The Free Press, Mankato, MN

Local News

January 24, 2012

Habitat ReStore to expand

By Robb Murray Free Press Staff Writer

MANKATO —  

It’s a good problem to have, Habitat for Humanity’s executive director said. But it’s still a problem.

“We’re lacking storage space, we’re lacking floor space, and breakout room space,” Habitat’s Julie Schmillen said of the organization’s ReStore, which sells home-building supplies and home furnishings at reduced prices.

ReStore, Schmillen said, needs more room and storage space because business is booming. In November and December, which are typically slow months for the store, ReStore set sales records.

“Normally, winter slows down,” Schmillen said. “But not this year.”

Luckily, they’ve got a plan to expand. Even more luckily, they’ve recently received a $75,000 bump from the Bremer Bank Foundation to kick start plans for an expansion.

Schmillen says they’re currently waiting to hear back from the city on whether they’ll get a parking easement. If they do, the plans are to expand out the back of the store, which sits on Bassett Drive in Mankato, behind Wal Mart and Sam’s Club.

The store itself, meanwhile, is catching on. The longer they are in town, the more people hear about them, know they’re there and donate items to them.

For example, Cotter and Company recently donated four pallets of brand new tools and gardening supplies to ReStore. Before that, a local restaurant replaced all their television sets and donated the old ones, including remote control sticks, to ReStore. In another case, a New Ulm lumber store closed and donated items to ReStore.

“The longer we’re open,” Schmillen said, “more of those stores call us.”

The Bremer Bank Foundation donation will be the seed money for the expansion project. It won’t cover the costs, but Schmillen said it’s the kind of gift that can get a major project such as this going. Habitat For Humanity, she said, plans a capital campaign to help fund the rest.

In the meantime, Habitat is also looking for families for its Habitat homes.

The building schedule in 2012 is set and Habitat needs families to fill them.

They need one family each in St. James, St. Peter, Le Sueur, Henderson and New Prague. They’re looking for three families in Mankato. They have a waiting list in Mankato, but not in the other communities.

Schmillen said the factor that keeps families out of a Habitat home is income. If families cannot demonstrate that they have a steady income and would be able to make the $500 monthly mortgage payments, they typically are not chosen. Also, poor credit ratings keep families out of the program. But Schmillen said many families that have been denied due to poor credit have been able to resolve their credit issues and apply again in subsequent years.

Anyone interested in an application can call the Habitat office at 388-6682 and have one mailed to you. You can also fill it out at Habitat. It’s helpful, Schmillen said, to make an appointment with them if you’ll need assistance. The application is about 10 pages and requires extensive financial information. In addition to that, Habitat will run a credit check on each applicant.

Families chosen are then required to contribute 200-400 hours of so-called “sweat equity,” which means get ready to swing a hammer and paint some walls.

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