Business notebook: Habitat for Humanity ReStore aims for growth

Tucked away off Kingshighway on Rust Avenue hides a treasure trove of home-repair and construction materials and retro home furnishings.

The Habitat for Humanity ReStore offers low-cost home hardware, furniture and appliances to help pay for materials to build homes for families in need.

ReStore has been in business in Cape Girardeau for 10 years, executive director Al Stoverink said. But through those years, it has moved and expanded and continues to do so.

"We're really trying to now raise it to a level of being a true not-for-profit home-improvement store," Stoverink said. "It kind of had more of the flavor of a thrift shop before."

In the past 30 years, Cape Area Habitat for Humanity has built more than 50 homes in the Cape Girardeau area.

"Our goal is to build four to five homes each year," Stoverink said.

That goal has been met on occasion, but the aim now is for consistency. The goal of Cape Girardeau's ReStore is to reach a point at which it can generate enough revenue to fund the building of one or two houses a year.

"We haven't got there yet, but I think we're on the right track, moving in the right direction," Stoverink said. "Our biggest challenge to make that happen really is the donation flow."

The ReStore doesn't carry clothes, small utensils or glassware. Instead, it accepts donations of home hardware, furniture, cabinetry and large appliances in new or near-new condition. The building is equipped for drop-off donations of all sizes through the week and has a pickup service available, depending on the location and size of the donations.

Many people donate to the store, and businesses also provide it with new material to stock.

"In our case, we're fortunate we do get a lot of new stuff through inventory-clearance redistribution," Stoverink said.

The store also needs volunteers.

Stoverink sang the praises of a regular volunteer who helps create displays in the store.

"What we need is about a dozen of him," Stoverink said.

But the volunteers they need don't need to have construction experience or the expectation of building displays.

"What we need more than anything is some dedicated volunteers who would be willing to help us with pricing materials, providing customer service for people, help answer their questions or find someone who can answer their questions," Stoverink said.

The type of volunteers they need would be able to come in regularly, make the job part of their regular routine and become ambassadors for the store.

"We need volunteers in the ReStore just as much as we need help in the home builds," Stoverink said. "We don't want the ReStore to become the mission."

Area Realtors attend Capitol Conference

In January, hundreds of Realtors from across Missouri came together in Jefferson City for the 36th annual Missouri Realtors Capitol Conference.

The conference provides Realtors the opportunity to meet with elected officials and discuss issues important to homeowners and the real-estate industry.

Cape Girardeau County Board of Realtors members David Soto, Kathy Devor, Beth McFerron, Melissa Whitaker, Jessica Farrar, Joseph Magsaysay, Emily McElreath, Elizabeth Lockhart, Elizabeth Gray, Lois Long, Jeff Long, Delores Baker and board association executive Dawn Sebaugh made the trip to the state capitol to meet with Reps. Shelley Keeney, Kathy Swan and Donna Lichtenegger, as well as state Sen. Wayne Wallingford. The day concluded with a reception at which all state representatives and senators were welcome.

Ribbon cutting

• The Ground Guys will hold a grand opening celebration and ribbon cutting March 3 at the Jackson Area Chamber of Commerce office at 125 East Main St. in Jackson.

Business licenses

• Paul Kitchen & Associates, 829 N. Kingshighway, is a real-estate sales business owned by Paul Kitchen. The anticipated opening date is Saturday.
• Combative Athletics, 107 West Drive, owned by Nick Slinkard, offers martial-arts lessons. The anticipated opening date was Feb. 1.
• Kids & Art is a body paint and art instruction business owned by Laura Arguello. The anticipated start date was Sunday.
• Snap Keep Gaming, 1749 Independence St., is a card-game show and tournament venue owned by Michael Mercado. The anticipated opening date was Tuesday.
• Katholokos Republic, 1227 Broadway, is a marketing and video production business owned by Robert N. Spurlock II. The anticipated opening date is today.

bbrown@semissourian.com

(573) 388-3630

Pertinent address:

365 Rust Ave., Cape Girardeau, MO