Habitat Home Store moving to new location
From Staff Reports
Blount County Habitat for Humanity is moving its Home Store operation to the Ross Furniture Building near Foothills Mall.
The Habitat Home Store has been operating in the old Maryville Furniture building at 212 College Street since 2004. The nonprofit agency sells donated household goods and construction materials to support its mission to build affordable housing in Blount County.
Habitat President/CEO Tony Gibbons said the agency will be leasing the Ross building, which is owned by Ross Birchfield. Habitat also leased the College Street building.
He said the new location offers the same amount of floor space â€" 24,000 square feet â€" but it is all on one floor instead of four floors in the current building.
The new location will also allow better access for donation dropoffs and an updated showroom for customers. Store hours will be expanded to allow weekend and some evening shopping.
A grand opening and celebration is planned for late May or early June at the new building, located at 548 North Foothills Plaza Dr., Maryville.
Habitat, a Christian housing ministry, has built more than 100 homes since its inception in 1992.
Its mission is to provide affordable housing to low-income families, primarily through homeownership. Families buy the homes at cost and pay a zero-interest mortgage. Future homeowners and volunteers also provide the labor for building the homes.
The Habitat Home Store provides financial support toward the overall mission from the proceeds of its sales.
Gibbons credited several people who helped in the negotiations for the new location. Habitat was represented by Roger Denny, NAI Knoxville, while Ross Furniture was represented by Jackie Mills and Frank Weiskopf of Realty Executives.
