Seventeen years ago, in June 1993, we began writing the business plan that launched The ReUse People. Part of our vision was a chain of salvage yards and warehouses from San Diego to Brownsville and then expanding north to the Canadian Border and east to the Atlantic. As most of you know, our expansion hasn't that systematic -- at least not geographically. However, the fact that it has happened at all is a tribute to our partner retail-warehouses, some of which I would like to recognize today.

The TRP business model combines two distinct elements: 1) finding and salvaging used materials and 2) distributing and selling those materials. The task of finding the materials includes hiring a regional manager capable of selling the ReUse Solution™, training TRP-certified deconstruction contractors and ensuring that the materials are properly handled and shipped. Distributing and selling salvaged materials requires the help of others -- our retail partners.

From 30 to 50 residential deconstruction projects per year must be secured in order to sustain one retail warehouse. However, it generally takes three to four years to achieve this annual volume. For TRP to immediately open its own warehouse upon moving into a new geographical area might well prove disastrous. We would end up paying for underutilized space and staff, offering a very limited selection of materials and developing very few repeat customers.

Partner warehouses solve this dilemma by receiving the materials salvaged from TRP deconstruction projects during the early years. A few of our current partners are listed below along with brief descriptions of their operations. Each of these great organizations accepts TRP materials knowing that, at some time in the future -- when the volume of materials exceeds their storage and sales capacity -- we may open our own facility in their community.

Becoming a TRP partner makes great economic and marketing sense for well managed organizations because:

1. TRP materials use a limited amount of existing retail space.
2. TRP materials help attract new customers to the facility, building customer base.
3. The partner warehouse does not have to rely exclusively on TRP materials.
4. When TRP opens its own warehouse, the former partner will continue to receive all of the materials from projects it refers to TRP.

I'm pleased to introduce five of our current partners:

The Away Station is in Fairfax, California (www.TheAwayStation.org). This Marin County store, co-located with Fairfax Lumber, features all types of used and salvaged building materials. If they don't have what you need, Fairfax Lumber will, including FSC lumber and other green products. The Away Station is the first such business in Marin County and the newest of our partners.

Habitat for Humanity ReStores, Orange County (www.restoreoc.org). With two convenient locations, these folks enable house building and remodeling at great savings. Each store has a different inventory with new items arriving every day -- kitchen cabinets, vanities, furniture, appliances, tile, carpets, paint, doors, windows and more.

Habitat for Humanity Restore, Kansas City MO (www.ReStoreKC.org). Habitat Kansas City offers over 40,000 square feet of some of the highest quality, lowest cost building materials in the midwest. A friendly and knowledgeable staff is eager to help you six days a week.

The ReBuilding Exchange, Chicago (www.rebuildingexchange.org) boasts a materials selection as diverse as its customer base. Whether salvaged from a deconstruction project or donated by a homeowner or contractor, they have it. Customers include artists, home builders, lower-income homeowners, community gardens, and several well known Chicago restaurants.

The ReCONNstruction Center, New Britain, (www.ReCONNstructionCenter.org) is the only building materials reuse store in central Connecticut. They have a wide variety of used materials for sale at very reasonable prices and put a great deal of emphasis on customer service. Happy customers become repeat customers and help spread the word.

These great reuse businesses are ready to serve you, and I strongly encourage you to visit any that are located in your area. Beginning this month, they will be listing monthly specials and new inventory in this e-letter on a regular basis (see "Specials of the Month" and "New Inventory," below). For complete addresses and contact information, see "Location and Contact Information," below.

Two-day Workshop Agenda

Day 1 (Classroom): Safety • Tools • Equipment • Layout of jobsite • Sequence of work • Deconstruction techniques • Layered materials • Debris handling • Maintaining salvage values• Handling & shipping • Successful bidding

Day 2 (Jobsite): Jobsite inspection and layout • Identifying materials to be salvaged • Removal and handling • Identifying materials for recycling • Location and use of local recycling centers • Bid preparation • Final wrap-up

2010 Reuse Contest
Our 2008 and 2009 reuse contests were so successful that we've decided to sponsor the competition annually. Every entrant receives a $25 gift certificate, and winners receive additional gift certificates worth up to $225 at TRP warehouses. Click here for more information and contest rules.

• West Coast Green. October 1-3, Fort Mason Center, San Francisco. This is one of the big Northern California green shows. TRP has participated for several years and will be there again this year. www.westcoastgreen.com