Like Goodwill? Try the ReStore!

(Photo from Future Seattle Innovation Now blog)

The ReStore is one of my favorite stores.  I like it almost as much as Goodwill.  They sell used building materials that are donated by the public or salvaged from various demolition  and construction sites.  They're pretty much doing more than their part to save the planet by reducing the amount of crap that goes into the landfill.  AND, they have so much cool stuff. 

Like any thrift store, they have a ton of junk crammed into an area too small for it all, but they make up for the clutter by storing gems here and there.  They have really old looking chairs, light fixtures, stoves, doorknobs, etc. that could be considered antiques, and also have lots of ideas on how to use random household objects for other uses than their initially intended purpose.  Walking through the store just gets my creative mind racing.  They even have a confessional from the Blessed Sacrament church and an old pinball machine right now.  The last couple times I needed building materials or I needed to improve stuff in and around the house, I've gone there.  And usually have found what I was looking for.

Take this weekend, for instance.  To prepare for the incoming (soon, I hope,) of new chickie babies, I've decided to build an interim chicken coop for the new ladies to live in while they get big and tough enough to live with the older ladies.  They'll start off in the bathroom like our ladies did last year, but they'll have to spend a few weeks outside, and there is no way they'll be inside pooping all over my stuff while they get big enough to handle an already established pecking order.

Of course, I'm hoping to make this coop without buying any new materials.  I already know that I'll have to buy the chicken wire new, but I think I should be able to sneak by without having to buy the rest of the lumber and hardware brand new.  Since my house-building skills are quite lacking, despite nine days building houses in NOLA after Katrina, I went to the ReStore to look for a basic house-like structure that I could make some improvements to, to make it into a suitable chicken house.

I was looking for a large cabinet or a shelf or something with a door already attached.  After walking around the large warehouse for about 15 minutes, I found a crappy-looking, yet sturdy, cabinet in the far back corner.  I think it had been sitting there for a while because there was no price tag on it.  I asked the guy about it and he said I could have it for 15 bucks.  Sweet!  That's less that it would take for me to buy the lumber that was used to build it in the first place.  Awesome.  This also takes the pressure off of me to actually succeed in my chicken house building project, because if I fail, I really only spent 15 bucks.

I'll probably go back there once I figure out my design and get a list of necessary supplies going.  I'll keep everyone updated on how it all comes along...

Oh, if you wanna check the ReStore out, here is their website.