MILWAUKEE — Shopping for secondhand furniture is a growing trend.
The resale market for furniture and home goods is expected to grow 30% by 2027, according to a 2022 resale report.
That’s taking on a greater purpose for three furniture thrift stores in Milwaukee.
ReStore, located in Franklin, Wauwatosa and Greenfield, is using profits to help more people become homeowners.
Everything sold at ReStore is gently used, and priced 50-75% below retail value. At ReStore, you can find a wide range of things for your home, including: furniture, antiques, home goods, decorations, appliances, tools, lawn equipment, cabinetry and building supplies.
Alya Sproehlich and her daughter are regulars at the Franklin ReStore location. Sproehlich said they recently moved into a new home and have saved thousands of dollars by shopping at ReStore.
“We’ve gotten chairs and furniture,” she said. “We’ve gotten half of the stuff in our playroom here.”
However, it’s not just about cost savings. Sproehlich said she likes to know she’s helping people in her community. ReStore is run by Milwaukee Habitat for Humanity, so everything purchased is a direct donation to build affordable homes for local families.
“I like that it’s helping other people get their own home, and get out of renting,” Sproehlich said. “And I like that it’s keeping stuff out of landfills.”
Jake Brandt of Milwaukee Habitat for Humanity said it’s never been a more crucial time for the work ReStore and Habitat for Humanity does.
“Right now, one in three Milwaukee renters are spending half or more of their income on a place to live,” he said. “As housing prices skyrocket far beyond the pace of wages, folks are finding it harder and harder to afford the place that they are living in.”
ReStore relies on community donations. If you can’t get your gently used furniture and household items to the store, workers will schedule a time to pick them up from your home.
Brandt said they even have a deconstruction team that will salvage entire kitchens or rooms that people plan to remodel.
“So, instead of tossing your cabinet set into a landfill, it’s still in great condition, we can give it a new life,” he said. “Find a new home for it and price it at an affordable price, so folks can do these remodeling projects at a price they can afford.”
Sproehlich said it provides purpose to her purchases and helps her family save money in the process.
“The money I’m saving on expensive furniture is money I can spend on food, clothes and other things for my family,” she said.