New and used and awesome

I have recently discovered the awesomeness that is a used building supply store. Aisle upon aisle jam-packed with practical and beautiful items ripped from homes undergoing restoration. Seriously, there's everything from ripped up floor boards, to stained glass windows, to cabinets and even kitchen sinks!

In my neighbourhood, we're lucky enough to have two of these places just spitting distance away. Closest is the ReStore which is operated by Habitat For Humanity. I literally drive by this place every day on my way to work and I've never gone in until last week. One of the best items I spotted was a giant bin of burlap sacks - each for just 25 cents! Sadly, I couldn't think of a good project for them so I had to walk on by.

We also have Jack's New and Used a bit further down the road. It looks like the kind of place that has guard dogs roaming the lot after dark, but it's such an amazing place to explore in the daylight.

Most items are arranged all willy-nilly out in the open, but they also have a selection of finer items kept safely under cover. Obviously their stock changes all the time, but I was drooling over a set of corbels (that I have absolutely no need for) and a pile of brass doorknobs that another customer was buying. 

If you need to bring the kids along, be sure to bring a second adult along to help wrangle them. While the exploration prospects are huge at a place like this, so too are the dangers.

On the day we went, we were on the look out for a few very specific items and came away with exactly what we were looking for...what we bought will have to remain a secret for another post (or two) though! Stay tuned!