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Habitat for Humanity of Greater Cincinnati establishes salvaged home goods store in Bellevue

Posted at 7:00 AM, Dec 05, 2016
and last updated 2016-12-05 07:00:09-05

BELLEVUE, Ky. -- Northern Kentuckians seeking great deals on home improvement can now look no farther than the newly opened Habitat for Humanity ReStore on Donnermeyer Drive in Bellevue.

The Bellevue ReStore, which celebrated its grand opening Nov. 19, is located in a shopping center that has long housed Big Lots and Family Dollar.

“The location of the new store sees a lot of traffic, with the TANK bus stop nearby and other busy stores and restaurants in the area,” said ReStore spokesperson Beth Benson. “We were thrilled to have the opportunity to make good use of that space.”

The Bellevue location is the region’s fifth ReStore, with other branches in Florence, Bond Hill, Cheviot and Hamilton. Like the other locations, the Bellevue store will offer new and used appliances, cabinets, furniture, building products and other household items donated by residential, corporate and institutional partners. The ReStore sells both new and gently-used items.

The Bellevue ReStore hours of operation are 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday.

The grand opening saw hundreds of visitors enjoying treats from local culinary vendors, prize giveaways, discounts and a live radio show emceed by iHeart Radio personalities Seg Dennison (700 WLW) and Kristie from KISS 107. Nonperishable food donations collected at the event benefited Brighton Center in Newport.

“The place was packed all day long for the grand opening,” said Benson. “Bellevue’s mayor and another member of city council came out to attend and they were really pleased with the turnout and the reaction in the community.”

One Bellevue resident, woodworking artist Matt Meyung, is a frequent visitor to other ReStore locations, where he buys supplies to make his functional reclaimed wood art. Meyung was excited to hear that a new ReStore would be coming to Bellevue.

“I donate a lot of stuff to ReStore, but I also buy a lot of furniture to use in my reclaimed wood pieces,” said Meyung. “I haven’t had a chance to shop at the Bellevue store yet, but I’m sure I’ll be there way too much.”

The group behind ReStore is Habitat for Humanity of Greater Cincinnati (HFHGC), a nonprofit Christian housing ministry that started locally in 1986 as an offshoot from the national organization of the same name.

According to a recent press release, the local Habitat group “has been building strength, stability and self-reliance through shelter for the last 30 years.”

“While the ReStores are not the only source of funding for Habitat, the profits from these stores help serve more families in Greater Cincinnati to finally achieve their dream of homeownership,” the release stated.

Benson noted that the HFHGC is also committed to creating jobs and hiring locally. Bellevue city councilman Ryan Salzman echoed the importance of bringing such businesses to the local Bellevue community.

“We are thrilled to have an organization like Habitat for Humanity fill a vacant storefront and make available affordable goods to members of our community and the communities nearby,” Salzman said. “Working with Habitat provides relief to the property owners and the community as their intentions are clear and their track record is well established. Every community needs a range of goods available to residents, and I am confident that the ReStore helps round out our diverse offerings in Bellevue.”

HFHGC ReStores also serve the environment by diverting up to 500 tons of waste from landfills annually.

To date, HFHGC has built, renovated or repaired more than 550 homes throughout Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana. The group has also contributed to building 862 homes in global locations that include Armenia, Cambodia, El Salvador and Kenya.