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Guest blog by Jill O'Gorman, professional designer
About five years ago, Julie O’Neil and her husband bought a house only blocks away from her old home. They decided to flip this new home and were about to start the search for the right materials when someone suggested the Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity ReStore. From that moment on, Julie became one of the store's biggest fans and expert shoppers.
Julie arrived at the ReStore not knowing what to expect, “We were amazed at the amount of variety that they get. A lot of time, when you think of restoring [items], you think old and used, but a lot of the time these items look brand new!”
That’s what Julie was surprised to see, so many items in great condition ready to be used. But, the creative side of Julie gravitated toward the products that could use some TLC. “I like to repurpose items and I like antiques. You might come in looking for a specific item then end up finding so many other things that you think ‘I could use that’. A lot of times you have to think outside the box and about all the projects you have coming up.”
And that’s exactly what Julie did with her flipped home.
Julie and her husband have had some pretty great finds at the ReStore, including their kitchen. “Our favorite find was the kitchen, hands down! It was purchased at the New Brighton ReStore. It’s the perfect amount of cabinets. We laid it all out, measured all the cabinets, it was meant to be."
The kitchen is not the only item from ReStore in Julie's home.
“We’ve done a bathroom remodel and got the vanity, tile, grout, all from the ReStore. The refrigerator, stove, glass door, lights on the outside of the garage. It’s like the holy grail!”
*photos courtesy of Julie
Julie is so happy to know there is a place that is a treasure trove of quality finds, but also that when she shops, she is benefiting Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity. “To know that ReStore is responsible for funding some of the builds and that homeowners are completing their hours here, it’s fantastic.”
We thank Julie and all our ReStore shoppers for shopping and donating with ReStore. This year has been great because of supporters like Julie! As Julie put it, “Come to the ReStore, meet the people, shop around, and you’ll love it.”
Watch shoppers Gayle and Julie (and ReStore staff member Bill) tell you what ReStore is all about in this video:
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