Los Angeles Warehouse Celebrates Grand Opening

As you may recall, we opened our Los Angeles store on February 1 of this year. Now, three months later, the grand opening is coming up on Friday, May 9. Waiting has allowed us to receive materials, organize the space, get our systems in place and, frankly, look presentable. So, while we had our “soft” opening in February, the grand opening will be a bona fide “event,” including speakers and dignitaries from the City of Los Angeles, the California Integrated Waste Management Board, the U.S. EPA and UCLA.

Refreshments will be served, there will be door prizes and a tour, plus we’ll be offering a deep discount on doors -- any size or style for just $5.00. Talk about door prizes!

Store Manager Shannon Barnes and her assistant, Louis Suriano, have been working diligently to prepare for this event.

We have a full inventory of high-quality used building materials, including appliances, bricks, cabinets, doors, electrical, flooring, garden planters, hardware, lumber, plumbing fixtures, roofing tile, siding and windows.

Since our inception almost 15 years ago, we have actively sought enduring partnerships. The concept and creation of this warehouse is no exception. In searching for the right location, we sought a neighborhood and community with a large population of first-time homebuyers who would likely take advantage of our high-quality, low-priced materials to improve their homes. To assist us in this new venture, the City of Los Angeles stepped up as a partner. Together we received a very generous grant from the California Integrated Waste Management Board. Further assistance, for the grand opening, and to promote the new warehouse, was provided by a second generous grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Additional partners include local demolition (deconstruction) contractors who are TRP certified to carefully deconstruct buildings and properly salvage their reusable materials. Typically, these contractors can salvage between 50 and 75 percent of a given house. The materials recovered and offered for sale at the Pacoima warehouse benefit the entire community by:

1. Enabling homeowners to purchase quality materials (often better than new) at bargain prices.
2. Conserving the environment by reducing the amount of waste relegated to landfills.
3. Saving energy by reducing the need to manufacture new, replacement materials.
4. Providing tax-deductible donation receipts to owners who donate their used building materials to TRP.

Two additional partners (and TRP customers), will be present at the grand opening to demonstrate methods of reusing salvaged lumber. One, HB Redwood, our landlord at the Pacoima facility, uses salvaged lumber to manufacture custom doors, windows, and redwood containers for the wholesale landscaping industry. The second, The Reclaimer, subleases a portion of our yard. This highly specialized company recovers quality old-growth timber, primarily Douglas Fir, from commercial buildings, residences, barns -- even pickle vats. It then sorts, grades, denails and, in some cases, mills the lumber and sells it to window and door manufacturers and furniture makers. Additional lumber is wholesaled to lumber yards throughout the U.S., Asia and Europe. The company’s custom flooring division makes reclaimed flooring to order. www.thereclaimer.net

As you can see, we have created several promising relationships in the Los Angeles community. The Pacoima store is located at 11017 Sutter Avenue, two blocks north of Van Nuys Boulevard near the confluence of three major freeways: the 5, 210 and 118. Sutter Avenue runs parallel to and just east of San Fernando Boulevard. Phone 818-897-2798.