CONWAY — Shenel Sandidge, executive director of Habitat for Humanity of Faulkner County, walked through a cavernous warehouse in Conway pointing out donated items, everything from dining-room tables to a dog kennel.
Habitat for Humanity of Faulkner County will open a HomeStore on June 1 to sell items to the public, Sandidge said.
“Some things will be new, and of course, a lot of things will be recycled,” she said.
The HomeStore, at 1350 EW Martin Drive in Conway, has served as the organization’s warehouse. Store hours will be 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
Sandidge said the HomeStore will be staffed with volunteers for at least the first month.
“When we pick up with the revenue, we’ll hire a manager and a part-time employee,” she said.
The official grand-opening celebration will be from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. June 10.
“It will be a big parking-lot event with hot dogs — a big welcome celebration to get people out,” she said.
Sandidge walked by several couches and chairs and two dining-room tables.
She pointed out stacks of boxes that contained new floor and back-splash tiles — discontinued items from a big-box store in Conway — grout, countertops and sets of cabinets. A full set of gray kitchen cabinets were from a Conway home that had been remodeled; then the home sold, and the new homeowner wanted different cabinets, she said.
Sandidge said a nursing home remodeled and donated the furniture from its lounge.
“Somebody gave us an oven,” Sandidge said as she walked. “We have a washer, dryer.”
She pulled new light fixtures out of boxes, still with store price tags on them. She pointed out a row of new mailboxes.
“Did you see the sinks?” she said.
“It’s almost like being a Goodwill or thrift store, but we’re more into the construction part of it.”
However, she also walked past shelves and shelves of miscellaneous items — dishes, decorative items and holiday decor.
“We’re going to have a place called Out of Season, where we have Christmas, and St. Patrick’s Day and all that stuff,” she said.
Members of a church youth group helped organized items, she said, and made price signs to hang.
“Somebody donated material and a sewing machine,” she said.
A bookshelf full of books and boxes of toys were in the mix of items, as well as a large portable dog kennel in a case.
“Instead of fundraising, all the proceeds will be put back into the community to build Habitat houses and do more projects. I’m all about the projects,” she said.
Sandidge said that when the nonprofit organization builds a home, new items are donated by businesses.
“When we do A Brush With Kindness, or small veterans projects or projects for the elderly, we use [used] donated materials,” she said.
All the paint, nails and other building needs for smaller projects will come from the HomeStore’s inventory, she said.
For example, Habitat for Humanity of Faulkner County donated Sheetrock and plywood for repairs to a mobile home in Saltillo that was damaged by water.
“We will donate furniture later,” she said.
Sandidge said she knows there’s a need for such a resale store.
“I get 50 calls a day for a ReStore,” she said. Sandidge said someday the Faulkner County organization will pursue becoming a Habitat for Humanity Restore, but that it’s a big financial commitment. “It’s almost like buying a franchise,” she said.
Habitat for Humanity of Faulkner County is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year and is building its 40th home, which is in Conway, she said. Homes have also been built in other cities, including Vilonia and Mayflower.
“We want to do Greenbrier. That’ll be our next place,” she said.
Sandidge said she and volunteers still have a lot of work to do to get the HomeStore ready to open.
One of the final touches Sandidge said she wants is a big board to display photos of families standing next to their Habitat of Humanity for Faulkner County homes.
Senior writer Tammy Keith can be reached at (501) 327-0370 or tkeith@arkansasonline.com.