When asking yourself about something to do near me in Austin with a group of friends or family, consider
Austin Habitat for Humanity ReStore
Why Austin Habitat for Humanity ReStore is a fun option when searching for things to do near me with friends and family
Austin Habitat for Humanity ReStore is a unique nonprofit home improvement store and donation center that serves the Austin, Texas community with multiple convenient locations including South Austin, Northwest Austin, and San Marcos. The ReStore offers a variety of new and gently used building materials, furniture, home goods, cabinetry, flooring, appliances, and more—ideal for anyone looking to make budget-friendly home improvements or find unique vintage and refurbished items. Its inventory includes everything from butcher block countertops to doors, flooring, and windows, making it a haven for DIY enthusiasts, handymen, and sustainable shoppers alike. Beyond great deals, shopping at Austin Habitat ReStore supports a powerful mission: all proceeds fund Habitat for Humanity's efforts to build and repair affordable homes and provide financial education to local families in need. Their accessible donation process and discount days for seniors, veterans, active military, and first responders enhance community involvement. With flexible store hours and an online shopping option, the ReStore is a community-focused destination where you can refresh your living space while helping neighbors build a better future.
Here's what people think of Austin Habitat for Humanity ReStore
As of recent, Austin Habitat for Humanity ReStore holds a 4.1-star rating based on 908 reviews.
Overall, Austin Habitat for Humanity ReStore maintains a solid reputation with a 4.1-star rating based on over 900 reviews. Customers frequently praise the store for its great selection of affordable home improvement and decor items, highlighting the variety of both new and gently used materials that can fit diverse project needs. Positive remarks often include the store's community-driven mission, noting how shopping here supports affordable housing efforts which many find rewarding. Customers also appreciate the helpful staff, clean and organized store layouts, and the availability of discount days for seniors, veterans, and first responders that enhance accessibility and savings. On the other hand, some negative reviews mention occasional inconsistencies in inventory availability and pricing transparency. A few customers have experienced difficulties with the donation process or scheduling pick-ups, and some feel the store could improve in stocking consistently newer materials or offering more detailed product information. Despite these critiques, many reviews conclude that the ReStore strikes a good balance between quality, affordability, and purpose-driven shopping. For those wanting to support a meaningful cause while purchasing supplies for home projects, Austin Habitat for Humanity ReStore remains a highly recommended and valued resource in the Austin area.
Highlights from reviewers (Most Relevant)
Wes Ho
Always a great place to shop for hardware, furniture, housewares and your next renovation project. Used and new products are more affordable than the big box stores. Worth a visit if you haven’t checked them out. I’m sure you are gonna find something you need but for less money.
J R
I went searching for some flooring and Shawn was so helpful! I was on a budget, single mom remodeling our house with little to no help and right away he walked me over to some flooring that had just come in and on sale so I came back the next week to purchase. He helped me from day 1 to loading and all with a smile. Habitat truly helped me save so much money and the flooring came out beautifully! Ty guys! 🙏
May Loomis
Shopping here is a complicated experience. On the one hand, it's generally relaxing, and a way to be able to shop when you are a poor cancer patient with 20k in medical debt and difficulty working while doing multiple surgeries and chemo with no financial assistance available. So you know, I'm poor. On the other hand, the manager there loves to price gouge the poor people who shop there. Because, in her words, she would rather melt it down for scrap than discount the broken item down to a reasonable price. And by reasonable, I mean loosely reasonable. I was asking for at least a 2 dollar discount on a severely damaged item that I was hoping to find a way to fix. Five cents would have been a realistically reasonable price. I paid 4 for the other, functional clamp of the set. Which was also price gouging poor people, but nothing like asking me to pay 3 dollars for something clearly broken. To be fully transparent, this was something on sale on Amazon for about 15. Which I couldn't afford. I needed it to put up a desk shield to protect me during my immunotherapy chemo treatments. My work provided the shield, but no feet to stand it up. I was super happy to see it there at the re-store. But then came the manager, who was rude, condescending, and wanted to upcharge the other item I was going to purchase also. I got the clamp. I had to. But I left furious at how rude she was to me, at how she had forgotten her mission in favor of making money off of poor people, and at the store, for putting someone in charge who was so rude to customers, and who had no concept of the mission. Who would rather melt something for 20 cents in scrap than sell it for a reasonable price. And now I'm mad at the store. It will take some time for me to be comfortable going back. There are a lot of good people there, but she has soured it for me. As the manager, she should know better. Shame on her.
David Yeadon
Wow. The manager Kacey here was so rude. The guy at the door let us in with our dog who was off leash. She is an old service dog. The manager proceeded to be very rude with us and tell us she wouldn’t help us buy the 1 door we were looking at. She said she is the manager. EDIT. Did your team speak with the manager who scolded us for having a dog? EDIT JULY 18. Has the manager been spoken with about not being rude to customers yet?
Hiep Le
As the store manager, she should ensure that prices are clearly marked on the merchandise. When I inquired about the prices on several items, her responses seemed arbitrary, as if she were just pulling them out of her ass. In response, I offered my own price, only for her to retort, "This isn’t a garage sale!" I felt it was only fair to point out that if prices aren’t clearly displayed, then we’re both just guessing. If there's no price tag, we should both be able to negotiate fairly!
Wes Ho
Always a great place to shop for hardware, furniture, housewares and your next renovation project. Used and new products are more affordable than the big box stores. Worth a visit if you haven’t checked them out. I’m sure you are gonna find something you need but for less money.
J R
I went searching for some flooring and Shawn was so helpful! I was on a budget, single mom remodeling our house with little to no help and right away he walked me over to some flooring that had just come in and on sale so I came back the next week to purchase. He helped me from day 1 to loading and all with a smile. Habitat truly helped me save so much money and the flooring came out beautifully! Ty guys! 🙏
May Loomis
Shopping here is a complicated experience. On the one hand, it's generally relaxing, and a way to be able to shop when you are a poor cancer patient with 20k in medical debt and difficulty working while doing multiple surgeries and chemo with no financial assistance available. So you know, I'm poor. On the other hand, the manager there loves to price gouge the poor people who shop there. Because, in her words, she would rather melt it down for scrap than discount the broken item down to a reasonable price. And by reasonable, I mean loosely reasonable. I was asking for at least a 2 dollar discount on a severely damaged item that I was hoping to find a way to fix. Five cents would have been a realistically reasonable price. I paid 4 for the other, functional clamp of the set. Which was also price gouging poor people, but nothing like asking me to pay 3 dollars for something clearly broken. To be fully transparent, this was something on sale on Amazon for about 15. Which I couldn't afford. I needed it to put up a desk shield to protect me during my immunotherapy chemo treatments. My work provided the shield, but no feet to stand it up. I was super happy to see it there at the re-store. But then came the manager, who was rude, condescending, and wanted to upcharge the other item I was going to purchase also. I got the clamp. I had to. But I left furious at how rude she was to me, at how she had forgotten her mission in favor of making money off of poor people, and at the store, for putting someone in charge who was so rude to customers, and who had no concept of the mission. Who would rather melt something for 20 cents in scrap than sell it for a reasonable price. And now I'm mad at the store. It will take some time for me to be comfortable going back. There are a lot of good people there, but she has soured it for me. As the manager, she should know better. Shame on her.
David Yeadon
Wow. The manager Kacey here was so rude. The guy at the door let us in with our dog who was off leash. She is an old service dog. The manager proceeded to be very rude with us and tell us she wouldn’t help us buy the 1 door we were looking at. She said she is the manager. EDIT. Did your team speak with the manager who scolded us for having a dog? EDIT JULY 18. Has the manager been spoken with about not being rude to customers yet?
Hiep Le
As the store manager, she should ensure that prices are clearly marked on the merchandise. When I inquired about the prices on several items, her responses seemed arbitrary, as if she were just pulling them out of her ass. In response, I offered my own price, only for her to retort, "This isn’t a garage sale!" I felt it was only fair to point out that if prices aren’t clearly displayed, then we’re both just guessing. If there's no price tag, we should both be able to negotiate fairly!
Wes Ho
Always a great place to shop for hardware, furniture, housewares and your next renovation project. Used and new products are more affordable than the big box stores. Worth a visit if you haven’t checked them out. I’m sure you are gonna find something you need but for less money.
J R
I went searching for some flooring and Shawn was so helpful! I was on a budget, single mom remodeling our house with little to no help and right away he walked me over to some flooring that had just come in and on sale so I came back the next week to purchase. He helped me from day 1 to loading and all with a smile. Habitat truly helped me save so much money and the flooring came out beautifully! Ty guys! 🙏
May Loomis
Shopping here is a complicated experience. On the one hand, it's generally relaxing, and a way to be able to shop when you are a poor cancer patient with 20k in medical debt and difficulty working while doing multiple surgeries and chemo with no financial assistance available. So you know, I'm poor. On the other hand, the manager there loves to price gouge the poor people who shop there. Because, in her words, she would rather melt it down for scrap than discount the broken item down to a reasonable price. And by reasonable, I mean loosely reasonable. I was asking for at least a 2 dollar discount on a severely damaged item that I was hoping to find a way to fix. Five cents would have been a realistically reasonable price. I paid 4 for the other, functional clamp of the set. Which was also price gouging poor people, but nothing like asking me to pay 3 dollars for something clearly broken. To be fully transparent, this was something on sale on Amazon for about 15. Which I couldn't afford. I needed it to put up a desk shield to protect me during my immunotherapy chemo treatments. My work provided the shield, but no feet to stand it up. I was super happy to see it there at the re-store. But then came the manager, who was rude, condescending, and wanted to upcharge the other item I was going to purchase also. I got the clamp. I had to. But I left furious at how rude she was to me, at how she had forgotten her mission in favor of making money off of poor people, and at the store, for putting someone in charge who was so rude to customers, and who had no concept of the mission. Who would rather melt something for 20 cents in scrap than sell it for a reasonable price. And now I'm mad at the store. It will take some time for me to be comfortable going back. There are a lot of good people there, but she has soured it for me. As the manager, she should know better. Shame on her.
David Yeadon
Wow. The manager Kacey here was so rude. The guy at the door let us in with our dog who was off leash. She is an old service dog. The manager proceeded to be very rude with us and tell us she wouldn’t help us buy the 1 door we were looking at. She said she is the manager. EDIT. Did your team speak with the manager who scolded us for having a dog? EDIT JULY 18. Has the manager been spoken with about not being rude to customers yet?
Hiep Le
As the store manager, she should ensure that prices are clearly marked on the merchandise. When I inquired about the prices on several items, her responses seemed arbitrary, as if she were just pulling them out of her ass. In response, I offered my own price, only for her to retort, "This isn’t a garage sale!" I felt it was only fair to point out that if prices aren’t clearly displayed, then we’re both just guessing. If there's no price tag, we should both be able to negotiate fairly!
How to reach Austin Habitat for Humanity ReStore
None
Website: None
Why Austin Habitat for Humanity ReStore may become Your Favorite Meetup Place for Catching Up, Celebrating or Just Hanging Out
Why rally at Austin Habitat for Humanity ReStore with your friends?
Rallying with your friends at Austin Habitat for Humanity ReStore is an outstanding choice because it combines the joy of socializing with a meaningful purpose. This unique venue offers a collaborative shopping experience that helps support affordable housing initiatives, turning a casual meetup into a way to contribute to the local community. Friends who gather here can enjoy exploring a diverse range of gently used and new items, from home décor and furniture to appliances and building materials, all at discounted prices. This creates an exciting treasure hunt atmosphere, perfect for groups who love browsing and discovering hidden gems together. The ReStore’s welcoming and spacious environment encourages leisurely interaction, sharing decorating ideas, and planning future creative projects. Above all, hosting your meetup here fosters a sense of community and collective impact — your time and purchases help fund Habitat for Humanity’s mission to build and repair homes for families in need, making your gathering not only fun but also socially impactful.
What activities can I do at Austin Habitat for Humanity ReStore with my group?
Visiting Austin Habitat for Humanity ReStore as a group means engaging in a variety of activities centered around shopping, learning, and giving back. The primary activity is browsing the extensive inventory, which changes constantly due to donated items. Groups can explore unique home improvement materials, vintage furniture, art pieces, and appliances, creating opportunities for lively discussions about design and DIY possibilities. This makes the ReStore ideal for friends or family looking for inspiration for home projects or gifts. Additionally, visitors often take advantage of the store’s discount days — such as 20% off for seniors and veterans — which adds an exciting shopping challenge for groups aiming to snag great deals. Another important activity includes scheduling donation drop-offs or pickups as a group, collectively contributing items no longer needed, which strengthens bonds through shared community service. Lastly, groups can volunteer at the ReStore, participating hands-on in organizing products, assisting customers, or supporting Habitat’s mission, transforming your meetup into a fulfilling teamwork experience.
Why is Austin Habitat for Humanity ReStore perfect for a group meetup?
Austin Habitat for Humanity ReStore offers a vibrant, welcoming atmosphere that encourages social interaction and group engagement, making it a perfect place for meetups. The spacious store layout provides plenty of room for friends or family members to roam freely without feeling cramped, allowing everyone to explore different sections at their own pace while staying connected. With varied items ranging from building supplies to home accents, the ReStore caters to diverse tastes and interests, so everyone in your group can find something interesting. The store’s hours are very accommodating, open from morning until evening, including weekends, giving groups flexibility in planning their visit without time pressure. Moreover, the strong community focus means your meetup supports a larger cause, lending your gathering an added layer of meaning and satisfaction. The option to combine shopping with volunteering or donation drop-offs empowers groups to create multi-faceted experiences that mix fun, discovery, and philanthropy seamlessly.
How can I plan a successful group visit to Austin Habitat for Humanity ReStore?
To plan an enjoyable and organized group visit to Austin Habitat for Humanity ReStore, start by coordinating a date and time that works best for everyone, ideally on weekdays or weekends during store hours: 9am to 8pm Monday through Saturday, and 11am to 6pm on Sundays. Because the inventory is ever-changing, go prepared with a flexible mindset to explore rather than expecting specific items. If your group plans to shop, encourage everyone to bring reusable bags or carts to transport their finds, enabling a smooth checkout process. Consider booking a donation pickup or gathering items ahead of time if your group wants to give back; this adds an extra layer of purpose and teamwork to the visit. Be sure to check if any discount days apply to members of your group, such as Tuesday for seniors or Wednesday for veterans, to maximize savings. Lastly, discussing any community volunteering opportunities in advance will let your group decide if they want to extend their time at the ReStore beyond shopping, enhancing both the social and charitable aspects of your meetup.
What should groups know about the variety and quality of items available at Austin Habitat for Humanity ReStore?
Austin Habitat for Humanity ReStore offers a rich and varied inventory that makes group visits exciting due to the diversity of products you can find. The stock includes gently used as well as new items such as appliances, furniture, lighting, building materials, home décor, and occasionally even specialty items like mechanical tools or electrical components. Because all items are donated, the selection changes frequently, making every visit unique and giving groups a treasure hunting experience together. The quality of items is consistently high, with the ReStore adhering to standards that ensure donations are in new or gently used condition, so shoppers can feel confident in their purchases. This quality control supports effective recycling and reuse, reducing waste and contributing to sustainable shopping. The affordable prices also mean groups can purchase quality home improvement or decoration supplies without breaking the bank, and the excitement of discovering valuable items fosters team collaboration and collective decision-making.
How does visiting Austin Habitat for Humanity ReStore benefit the community and why is this impact important for groups?
When groups choose to meet at Austin Habitat for Humanity ReStore, their activities directly support community development and affordable housing projects, making their social outing socially responsible and rewarding. The ReStore channels proceeds from sales into Habitat for Humanity’s work of building and repairing homes for families who might not otherwise afford stable housing. This creates a positive feedback loop: every item purchased or donated helps fund local construction projects that improve neighborhoods and transform lives. Groups can feel proud knowing that their time spent together contributes to a greater mission beyond just shopping. This impact fosters a sense of shared purpose and connection not only among the group members but also with the broader Austin community. Engaging in philanthropy as a group strengthens friendships and family bonds through a collective commitment to making a tangible difference in people’s lives.
What practical amenities and conveniences does Austin Habitat for Humanity ReStore offer for group visitors?
Austin Habitat for Humanity ReStore is well-equipped to accommodate group visitors with practical amenities that enhance comfort and convenience during the outing. The store locations in South Austin, Northwest Austin, and San Marcos are accessible with ample parking space, making it easy for groups traveling by car. Opening hours are generous, allowing visits throughout the day including weekends, which suits diverse schedules. The ReStore also offers donation drop-off hours aligned with store times, so groups can combine shopping and donating in one trip. Customer service is friendly and knowledgeable, ready to assist groups with questions or special needs, ensuring a smooth experience. Additionally, the online shopping option provides a fallback or supplement for those who might want to continue their exploration digitally or who cannot attend in person. These features together create a group-friendly environment that values both convenience and a fulfilling visit.
Can I combine a social meetup with volunteering at Austin Habitat for Humanity ReStore?
Absolutely, Austin Habitat for Humanity ReStore is not just a shopping destination but also an opportunity for groups to engage in volunteering activities that strengthen community ties. Volunteers help with sorting donations, stocking shelves, assisting customers, and maintaining the store environment — tasks that are ideal for groups wanting to contribute their time collectively. This shared volunteer experience transforms a casual gathering into a meaningful team-building activity that builds camaraderie while advancing Habitat’s mission. The store welcomes individuals and organized groups to participate according to their availability and interests. Volunteering here also provides insight into the ReStore’s operations and the broader impact on housing in Austin, enriching the experience for everyone involved. Combining volunteer work with shopping and socializing makes Austin Habitat for Humanity ReStore a truly multifaceted place for groups to meet.
What makes Austin Habitat for Humanity ReStore a unique pickup and donation hub for groups?
Austin Habitat for Humanity ReStore stands out by offering both donation drop-off and scheduled pickup services, making it a versatile hub for groups interested in sustainable and charitable activities. Groups can coordinate donation drives, collecting gently used goods from multiple members and either delivering them to one of the three locations or scheduling a convenient pickup. This flexibility supports group efforts to declutter responsibly and reduce waste while supporting a worthy cause. The ReStore’s donation policies ensure all items are in good condition to maximize resale value and environmental benefits. Participating in donation activities together strengthens group collaboration and gives a clear sense of accomplishment. This dual role as a resale store and donation hub ensures groups can enjoy social time while making a positive environmental and social impact through their collective action at Austin Habitat for Humanity ReStore.