DIY for less: 3 secondhand and surplus stores in Lancaster County to find appliances, furniture and more
A former hardware store in Washington Boro now has a room filled with sinks, a corner stacked with wire shelves and narrow paths through lots and lots of cabinets.
"A lot of this stuff, it could end up in a landfill," Mel Neff says. "It's still usable stuff."
Each item here will go to a fixer-upper. All of the store's profits go to fixing up homes of those in need through Impact Missions , a nonprofit where Neff volunteers.
On Manheim Pike, it's a similar story at the new Habitat for Humanity ReStore . This bigger building has enough space for more donations and for shopping carts to pass in the aisles, says manager Ben Mathus. There's room to arrange donated furniture in "rooms," each one painted with a different color of recycled and retinted paints (also for sale) .
Here as well, the proceeds support Habitat's work creating affordable housing while selling home improvement supplies on a budget.
Lancaster County likes a deal. While there are many places that have some secondhand or surplus supplies for DIY home projects, here are three that focus on building supplies and appliances.
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Habitat for Humanity ReStore
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Online: facebook.com/lancrestore has information about discounts and new items.
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About: Lancaster Lebanon Habitat for Humanity's ReStore sells donated new and gently used furniture, building materials and home decor for up to half of the retail price. Proceeds go to the nonprofit's affordable home-ownership mission.
Where does this stuff come from? Commercial donors give floor models, end-of-life stock or new items with damaged packaging. People donate individual items like furniture or old cabinets when they're replaced.
High-end sale: Recently, somebody in the region ordered a $50,000 custom set of cabinets through a big box store, says ReStore manager Ben Mathus. When the cabinets arrived, the buyer decided they weren't right and donated them, still in the boxes, to ReStore. "We sold it for $5,000, a fabulous high-end cabinet set," he says.
How to volunteer: ReStore volunteers are needed for tasks like processing donations and organizing the sales floor. The biggest need is for truck volunteers to help pick up donations. To sign up, talk to ReStore volunteer coordinator Hong Tran-Speros at the store or fill out a volunteer application online .
How to donate: The ReStore accepts items in good condition (but no tube TVs, tile or liquids). Drop off during store hours or fill out a donation request form online to schedule a pickup.
Impact Missions Store
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Online: facebook.com/ImpactMissionsLanc .
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About: Impact Missions is an interdenominational nonprofit ministry sharing housing resources for those in need. Homeowners working with Impact Missions have first dibs on donated items, says volunteer Becky Spezialetti. Otherwise the donations head to the store. Sales fund repairs such as a new roof, wheelchair ramp or new windows.
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Where does this stuff come from? The Impact Missions store, the old Amets Hardware store, specializes in cabinets and also has collections of doors, windows, building supplies, appliances and hardware plus furniture. Prices vary and some, including many cans of textured snow spray, are free. Items are donated by contractors and individuals.
Worth the wait: A local woman called regularly asking if a blind corner cabinet was in stock. It took nine months, but this week, she drove off with a newly donated cabinet. Prices vary for each item so Spezialetti did not want to share specific prices.
How to volunteer: Volunteers are needed to help in the store or with home renovations. Call 717-584-3506 to learn more.
How to donate: Call 717-584-3506 for information on donating items but no upholstered items.
Upcoming: Saturday, Dec. 14, Impact Missions will have a Christmas open house, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. with specials and food.
Slate Road Supply
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More information:
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About: While the other two stores raise money for nonprofits, Slate Road Supply is a business. The company specializes in surplus and discount building materials, flooring and appliances, says Harlan Martin, who works in sales. Slate Road also sells metal roofing and siding, hardware supplies and recently started making doors.
Where does this stuff come from? Building materials are closeouts or surplus with minor cosmetic issues or something like a discontinued color. In the store, look at the floors, which have samples of click-lock vinyl plank flooring bought directly from the manufacturer. Slate Road Supply's first appliances were "scratch and dent," functional with cosmetic flaws, Martin says. During the pandemic, these became scarce so appliances with no defects were added. Now there are enough appliances to fill a barn across the road from the main store, from wine fridges to large refrigerators.
Decking deal: Composite and PVC decking were popular this summer, Martin says. Composite decking was $1.89/linear foot and PVC decking was $2.30/linear foot. These products range from $2.25 for composite to $7/linear foot for PVC at local big box stores.
