New Fox Valley Habitat store preps for opening

In just days or so, the new Fox Valley Habitat for Humanity ReStore will open, and store manager Kathleen Potts knows exactly how she's feeling.

“The honest truth is I'm scared,” she says.

With a to-do list that's full of unchecked items, it's no wonder. But she's also excited and ready to get going.

“There is brilliance in people who are all motivated by a compassionate heart,” she says. “We've already been able to make fantastic things happen.”

The new Aurora ReStore, 4100 Fox Valley Center Drive, in the former Cost Plus World Market building, will open sometime in mid-March, with an official grand opening scheduled for April 30, Potts says. The store will be open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday.

The 28,000-square-foot store, which will be mainly staffed by volunteers, will sell donated, new and used building materials, furniture and appliances. Proceeds benefit Fox Valley Habitat, which builds homes for local families who need assistance.

Shoppers will find items in good condition that are between 50 percent and 70 percent off the retail price. It's a dream store for bargain hunters or anyone “who wants to give life to already used items,” says store volunteer Laura Severn of Naperville.

Potts has big plans for the store, including the possibility of special fundraising initiatives such as silent auctions and all-hours drop-off spots for movers. Their high-profile location presents a “unique challenge and opportunity” to succeed, she says.

In recent weeks, it's been chaos, with people scrambling to finish getting ready. On the to-do list? Everything from arranging showcases and organizing the display fixtures to training staff and writing a human resources manual.

And perhaps the biggest priority is finalizing staff. The store is in need of volunteers to help in all areas — the call center, back area donations, repairing and cleaning — and they'll find a job for anyone wanting to help, Potts says. “Our big push is for that consistency,” she says. “Sometimes volunteers think they don't have much to offer. But we need help in all types of areas.”

Severn has already been struck by what Potts calls “Habititis,” the desire to get involved in helping to build affordable housing. A Habitat volunteer since she was a child, Severn says she and her husband are homeowners and “know the sense of pride” that comes with buying a house.

Potential Habitat home recipients undergo a rigorous process of their own — saving up for a down payment and closing costs, completing homeownership classes and logging 500 hours of work helping to build Habitat homes. Once the home is theirs, recipients pay a mortgage at a cost that's affordable to them.

One area ReStore leaders haven't struggled with is in donations.

“We were begging (at first) because we didn't know how much would come in,” says Potts.

They ended up receiving so many items they had to change the floor plan and expand the showroom — and look into adding a warehouse.

“We never dreamed we'd have so much stuff coming in,” she says. “We already have more success than I could've imagined.”

Store leaders were originally hoping to open in February, but with the recent onslaught of donations, the earliest they can open is mid-March, Potts says.

ReStore is always in need of items like new and gently used kitchen cabinets, countertops, bathroom vanities, sinks, light fixtures, hardware, doors and tools. They do not accept clothes, toys, home goods or items with broken or missing parts.

“Now we just need to keep the momentum up,” Severn says.

Until opening, Potts says she's accepted the “temporary chaos and growing pains” and can't wait for the cash registers to start ringing. “This is the kind of pain I'll take any day of the week,” she says.

To volunteer or for more information, call (630) 585-5508 or visit foxvalleyhabitat.org.