Looking at a 'home improvement' project? Consider the Habitat for Humanity ReStore.

The popularity of television shows like "While You Were Out", and "Trading Spaces" have made trips to the home improvement store a regular weekend outing for many people. <br><br>There's another place

Thursday, October 23rd 2003, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

The popularity of television shows like "While You Were Out", and "Trading Spaces" have made trips to the home improvement store a regular weekend outing for many people.

There's another place for you to shop for home that you may not know about, it's called the Habitat for Humanity ReStore. News on 6 consumer reporter Rick Wells shows us what they offer.

Gary Casteel: "It's kind of like Goodwill for building materials." It's Habitat for Humanity's ReStore. Everything in the store has been donated by someone who didn't need it. Casteel: "They get a tax write-off and we get something to sell." The items might be brand new and just surplus or it might be a perfectly serviceable used piece replaced as part of a re-modeling project. For example, they have dozens of used counter tops.

Casteel: "A lot of the projects we help on are small projects." That's because many of the items donated to them are one of a kind or in small quantities, like a few boxes of ceramic tile or a can of paint mixed in a color for someone else. Casteel: â€œwe re-cycle cardboard, aluminum, and scrap metal."

So even things not useful for one thing, are for something else. In fact, he enjoys imagining new uses for some of the items they have. They have thousands of board feet of molding and trim, light fixtures and chandeliers. Need a window? Racks and racks of doors, bins full of doorknobs and hinges. Kitchen and bathroom cabinets and even some furniture.

This might be the perfect place to find just what you've always wanted; after all, he does look a little like Santa.

The Habitat ReStore is at 1234 South Norwood and is open 8 to 5 Wednesday through Saturday.