LIMA, Ohio (WLIO) - A parking lot may seem like a simple thing, but for the Lima ReStore, it means so much more.
For the last five to six weeks, the Lima Area Habitat for Humanity ReStore has been undergoing construction on a new parking lot for their front entrance. The parking lot had a lot of problems with erosion and potholes and became a safety hazard with some customers even rolling their ankles. The ReStore was open during the construction period, but customers had to come through the back door, so sales and donations saw a decline.
Now thanks to the new parking lot, the ReStore held a grand opening event with a food truck, a spin the wheel promotion and has high hopes business booming for the summer season.
The ReStore held a grand opening event with a food truck, a spin the wheel promotion and has high hopes business booming for the summer season.
"When we were using the back door, our donations were lower, our sales were lower, and now we've got this nice, inviting parking lot, and from day one that we opened it, we saw increased sales and donations, but now we're back in business," said Benji Bergstrand, Lima ReStore manager. "We never really closed, but it just slowed down, and it's great to be fully open again."
Elite Concrete Creations was responsible for the man power that fixed the parking lot, taking over $250,000 off the cost. For owner Joe Croft, that reflects on what the ReStore is all about.
"It feels great, because once you learn the mission up here, what the ReStore and the Habitat for Humanity does, you just want to be a part of it, you want to help the community," said Croft. "They're a huge non profit; they live solely off donations up here. With the donations being lower over the last couple of years, and then with COVID, there was a huge detriment to the project here that was at hand, we felt that we could take it upon ourselves and just did it."
If you'd like to check out the ReStore, they're open Wednesday through Friday from 10 am to 5 pm and Saturdays from 10 am to 3 pm.
