It’s been in the works for two-and-a-half years but officially became a reality last Thursday when Habitat for Humanity of Putnam (HFHP) Board President Bucky Kahl cut the ribbon to open the organization’s new ReStore building at 866 Harmony Rd., Eatonton.
“Our investors are our donors, people who trust us and have faith in our mission, give us money, give us resources, give us donations, and so on. And they have high expectations of us,” HFHP Executive Director Murali Thiramul said.
“This move was both strategic and calculated,” he continued. “As (board member) Linda Moore said at the opening, we will not be paying rent anymore. Our mortgage is minimal, thanks to the donor who made this property possible for us. We are actually saving money. And just to know that saving is now going to get directly funded into the mission of building homes in Putnam County; it’s just a very good feeling.”
There were smiles all around as well-wishers and supporters milled about the expansive, renovated warehouse.
What once was a series of randomly sized and shaped rooms is now a large, airy showroom that’s already been filled with furniture, major appliances, artworks, sporting goods, and a wide variety of household items.
“It’s a very nice ReStore. And I don’t mean to say that just because it’s ours. I say that because I’ve been in a lot of them, visited numerous ones, I’ve even run several of them, so I have something to compare to,” Thiramul said. “It’s an envious piece of property, location, the layout, and everything.
The new space also accommodates HFHP offices, plus a sizable conference room, a staff kitchen, and storage closets. Outside, there’s also much more room for trucks and customers to maneuver while making drop-offs or taking deliveries than the organization’s previous rented space just 1.3 miles away alongside Hwy. 44.
“It was a very controlled move from the get-go. We had two-and-a-half years to plan the move and optimized every minute. We, in fact, got in here three weeks ahead of schedule, and construction was completed a month ahead of schedule,” Thiramul pointed out. “And now I feel like I’ve given birth to triplets,” he added. “But that’s a good thing. Now the work is really cut out for us – just like having triplets.”