Apr 1, 2009

Store donates its stock to Habitat ReStoreBy Mark PriceCharlotteObserver.com

The plugs will be pulled this week at Simpson’s Lighting, but the closing of the South End store will be a financial bright spot for Habitat for Humanity.

Owner Vernon Simpson is giving all his unsold stock to Habitat’s ReStore program, rather than deal with a liquidator. The city’s two ReStores, which are open to the public, will sell the merchandise to pay for construction of affordable housing in Charlotte.

“I’m amazed at how much stuff is still in the store,” said Tim Murphy, donations manager for the ReStores. “We’re talking hundreds of brand new light fixtures, ceiling fans, paintings, some furniture. We’ve already gotten six box trucks full of stuff and we’ve not put a dent in it.”

It’s not cheap stuff, either. Price tags show many of lights to be in the $400 plus range, including oversized chandeliers that would fit only Charlotte’s biggest mansions.

Murphy doesn’t have a total for the donations, but he counted nearly 600 fixtures dangling from the ceiling in one of the show rooms.

A businessman to the end, Simpson intends to leave his front door open to customers, while Habitat volunteers haul stuff out the back. Habitat hopes to have the bulk out this weekend.

Read complete article.