Medina County Habitat For Humanity moves offices, Re-Store to join in March

MEDINA — Medina County Habitat for Humanity has moved its offices into the old Hawkins grocery store at 233 Lafayette Road. The ReStore won't be far behind. Tom O'Connell, executive director of Habitat, said the retail building supply store will have a soft opening March 7. Its grand opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony will be April 7. He said ReStore is still at 342 E. Smith Road and is open 1-7 p.m. Thursdays and 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays. ReStore receives donations of new and lightly used materials from local businesses and individuals. Habitat has a signed purchase agreement in hand for the building on East Smith Road, O'Connell said. Habitat builds homes at reduced costs to families with limited incomes. One of those homes will be dedicated 2 p.m. Sunday at 3822 Avon Lake Road in Litchfield Township. O'Connell is excited about eventually moving into the spacious building on Lafayette Road. "We are expanding our sales floor by 10,000 square feet," he said. "The location will be better for us. It allows our entire organization to be in the same building, under the same roof. "I'm looking forward to being over there. We'll be all on one level. We have loading docks in the back. We don't have any loading docks on East Smith. When we get deliveries, we can back the trucks right in there." Habitat will be part of Main Street Medina's renovation of South Town. Unfortunately, once the ReStore moves into its new digs, there won't be any doughnuts — a specialty of the now-defunct Hawkins supermarket. "Someone asked if we're going to sell doughnuts," O'Connell joked. He said the house in Litchfield will be Habitat's 42nd dedication since it started in 1991. The new owner had to put in 250 "sweat equity hours" on his house, other houses or at the ReStore, O'Connell said. "He put in a lot of time," he said. In return, he will receive a new house and a 30-year loan with zero interest. Contact reporter Bob Finnan at (330) 721-4049 or rfinnan@medina-gazette.com.