Habitat For Humanity Restore — Local services in Alexandria

Decided to stop in on a whim today since I was only a mile or so away for an appointment. Location certainly isn't ideal as it is off the beaten path and tucked in among a storage unit and warehouses with huge 18 wheelers parked on the side of the road. Upon entering the store it's a very open plan with furniture sectioned off among the from half of the store. They certainly had tons of flooring, W/D and cabinets.

The back half of the store... well if you have any kind of OCD when it comes to organization or tidiness.. you're gonna have a hard time. Even I was getting twitchy at the sheer chaotic mess that was the tools/lighting/ housewares section of the store.

The prices seem to be kind of all over the place. You can find great deals like they had Pfister faucets for $30 when they retail from anywhere from $67 to $399 depending on the set. Though others were certainly on a high side of what I would pay for the item.

Staff was incredibly hard to identify as other then a small black name tag on some of them they looked like any other customer in the store. The cashier was friendly, though seemed a little distracted.

all in all not a bad habitat but certainly not one of the better ones in Northern VA. Certainly one to go to for...

HORRIBLE TO DONATE TO BECAUSE OF PROFOUND LACK OF ORGANIZATION AND RESPECT FOR PEOPLE'S TIME. FIND ANOTHER CHARITY.

I reached out to Habitat to donate some large furniture items and set a time for them to pick up. They didn't write down my address properly, so they left voice message for clarification. I called back right away, but no one picked up (which was a pattern and a constant source of frustration). I went in person to the store the same day, where they told me that the scheduler had put too many deliveries on my day and they needed to set a second date. Then I got an email switching to a third date. I confirmed that day would be okay by email (because I couldn't reach a person). On the day they were supposed to pick up, I put everything out on the curb as requested and no one came to pick it up. No one gave me the slightest indication that my pickup was cancelled, either before or after the delivery window. Now I have to haul it all back inside and figure something else out.

It is beyond absurd to need to jump through these hoops to try to do a nice thing. I wish I had...

Came here back in summer of 2021, and was so pleasantly surprised by the prices and variety of the furniture, tile, and faucets. Came back today to buy again--walked out empty-handed. They are now WAY overpriced. $300 faucets, used water lines for $5 that you can buy new at Home Depot for $6--and the list goes on. There was no way I'd pay full or next-tp-full prices for secondhand, used up items.

Also, I saw something troubling in the store. There was a sign for the volunteers that noted they are not allowed to lounge, that if they need something to do to ask the manager, and that they are only allowed a 15 min break if working at least a 4 hour shift. Wow! The last time we came they were rife with volunteers but this time there were barely any--and I see why! There was another incident I witnessed between the manager leaving a long, LONG line of customers at the register to go get a teen volunteer who dared aign out for a break, but I won't.

Definitely not coming back. We live hours from this location. Their former deals are worth the drive, but now...