I've been meaning to check out the Habitat for Humanity ReStore for years, and I finally stopped in today. I wasn't hunting for anything specific, just wanted to see what the place was like. It's pretty much what you'd expect, a big warehouse with a wide mix of donated and new items. There were rugs, dishes, doors, tubs, showers, washers, dryers, fridges, microwaves, and a handful of couches and TVs. They even had sporting equipment and a good amount of wood, tile, and flooring. If you visit often, I can see how you might stumble on some great deals. What didn't land for me was the lack of customer service. The only person who really engaged me was the woman at the front desk when you walk in. She greeted everyone who walked in, and she was warm, upbeat, and genuinely welcoming. Beyond that, there wasn't much support on the floor. The cashier seemed bored and not happy to be there. There's also security at checkout and a man sitting by the door. I'm sure it serves a purpose, but the setup felt a bit odd and honestly a little unsettling. I love the mission of Habitat for Humanity and think the organization does incredible work. As for the store, I'd probably only go back if I needed something very specific. read more

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I want to support Habitat for Humanity. Truly. I've been a fan in the past, and when I was building my house a few years ago, this was one of my go-to spots. I walked out with some great finds and saved a solid amount of money. But something has changed--and not in a good way. Even back then, there were a few items where I remember thinking, "Wait... this is the same price as new. Or more." I brushed it off as a few outliers. Fast forward to now? It's not the exception anymore--it's the norm. We walked through recently, and I was honestly shocked. I'm talking about worn-out, wobbly, particle board pieces--the kind of items that are one step away from the dumpster--priced at $200 like they're showroom furniture. Dirty, heavily used pieces marked so high it makes you stop and double-check the tag like, "Surely that's a mistake..." It's not. At a certain point, it just doesn't make sense. When brand new items from major retailers are the same price--or even cheaper--there's no incentive to buy secondhand here, even if you want to support a nonprofit. And that's the frustrating part. I do want to support local. I do want to support organizations doing good work. But pricing like this makes it really hard to justify. I'm hoping this is something that gets reevaluated, because this place used to be a gem. Right now? It feels completely out of touch. read more

Their inventory is for the most part nice and in good condition. However, for used merchandise, there prices are too high. The staff was not very helpful or friendly. read more

SHOCKED at these prices!!!!! No wonder everything has an inch of dust on it no one is paying $200 for kitchen table that is chipped and wobbly with a major need for repairs! This place is forgetting its purpose and that breaks my heart! How can lower income families afford anything in there with these prices? insanity. read more

Occasionally I'll stop in to Habitat to find something instead of buying new and totally agree with up-cycling whenever I can to give a new life to. I've bought light fixtures, doors, little things like hardware and other random things. This time I went with a friend of mine who frequents Habitat on a weekly basis when she's in town as she owns 3 houses and always seems to need something. While I wasn't coming in for appliances, I found a dishwasher and refrigerator that are both 8-9 years old. I was hesitant at first to buy a used appliance but she said she's never had an issue with anything bought there. So I took the plunge. The staff is fairly helpful but you have two types of people working there. A handful that are actual employees and the rest are there for community service and give minimal effort. There was a lot of asking for prices as not everything had a price yet of it came in the past couple days. So in the past everything I've bought here, I loaded in my car myself. This time while I could've taken the dishwasher on my own, I decided to find someone with a truck to pick up the refrigerator and dishwasher in one trip. It was late in the day and the people I asked to assist me couldn't make it until the next day. I asked the staff to take my appliances to the dock to get them off the floor as people will pick off things and could damage them after I purchased them. Well it turned out that the staff only took the refrigerator to the dock as it was plugged in but the dishwasher was still there where I first saw it the next day. That was frustrating because the cord had been removed as was the drain motor. I didn't notice this until after I got home and only had looked at it initially before I bought it. Who knows the history behind anything donated there but I never thought about taking attached items off an appliance but people do this. The guys at the dock will bring it to your vehicle when you drive up to the side but anything needing care and effort, you're on your own. Don't loose your receipt if you come at a different time that right then. Inventory changes daily and items get snatched up quickly. So check back often if you're looking for something in particular. They have some new items as well as old like a thrift store. My next visit will be another adventure. I did return what I bought after realizing they didn't give me the proper discount and overcharged me as well as charging me for two dishwashers instead of one. I had to buy it back because they forgot to give me the discount on the day I went. The clerk said instead of putting it back on my card, it'd be better to put it on a gift card and buy it from that so I'd get the money right away. Well what she didn't say was that the rest of what I was charged would be returned in a receipt to use next time. Then another employee said oh well next time you come in we'll give you the discount. That made no sense as I don't come in and spent hundreds of dollars on the regular and even if I did, the same discount would be whatever it was on that day. So now I have this receipt store credit of about $100 that who knows when I'll use it, if I don't loose the paper before that time. Also the appliances both needed repairs and parts to fix. So I most likely won't be buying anything electronic there again even though it's less than buying new. There's delivery, installation and the risk they need repairs or part replacements. read more

This place has a lot of really cheap items. I saw many donated items which were damaged. The quality of some of the products are about the same as you find in knock off dollar stores with items bought in bulk from China. There is a large resale selection of items but the organization isnt the best. I went looking for a specific item a had to search the whole store to find out they didnt have it. I was looking for a blow dryer. I would go again for items that I would use for projects like repurposing home decor. read more

the merchandise is in good condition and the only problem is some of the workers give attitude when asking for a price the manager is robocop and wants you to hurry up and buy if your not white . I'm the only Mexican in the store and I get harassed . if your trying to shop they will force you to BUY quick and leave Very POOR customer service read more

Much much more than a bunch of second hand building supplies. Books, clothing, kitchen items and more.

Rudest most aggressive donation drop off I've ever experienced. The lady running drop off donations was ready to pick a fight the moment we rolled up. My god you're getting stuff for free, treat your donators with some bare minimum respect. read more

Jimmy Carter would be so ashamed of Austin Habitat for Humanity. I tried for a week to donate a beautiful three door Samsung fridge to them. The first team sent to pick it up said we can't get it out your front door. Just take the doors off and we can come back to get it, no problem. So, ok, we removed the doors. The second team came back four days later. These two could not figure out how to simply pivot it through the doorway. They also complained that it was so big and that since they were small guys they were afraid they could not get it safely down the driveway to their truck. I think they got spooked because they scratched the paint off one doorway, but I told them that I believed in their mission and I could easily repaint the door frame, but they said they had to leave since they had so many other pickups and that their manager would contact me. I subsequently spoke to their manager Michael Caruso a few times. In the end he said we just can't do it, it is too big. He gave me the names of some professional movers who would pick it up from me (for a fee) and deliver it to them. So I called Junk Luggers. They sent two pros who picked up the fridge (only took one guy to get it down the driveway, while the other guy carried the doors). I paid them to take it to Habitat - who refused it! - because - wait for it - it didn't have the doors on it. Bottom line - the left hand here does not know what the right hand is doing, and they just end up shooting themselves in the foot. They care zilch for the mission of a wonderful organization that Jimmy Carter inspired so many to support. Junk Luggers, on the other hand, are my new heroes. They called to let me know that since HfH refused the donation (because they are too lazy to figure out how to put the doors back on by following the diagrams in the manual, which I had included) Junk Luggers said they will take it to another charity (Austin ElderCare) for a program there, which helps homeless folks get off the streets. Much better outcome for this beautiful fridge! Every single employee I encountered at Austin Habitat for Humanity seemed lazy,full of excuses, and not a single one of them committed to the mission of the organization. Sadly, I would not rely on Austin Habitat for Humanity for anything but a disappointing outcome. read more

The customer service in this location has gone to hell. Casey, the manager needs to get off her high horse. Pricing at this store is ridiculous. Make it make sense.... I understand this is not profit and a lot of the merchandise is donated and for a great cause. But this doesn't mean it has to be retail prices get a grip. Casey needs a vacation. read more

This store has a lot of donated furnishings and supplies and they have many items that you would find at your local Big Lots. One of the very personable workers kindly shared with me that this is the number one restore in the country. Towards the back of the store, you'll find an enormous selection of laminate and tile flooring materials. You will also find washing machines, refrigerators, microwaves, bathtubs, spray paint, hot water heaters, carpeting, lighting, ceiling fans, and even clothing. I was surprised to see that they even sell books, toys and records. I found the pricing here to be in line with goodwill pricing, perhaps a little more. I found the pricing on the construction items to be in line with Home Depot, perhaps a little less. However, this store has most everything both those stores have and more which makes this place worth visiting. Plenty of photos to get you through the door. read more

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This place is just ok. I miss the location on Comal. Generally, the items here are no cheaper than Home Depot, but are lesser quality. The price of doors has been insane everywhere, and it looked to me that the doors they had for sale, while appearing new, had the doorknob holes placed incorrectly. Buyer beware. Sometimes you can get a good deal on something they have surplus of and have adjusted pricing accordingly: boob lights, bathroom light fixtures, glass domes for vintage ceiling lights. I also managed to find a box of vintage or vintage-looking peel-and-stick tile to make a minor repair. They also carry a limited amount of fiberglass insulation, which big boxes often don't stock here. I always come here first when looking for anything to match older things in my home, and sometimes I'm pleasantly surprised. read more

Disappointment. I try to shop stores that aid the community. I Made a purchase of two new doors that totaled over $2,000. When I got them home the French doors' sealed in blinds had a string problem. When trying to raise and lower them. It appears to be a string malfunction. I contacted the store to find out if it could be exchanged and simple told a no return policy. I understand if it was a used door but being new from a stock of doors I felt they should exchanged it for one of the other that they had. This experience has turned me off of shopping at these stores. Patrick E. read more

Austin Habitat for Humanity ReStore - Enclosed blinds in french door string failure. - Hardware Stores Near Me - Austin, Texas

First time here today. Had a great experience. Large warehouse full of building supplies, some home goods and a section of clothing. Definitely need to do some digging but found some amazing deals. Got a GREAT price on a brand new storage shed. The staff was friendly, efficient and super helpful. Will definitely be back. read more

PROS: (1) Lots of used building materials. This stuff would go to the landfill otherwise. (2) Some really excellent deals on building materials. We scored big on an smooth electric cooktop and floor tile. (3) Some great deals on household items. They have like a mini-Goodwill inside the store. We got some shirts for $2 and $3, and a big box of hotel soap for $10. We haven't had to buy soap in seven years. (4) 20% discount for age 50+ on Tuesdays, even on the new items. CONS: (1) Lots of stuff doesn't have prices marked, and it's not always easy to find a staffer. (2) While many items are priced commensurate with the fact that they're used and maybe not pristine, many items are not. For some items they want way too much given their condition. (3) You're taking your chances with mechanical and electrical items. Let's say someone has a ceiling fan that squeaks or clicks. They donate it to Habitat, but don't bother to put a note on it as to what, if anything was wrong with it. Habitat certainly doesn't have the resources to test the fans that get donated, and you won't discover the problem until you buy the item, take it home, and install it. I doubt they take returns, but even if they did, it would be a huge hassle. So, if you're looking at mechanical and electrical items, you've got to ask yourself one question: Do I feel lucky? Well, do ya punk? (4) They sell bags of tile mortar and grout, often opened. The problem is that this stuff has a short shelf life even in a sealed bag, and once you open it then it goes bad even quicker. The moisture in the ambient humidity kills it. It might not get hard, or might have poor adhesion, or might crumble, or some combination of the above. Really, they should not sell opened mortar and grout, or any sealed product that's beyond its shelf life. (5) They're increasingly selling lots of brand-new, cheap items, much of it from China. This includes small items like hand tools as well as bigger ones like off-brands of toilets you've never heard of. This doesn't seem to square with the original idea of the store being a recycle shop. read more

We mainly came in search of some furniture and weren't sure what to expect as we had never been here before. There was a section full of furniture in the middle but nothing really stood out to us. The stuff was in decent shape but again not for us. There are a surprising amount of doors here. There are rehabbed construction materials toward the back and some building materials you can buy at say Home Depot along the side. Maybe we'll come back if we're more in the market for gently used construction stuff. read more

First, I love Habitat Restore. My purchase helps bring a family hope. They rock! Especially the store in South Austin. But, dark clouds are on the horizon. Everything changes. I get it. It used to be a quirky, ghetto odds and ends store with fun finds for a good price. Now its turning into a weirdly expensive dollar store with junky "new" stuff. If I want cheap plastic stuff, I can go to walmart or dollar general. Every day, fewer and fewer fun finds. Their lumber is priced above the lumber yard. The used furniture is seriously crazy high. And the junky refrigerators are higher than new at Costco. They seem to have turned off the spigot of "stuff" from ordinary people. Pretty sure it's a "corporate" or central office decision. Too bad. They are trying to turn it into some sort of "shop-able" retail store. Sorry guys-dumb. We don't need another Goodwill store. Restore is losing the thing that makes them special. read more

If you are doing a full home renovation, you sure will find a lot that you need. I felt that the housewares were not organized well and a little bit of everything was sort of thrown into bins on the shelf. I did find some interesting finds. What I did find was a banner from dollar tree that I am familiar with listed for $5 here - not cool. But then you do find other items like mugs or something for the holidays and it's priced very well. It's hit or miss when you come to the habitat locations. I have definitely been to better as a lot of the items here were run down. But I will keep going because I love to support this organization. read more

I really love shopping for reclaimed items at Austin Habitat for Humanity's ReStore on Ben White. I've been in three or four times, and the staff is always incredibly helpful. They greet you at the door every time, and there are a lot of employees so you can find help easily. I am not a contractor so I don't have experience with their many options of lighting fixtures, flooring, doors/windows, and appliances. My purchases have been predominantly from their furniture section. My office chair that I love I bought here in December. Yes, it's not perfect and used, but I spent some time with Clorox wipes and a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser, and it is like new. Yesterday we purchased a glass desk from here, and Yvonne helped us put it on hold. We came back later in the day with a Uhaul, and the staff in receiving were quick and helpful to get it loaded with us. I will keep coming back here to reuse items and rehome them rather than creating more waste. read more

Austin Habitat for Humanity ReStore - Our cute new office desk. Windexed it at home, and it like new. - Hardware Stores Near Me - Austin, Texas

What a change from their East Austin warehouse location. A huge change in price. I completely understand what Habitat for Humanity is, its concept, and the good it does for people everywhere, however, the prices here are outrageous. Let's start with clothing, Yes clothing, it was priced starting at $5 for a long sleeved worn out T-shirt. A pair of fairly used and worn out sole shoes were $12! Now onto their new items, a small plug in heater for $29.99...HEB has the same brand and size heater right now for 19.99. Used patio furniture that are visibly damaged were $30 for each chair in the set. Plastic garden pots were $20, Lowe's has the same ones for $9.99. I remember when this store when on the East side was affordable. read more

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Me and my husband owned a couple rental properties and this store has been an absolute godsend. It has everything you could be looking for... Plumbing, furniture, painting, lawn care items and all household accessories you could possibly be looking for. The prices can be a little bit high but the selection is vast and I'm sure you can find a good deal. The staff is very friendly and helpful. The location, parking, pick up, and drop off are also organized very well. Definitely worth checking out! read more

Austin Habitat for Humanity ReStore - Conveniently located on Ben White and 1st Street. - Hardware Stores Near Me - Austin, Texas

Can't give this place a good review, unfortunately. I sent photos and information to them about a sleeper sofa in great condition. Instead of reading the detailed information about what it was (even including the type of mattress) and simply replying that they don't take sleeper sofas, they confirmed my pick up appointment and the drivers rejected it when they arrived. This caused me huge problems and was a waste of my time. I could have just given it away prior to the pickup date on any number of sites, like FB Marketplace or Craigslist. Just beware that the people doing this job on their end are not necessarily paying attention to the information you send and don't mind wasting your time. read more

Cory and Michael from ReStore were great. They were in an out of my place in 5 mins and hauled off all my donations. They were professional and friendly. read more

Stumbled onto this place on our way to lunch. Spent all morning looking for a dining set and decided to take a break and have lunch. Drove by this place on our way to the restaurant and decided to stop in. The people are SUPER friendly and helpful. We scored on a dining room set which included a table and 4 chairs priced at $150. So excited to find this deal. Went back on Sunday to look around again but they were doing inventory. Unfortunately, we were only visiting Austin and had to leave Monday morning. Just found out they have one in El Paso so I will definitely be checking that one out. But next time I'm in Austin this will be at the top of my list of places to go. read more

I've been going to Habitat Restore for years, buying and donating. They are a great source for a lot of things such as carpet or lumber. When you don't need a lot just a smaller amount of something it's great. For example I purchased a 4'X4' piece of obs board for $5, painted it, added numbers and turned it into a sign on my house for the address number. read more

I had a good laugh when I went here yesterday. You would think you could get a really good deal on broken, busted, or secondhand crap but nope! They want top dollar. Their doors and fans were more or as expensive than at Home Depot, the vanities were $1000 with giant cracks in them... why would you go here and pay top dollar for crap when you could just go to the store and get something that you know had all of the pieces and a warranty for the same price? This is really sad especially for people who can't afford retail prices, they are being priced out of everywhere, including stores that were meant for them. read more

I am always working on my home and Habitat for Humanity Austin is always clean, organized, and well stocked. It's fun to see what comes in! Such an interesting variety! read more

Have been going there for several years the quality & quantity of merchandise has definitely declined since the pandemic....I suspect due to reduced donation hours... probably can't get enough volunteers to deal with the inflow of donations read more

Two stars for the quality of the items. Three stars for a good cause. The picture frames, doors, well worn stoves, etc. were sometimes the same price as Home Depot but were in used condition. There were fun deals on $3 shower curtains and super affordable electrical cords and shovels. They had a great opening day with lots of treats provided, food trucks, band, and a bird-house-painting session for the families. read more

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Stopped in to hopefully find a living room fan globe to cover the bulb. I have gone to a few other places with no luck. My sister and I came in right before closing. The workers are very nice here. They nicely mentioned that they'd be closing soon and if I needed help finding anything in particular. I said no thank you and as soon as I walked down a little bit I found so many clean and organized fan globes! I found exactly what I needed! Prices were clearly marked. Quick and painless! I will definitely be coming back here! I look forward to going earlier in the day to take my time and look at everything they have to offer. I appreciate what this business does to reuse good home items! It could save renters a lot of money! :) read more

Austin Habitat for Humanity ReStore - So many light covers! - Hardware Stores Near Me - Austin, Texas

Perfect for low/mid leveln DIY. Huge selection of doors windows, flooring, tile, appliances, insulation and all the trimmings

I love this store for so many reasons. Reuse is the key to sustainability, and this store delivers more than any other! I scored this commercial grade cooktop hood for $175, and proceeded to complete a kitchen remodel around it. Thanks Restore! read more

Austin Habitat for Humanity ReStore - Hardware Stores Near Me - Austin, Texas

This is a review only of their customer service by phone. I tried calling them three separate times to ask about a specific item. Each time, an actual store employee would answer, immediately place me on hold for 10+ minutes, and then disconnect me. If they are not able to assist with questions about specific item, I'd like to be told that upon calling rather than spend time waiting for no response. They are basically unreachable by phone. read more

I had a lot of furniture that I wanted to donate to charity, and Restore/Habitat made it simple. I called to arrange a pickup at my home. The fellow with whom I spoke with extremely friendly and accommodating. When the drivers didn't arrived at the appointed time, I started to panic because I had been stood up by other charities in the past. Soon, my phone rang; it was the driver telling me they were on their way. The two fellows that showed up at my house were also kind and courteous. They carefully loaded my furniture into their truck with the same care I have received from professional movers. Fantastic experience!! read more

I bought a $600 range hood that was new in open box. When I went to install it I discovered it was missing the grills that cost me about $500 to replace. Be careful when you buy anything from them read more

The website said they accept 50+ sf of hardwood flooring new in box, and I brought 80 sf new in box to the Northwest Austin store, but they wouldn't accept it, claiming a box had been opened, when it was only slightly ripped at the end, which is common for heavy flooring boxes. The South Austin ReStore was more than happy to take my full boxes, though, as well as matching flooring out of the box, so I recommend coming here instead! read more

I was so looking forward to the new Habitat for Humanity Re-store in my neighborhood. Having been a customer back in the days when they were over off near Airport and the more recent location near Comal, I thought surely, this new location would be even better than the previous ones. While Re-store maintains some of it's former roots, the most notable change is the inclusion of a whole bunch of low-endish home things that are still at the MSRP of those things. I had gone in the other day looking for "cheap" paint brushes but was met with ones that would have been the same price for the same quality at HoDe or Lowe's. At the Comal location, I distinctly remember bags of cheapy brushes for less than $10--you know when you just want to paint and don't care if you reuse those brushes or not. Visit to Re-store the other day and a pair of Stanley brushes is $11. So the only reason to actually shop here versus the big box store is if you want to pay the same price but have part of your money go to charity. Which is worthy but, at that point, I'll just buy the quality level up item. Thus the better deals are on the donated items but even then, as Emily H. points out, these could be the same price as the big box stores and be in very used condition. Seriously people, don't use something to the point it has almost no utility to someone else then donate it, that doesn't make you a hero, it makes you a jerk. I did find some outdoor lights that might have worked to replace the outdoor lights I need to replace, but after having to clean them up and paint them and likely buy new wiring or a kit to make them work, I may as well buy something new that has a decent warranty/return policy that I won't have to spend hours getting it to work for my situation. One thing that was surprising was the pianos they had for sale. Three the day I went, all less than $300 and two of them would have been worth the price despite looking very decrepit. If you have time to kill and want to see what's out there, sure stop by here. I think Restore is still pretty good for getting things like old cabinets that you want to re-purpose but mostly everything else seems like a waste of time. And if you have something decent to donate, you should. read more

Austin Habitat for Humanity ReStore - Piano for sale - Hardware Stores Near Me - Austin, Texas

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While nothing can ever replace the creepy animatronic animal band of the original Chuck-E-Cheese - the Habitat for Humanity ReStore is an awesome addition to the neighborhood. Much like their other stores, this location offers deeply discounted new and gently used home goods... basically a freecyled version of home depot. As you might imagine, prices are pretty amazing, compared to what you'd pay for these items new - so while the selection is kind of hit or miss, you can find some really amazing stuff. The furniture selection is pretty damned decent as well. Saw an entirely new dining room set for under 400, which is about 80% off what it would have been new. There corporate offices are also here, along with a community center. Very glad to have this addition to the neighborhood. read more

Austin Habitat for Humanity ReStore - Store Front - Hardware Stores Near Me - Austin, Texas

I am so very disappointed with my purchase I could cry. I needed to paint my home and was going to purchase some at Home Depot but decided to buy paint at The Restore when I saw they sold brand new, unopened paint on a trip there with my daughter who wanted to buy some picture frames. They had three colors in this brand of paint: Tan, Cream, and Sand. I purchased four 1-gallon cans of GreenSheen paint in the color "Cream" with the intention of painting the entire inside of my home. I painted my part of my kitchen, dining room and hallway but I needed more paint so I went back and purchased a 5-gallon bucket (which was not available the first time I went). I stayed up all night trying to complete the inside my home. I awoke the next morning to discover that the initial paint I purchased in "Cream" did not match the 5-gallon bucket that was labeled "Cream" but is, in fact, a COMPLETELY DIFFERENT COLOR (grey, which I think is the "Sand" color) - they are NOTHING alike! In my haste of painting, I thought the color difference was because the paint was wet. But I realized that this is not one of those things where the color is off slightly because of manufacturing or because different buckets needed to be mixed together - this is obviously a labeling error because they look NOTHING alike! The cream is a very warm beige and the other paint is a very light grey. The 1-gallon cans of paint were $14 but I'm really pissed because the 5-gallon bucket of paint was $69! SIXTY-NINE DOLLARS!!! Not to mention the fact that I have been up every night this week trying to paint my house and the number of hours I have put in painting coupled with the fact that my furniture cannot be put back until it is finished. I DO NOT HAVE MONEY TO WASTE (WHO DOES?!!!) I understand The Restore having a kind of you take what you get policy for used paint but GreenSheen is new paint with a new paint price! I could have went to Home Depot for the same money AND GOTTEN MY MONEY BACK if the color is not what is on the label! I cannot reiterate how deeply saddened and disappointed I am about this this paint, my. money and my wasted time and all the painting I did that has to be redone! I called The ReStore about this issue and was initially dismissed by the clerk who answered the phone but I persisted and he put me on hold to talk to a manager; I waited for about 15 minutes only to be finally be hung-up on. I called back (twice) and was immediately disconnected so I called back again and was transferred to "John" who took my number and said he would pass this on to his manager...hopefully they will do the right thing and make me whole. A charitable organization should not take money by swindling people. Also, there are numerous signs in the paint department of the Restore saying not to open the paint but if they allow this then there can only be two outcomes: either people will open the paint to ensure they are getting what they are paying for or The Restore's paint sales will (and should) cease! read more