executive director of Habitat for Humanity, stands inside the store. (BILL UHRICH/MEDIANEWS GROUP)