From thrift to consignment and antique to vintage, the Asheville area is full of places selling second-hand items. See what makes the Asheville Area Habitat for Humanity ReStores unique.

Proceeds build and repair homes – Habitat for Humanity affiliates began opening ReStores more than 30 years ago as a way to generate sustainable income to support their work. Asheville opened one of the first ReStores in the country in 1990 (named Home Store at the time). Since then, other non-profits have opened thrift stores as a way to generate additional revenue. We opened a second ReStore in Weaverville in 2019.

Volunteers – Some thrift stores also utilize volunteers. At our AVL and WVL ReStores, volunteers are an extension of the staff. Many have been with us for more than a decade, and they serve in nearly every capacity of the retail operation.

Building materials/supplies – There are a few other second-hand stores that offer these items, but we are the OG with an incredible selection thanks to generous residential and commercial donors.

30-day warranty on appliances & electronics – Giving shoppers purchasing confidence and peace of mind, this is unique to our ReStores.

Round Up – for others. Some charity shops offer a register round up, with those additional funds further supporting their work. We choose to Round Up to monthly partners– other local non-profits doing great work in our community. More than $100,000 has been raised to date!

Silent Auction (in AVL) – Started by a volunteer in 2005, the Asheville ReStore’s Silent Auction has a loyal following. It  has raised well over $1M since it’s inception, and remains a volunteer-led initiative. From rare items and collectible memorabilia to local art and handmade crafts, the auction has featured a cross-section of American history and pop culture. Each auction contains, on average, 65-70 items.

Book Store – A store within a store! Find all genres of books at ridiculously low prices + music and movies. Special sections include: Books by Authors of Colors, Banned Books, Staff Picks, and more.

Free pick-up of donated goods – In most cases, the onus to donate merchandise is on the donor, requiring drop-off at the charity. We run 3 trucks every day making pick-ups throughout the County. Especially helpful if you’re getting rid of heavy or larger items.

Deconstruction – Furthering our goal to keep usable material out of landfills, we work with homeowners and contractors on remodels and renovations to extract usable materials. Kitchens and bath, primarily, are carefully extracted by our Decon team and sold in the ReStore, with proceeds supporting Asheville Area Habitat for Humanity’s work of building and repairing homes.

Industry Leader – Within the Habitat network, the Asheville Habitat ReStore is often cited as a “must visit” store for others starting, expanding, or simply hoping to improve their own Habitat ReStore.