The Courtenay Habitat for Humanity ReStore may be small but in terms of sales, it is mighty.
The local ReStore stood out across the country for its sales per square foot in 2018, bringing in $135.06 per square foot. In total, the store did $850,000 in sales last year. The next top ReStore was in Windsor, Ont. which brought in $120 per square foot.
The Courtenay location has a retail space of 6,000 sq. ft., while the average size of the 109 stores across the country is 11,791 sq. ft.
According to Debbie Bowman, general manager of the Courtenay ReStore, the secret to the store’s success is being strategic with pricing to maximize its limited space. With the smaller square footage, staff must be much more cognizant of the amount of furniture they accept and pieces have to be priced to sell.
“With less space, we can’t afford to have items sitting in the store for too long, so we price things accordingly,” she said.
But the store’s success would not be possible without support from the community. Since the store opened in 2004, Bowman said Comox Valley residents have made a difference in the lives of many through their purchases, donations and volunteer hours.
“We couldn’t do what we do without our extremely capable and hard working staff members and volunteers. It’s an amazing team,” she said.
Habitat for Humanity is working on completing eight more homes on Lake Trail Road, something that is made possible thanks to proceeds from the local ReStore.
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ReStores across the country also help support families around the world in countries like Ethiopia, Cambodia, El Salvador, Honduras and Haiti.