News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
Upper Cumberland Habitat for Humanity wants to relocate its ReStore that has been located on East 15th Street for 19 years.
Executive Director Pam Ealey said the Cookeville thrift store resales donations such as furniture and appliances to help fund the habitat mission.
“For us to really see growth, we need to be in a more retail friendly, high-traffic, visible area,” Ealey said. “So, we felt like if the community understood what our needs were that’s just more eyes and ears out there to help us secure a new location.”
Ealey said the organization wants to lease a building that would allow the operation to expand its hours. Ealey said the board of directors look for a building that is climate-controlled with a drive thru/drop off area. Ealey said the current locations lacks both of these amenities.
“The ReStore has played such an important role in our growth to serve more families in the region,” Ealey said. “And we’re confident that a move to a retail-focused location will make a long-lasting financial impact as we need to serve more families that will benefit from affordable home ownership and as well as our senior neighbors we now serve with home repairs. There’s still a good section of our residents who forget about us, due to our location in a more industrial part of town.”
Ealey said a couple of possible locations have already been identified. Ealey said the goal would be to move to a new building by the store’s 20th anniversary this summer.
