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ReUse Industries located on 751 W. Union St.

Nonprofit ReUse Industries celebrates 25 years of local service

ReUse Industries, 751 W. Union St., is celebrating 25 years of turning waste into wealth.

ReUse Industries is a nonprofit founded in 1994 in hopes of bringing economic development and sustainability to the area. 

ReUse holds many craftsmanship workshops and classes for people to take advantage of, such as Fix-It Workshops, where people of all ages fix their broken belongings with assistance from skilled volunteer fixing coaches, welding, sculpture, sewing, weaving and many more. 

ReUse Industries was once located at 100 Columbus Road, but moved to 751 W. Union St. this past summer. The goal of ReUse Industries is to help local residents make affordable purchases, as well as expanding an individual’s skill set. 

ReUse Industries has many programs and activities. It is home to Athens MakerSpace, which includes a Tool Library that holds anything from small hand tools to portable table saws, ladders, lawnmowers and more.

ReUse Industries has a few stores including ReUse on Union, which carries supplies such as yarn, fabric, sewing tools and other items for utilization and ReUse Thrift Store, where secondhand items of all kinds are sold. All three services are located together at the new address. 

ReUse Thrift Store carries most things one would have or need in their household. One step inside and customers are bound to find something they want or need including furniture, rugs, clothing, kitchenware, paintings and more. 

“ReUse is about helping the community,” Travis Allman, manager of the ReUse Thrift Store, said. “We’re helping people who can’t really help themselves.” 

Allman has been working for ReUse Industries for roughly three and a half years, and notes it can be difficult at times, but is rewarding. For Allman, assisting those in need is one of the highlights of working for ReUse Industries. 

Allman sees many people come in for items that may be out of budget or hard to purchase. 

“We help people get clothing, furniture, house goods, decorations, appliances — anything,” Allman said. “We help them get what they need.” 

Brandon Belcher, a driver for ReUse Thrift Store, quite literally helps people get what they need. He’s tasked with donation pick-up and delivery drop-off.

“If somebody buys something and can’t get it home, they’ll have us deliver it,” Belcher said. “If someone wants something donated, we can go get it.” 

Belcher sees this as a very valuable service as a thrift store. 

“I really enjoy this job,” he said. “I like that we help out the community a lot.”

Being able to get big items, like furniture such as couches or dressers, is important to many people.

“We get a lot of people in here who tell us ‘we love how you help out the community,’” Belcher said. 

Belcher has delivered and picked up items in surrounding areas, such as Chauncey, Glouster and Albany. 

One of Belcher’s favorite aspects about ReUse Industries is its sustainability goals of the organization.

“We keep (trash) from going to the landfills,” Belcher said. “That’s a big significance there. There’s a lot of clothing that doesn’t go to waste.”

ReUse Industries promotes the concept of “upcycling,“ which is reusing discarded or used items and repurposing them or making them into something new. ReUse Industries helps keep trash out of landfills, Belcher said.

“We help with a lot of stuff,” he said. “I think we’re bettering our community by having a store. It’s a nonprofit, so that speaks for itself.”

Erica Andrews, a homebirth midwife, frequents the ReUse Thrift Store, coming in for the good deals.

“I try to come here weekly,” Andrews said. “I’ve been coming here for about 10 years.”

ReUse Industries has definitely changed over the years, she said. Andrews often hits other thrift stores in Athens when she comes to town, but doesn’t always make it to the new ReUse spot. 

The relocation has hurt business somewhat, Beckie Carsey, a cashier at ReUse Thrift Store said.  

“People used to come to our old location a lot,” Carsey said. “We had regulars, people who came on almost a daily basis, if not weekly.”

People read the signs about relocating, Carsey said, but it didn’t register with customers that ReUse wasn’t closing — only moving.

Carsey and Allman have worked hard to advertise its new location. The business has run flyers to 71 locations across the county. 

Though ReUse is struggling with informing people of its move, the new location has its perks, Carsey said. 

“Even though our new location is smaller, we have utilized every bit of space,” she said. “We have lots of nice merchandise out, and we have better lighting and AC.”

Lighting was a big issue in the old store, Carsey said. Customers sometimes had difficulty seeing things in the back of the store. 

“It’s so much better now, cleaner and neat,” she said. 

Like Allman and Belcher, Carsey’s favorite part of working for ReUse is helping people.

“The best part is helping people in the community,” she said. “We’re very community-based. We have lots of employment positions.”

ReUse Industries has many volunteer and employment opportunities. It works with Jobs and Family Services, as well as Ohio University in a work-study position, among others.

Carsey encourages people to check out the ReUse Industries Facebook page for in-store deals and items, as well as to stay up to date with workshops and special events. 

@_kerijohnson

kj153517@ohio.edu  

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