Affordable Building MaterialsC&D Waste Reduction

Creation of Affordable Housing

ReNew’s Mission:

Your Mission

Poverty Relief

Skills Training

Historic Preservation

Housing Rehabilitation

Who? The Entrepreneur

Driven, committed, idealist

80 hours/week not uncommon in new business

Organized, with people skills, including supervision

Store organization (or lack of) will reflect time/energy of founder

Salvage stores attract all walks of life

Trades experience

Trades experience will lend credibility

The VisionShare your idea with select stakeholders and advisors

Family, builders, other second hand stores, HFH

Find business advisor

SCORE, university business class

Visit other salvage stores

For-Profit and non-Profit

Compare and refine you vision based on site visits and

conversations

The PlanBusiness plan

Sales numbers from other non-profit annual reportsSlog through it, work hard, resist urge to copy another UBM planHFH has resources for new ReStoresIf seeking advise from other stores be specific and courteousNot “I’m starting a store, do you have advice….”

Market ResearchIntroduce your businessInclude trades people in your survey

Scope of businessPick Hours – Perhaps only weekends to start

Don’t contract hours once you are openRetail sales and Deconstruction/Soft strip?Product line – Appliances? Soft goods? Lumber? Lead paint?

The Plan

For-Profit v Non-ProfitFor-profitCapital for buying inventory

Clear sense of product value and margins prior to openingArchitectural salvage may have smaller customer base

Non-ProfitPossible to begin as a program of another non-profitAdmin., fund raising, volunteers already in place?Easier to get inventory with tax write-off

Insurance and Lump Sum FeesLiability

Insure loss-of-business vs. inventoryCovers volunteers too- specify on application

Workers Comp.Premiums are high; renew/rewrite during good sales months

FundingSources of funding

Friends, Family, Angel Donors and lendersCooperative funds, socially responsible lendersSBDC loan guarantees

Start with what you can afford

Revise business plan for each new funding needPostpone large capital expenses at startupCredit will be based on personal guarantee at first

Grants

Solid waste districts, Redevelopment, Skills training, C&D waste reduction, EPA

Have a financial cushionEstablish a line of credit

Publicity

Start as soon as you are sure you can proceed

Establish website/phone listings 6 months before opening

Search engine presence-Google your business’ keywords and

submit free listings to top matches

Word of mouth is always the best advertising

Create a generous budget for ads

You need customers and product

Many classified sections (weeklies) have low cost “for sale” ads-run

once a week

Publicity

Radio-30 second spots cheap, PSA’s cheaper, public access radio and

TV

Town Clerks (demo), bulletin boards, green building fairs, home shows

Statewide Business Exchange listings

Get T-Shirts etc. with logo for staff in-store and demo

Logo your truck and keep it clean

Select Store LocationLarger the better-10,000 sq. ft. inside is ideal

Publicize location in relation to known landmark

Donation/Receiving/Pick-up are removed from main entrance

Accessible to forklift/loading dock/overhead door at grade

Parking, yard storage, fenceable, handicap access?

Bathroom, office, poolroom, trash/recycling, hold area

All sales are on one grade/level

Lighting, heated, covered materials in yard

Policies

Materials Accepted

Never too much of one item

Standards will rise as store fills up

Consider lead policy (we HEPA vac. The whole store weekly & distributeinfo)

Give donors alternatives when you say “No”

Trade/Swap/Store Credit/Bulk Discount

I suggest ‘no’ to all to keep staffers happy!

Sold

Paid in full, Pickup w/in one week, then restocked or storage fee

EquipmentOld store fixtures (shelves)

Carts, Pallet Jack, rolling ladder, appliance dolly, mover’s dolly.

Pick-up truck

Trailer

Forklift (after pallet jack!)

Pallet Racking, divided for door/window storage

Lumber trees

Toolbox and decon tools

Carpet/Vinyl tree

Policies

Hold

25% deposit (refundable as store credit) good for 49hours.

Some charge fee regardless of whether they buy.

Returns

Appliances, Power tools, Electrical 7 day w/receipt for store credit.

Measure first! Keep tape measures handy

Deliveries/Donation Pickups

Decide cost if any, range of travel

Contractors always receive free pickup w/in 48 hours

Store Layout

Wide aisles with generous end caps

Store Layout

Big things closer to overhead door

Store Layout

Double high items shelving

STORE LAYOUT

At least one aisle from front to back

SIGNAGE

Quality road- and store- front signage¼ page flier

“What’s New”

Price

Start book with prices so all staff can price/quote a range

Memberships

Rotary

Chamber

BMRA

AIA

Contractor/Renovator

Recycling/Waste district

Green Builder

Socially Responsibility

Non-Profit Association

Evaluations

Sales numbers

Sales type

Customer surveys

Database

Email listserve groups

See business planner again and again

BE PREPARED FOR SUCCESSBE PREPARED FOR SUCCESS