Kitsap Habitat Store — Local services in Bremerton

Many years ago, a bunch of computer programmers that I worked with decided we should give back to the community by volunteering with Habitat for Humanity. You may have heard of this organization through its connection to President Carter. I loved every minute of it. I hauled building materials, pounded nails, worked a chop saw, poured a concrete foundation, hung drywall and other fun tasks on the job site. I got to laugh at how inept smart computer programmers could be without their keyboards. I also got to meet a family who was so excited to have a chance to have a home of their own. If you are ever in the mood to do something good in the world, look these folks up. With that in mind, imagine my surprise when my girlfriend told me that we were going to the habitat store to buy a door. I had never heard of it, so I looked them up and was pleased to see that they are part of Habitat for Humanity. Cool. People donate all sorts of stuff to Habitat - furniture, auto parts, tools, construction materials, sporting goods, plumbing and electrical fixtures etc. Then, the store sells the stuff to the public and uses the money to fund home builds. When you walk in the store you never know what you will find. Maybe a bag of candles. Or a gas heater. Or giant sheets of linoleum. Every trip is like a treasure hunt. Since all the stuff is donated, the quality is hit or miss, but the prices are always ridiculously low. If you aren’t too specific about what you need, you can really make out in this place. We needed a door for the pottery shed my girlfriend is building. Any exterior door would do. We just wanted it prehung to make installation simple. Some items are always in the store like bicycles, golf clubs and broken power drills. Fortunately for us, doors are one of the things that are always there. We found a nice one with a window that will let tons of light into the shed. It is banged up a bit, but the damage is superficial. The price wasn’t on it, so we had to ask. A huge young man gave it a look and pronounced it worth $65. We’ll take it! The man grabbed it in his giant hands and told us to pay up front and meet him around back. He shouted the price to the cashier and carried the door away. We asked if it was senior discount day, because we are too old to remember what day that is. We didn’t get the discount this time, but we...

I find this store is essential for anyone who is looking for that one item that makes "it" work again. Instead of purchasing a brand new item, perhaps replacing a broken aspect of an existing item is all that is needed. Spending your time and money here reduces junk in the landfill, supports local businesses and provides locals jobs. Discovering something new each time I visit, keeps it fresh. I have so many finds that save the cost of purchasing new items from corporate robbers like Walmart and Amazon. Habitat Store replenishes, restores and recycles life's potential. Investment in community and owning the responsibility to take care of it, is good business. Shopping smart is just as important as voting. Choosing to compensate worth is a choice. Consider the price, risk and return each time you decide to spend money at a convenience store. Odds of finding that same item here is...

Not too bad of a place. They have 2 buildings with one carrying furniture and other household goods, the other is packed with a WIDE assortment of everything else. Don't pay full price for anything from a hardware/lumber/appliance store without first checking this place out. The organization has definitely gotten better. Everything used to be cramed onto shelves causing you to literally scoop through them to find something. Now they have bins and boxes for most of it, doesn't stop customers from mixing it all up still. With such a variety of things, there is almost no chance you'll walk away without finding something. Military discount is on Monday, Senior is Wednesday. There are the tag colors which represent either 25% 50% or 75% off. Come prepared to spend some time here, especiallyif you're a repurposer, renovator, or...