Second Use
Second Use is a Seattle-based reclaimed building materials retailer operating two retail stores in Seattle and Tacoma plus a Shoreline drop-off depot. It serves DIY homeowners, contractors, and designers with salvaged vintage construction materials and professional salvage services.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1994
- HeadquartersSeattle, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Second Use does
Second Use Building Materials and Salvage is a Seattle-based retailer of reclaimed and salvaged building materials founded in 1994 (firmographic record indicates 1993) and operated as Second Use, Inc., a privately held Washington corporation under co-owner and president Dirk Wassink. The company sells a broad category set of salvaged and reclaimed items — appliances, architectural pieces, cabinets, doors, electrical, flooring, furniture, hardware, heating and cooling, lighting, lumber, masonry/tile/stone, plumbing, tools, and windows — alongside curated themed collections (Mid-Century Modern, Craftsman, Art Deco, School House, Industrial, and others) and a specialty sub-brand called The Royal Hunter that focuses on higher-priced vintage, antique, and designer items. Its underlying technology is a WordPress-based e-commerce site with online inventory browsing, search, category filtering, and theme curation, supplemented by in-store hand-pricing; there is no public API, SDK, or disclosed developer integrations.
The business operates a retail-first, direct-to-consumer model across two storefronts (Seattle at 3223 6th Ave S and Tacoma at 2328 Fawcett Ave), plus a Shoreline drop-off collection site (2300 N 165th St) for community material intake and a separate Royal Hunter presence. Revenue is generated through one-time retail sales of hand-priced individual items (ranging roughly from $5 smalls to $1,295+ for premium vintage pieces, with per-linear-foot pricing on lumber) and through professional salvage services — including salvage assessments, material pick-ups and strip-outs, lighting restoration, and a recycled-paint program. Distribution is single-country and single-metro; there is no delivery or shipping service. Customers are segmented across DIY homeowners (primary), professional contractors, designers, and schools/institutions requiring deconstruction services.
The operating model is anchored by a 27-year partnership (since 1997) with Habitat for Humanity of Seattle/King County and Tacoma/Pierce County, through which donated materials are resold to generate Habitat funds (over $4 million by 2020) and supply inventory. A supplementary supplier relationship with Urban Timber Recovery (since 2011) channels milled salvaged lumber into the store. Marketing blends content (blog, email newsletter), organic social (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter), and a recurring community-event calendar including the annual Handmade & Reclaimed Market, Fall Fest anniversary sale, monthly Artisan Pop-Up Series, and free DIY workshops. The company is independently owned with no evidence of external investment, parent entity, or acquisition activity in the available record.
Second Use firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Second Use
- Legal name
- Second Use, Inc.
- Website
- https://seconduse.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1994
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Second Use is a Seattle-based reclaimed building materials retailer operating two retail stores in Seattle and Tacoma plus a Shoreline drop-off depot. It serves DIY homeowners, contractors, and designers with salvaged vintage construction materials and professional salvage services.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Second Use industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Reclaimed Building Materials Retail
- NAICS
- Used Merchandise Retailers (459510)
- SIC
- Retail-Home Furniture, Furnishings & Equipment Stores (5700)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Reclaimed Materials & Fixtures Retail (Cabinetry, Sinks, Faucets) (CRAIANAI)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Refurbished/Upcycled Home Furnishings Retail (CRAIANAN)
Keywords
Where Second Use is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Seattle
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices3 records
Markets served
Second Use business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Operations, Personnel, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Retail Sales of Reclaimed Materials: Direct retail sales of salvaged and reclaimed building materials including appliances, architectural items, cabinets, doors, flooring, furniture, lighting, lumber, and other building materials through physical store locations and online inventory browsing.
- Salvage Services: Professional salvage services including material pick-up, strip-outs, deconstruction assessments, and drop-off handling for materials donated through Habitat for Humanity partnership.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Individual item pricing |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels9 records
Second Use product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Second Use operates retail stores that sell salvaged and reclaimed building materials including appliances, architectural items, cabinets, doors, electrical, flooring, furniture, hardware, lighting, lumber, masonry, plumbing, tools, and windows. It complements retail sales with professional salvage services such as material pick-ups, strip-outs, deconstruction assessments, lighting restoration, and a recycled paint program, serving DIY homeowners, contractors, designers, and institutions in the Seattle/Tacoma metro area.
Product overview
Second Use Building Materials and Salvage operates as a reclaimed building materials retailer with a platform of physical retail locations across the Seattle/Tacoma metro area. The core offering consists of salvaged and reclaimed building materials sold through retail stores, complemented by salvage assessment and material pick-up services for deconstruction projects. The business is organized into distinct retail locations (Seattle, Tacoma, Shoreline Drop-Off Depot) and a curated specialty brand (The Royal Hunter) featuring high-end vintage and antique items. Additional services include lighting restoration, recycled paint sales, and gift cards. The inventory is organized by material categories (appliances, cabinets, doors, electrical, flooring, furniture, hardware, lighting, lumber, masonry, plumbing, tools, windows) and curated theme collections (Mid Century Modern, Craftsman, Art Deco, etc.).
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Reclaimed Building Materials Retail Retail sales of salvaged and reclaimed building materials across categories including appliances, architectural items, cabinets, doors, electrical, flooring, furniture, hardware, lighting, lumber, masonry, plumbing, tools, and windows, for DIY homeowners, contractors, designers, and institutions.
- The Royal Hunter
Quantifiable outcome
- Over $4 million raised for Habitat for Humanity from material donations
Companies that use Second Use
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Second Use technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Second Use partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- Urban Timber Recovery (Jack Bergquist)minorUrban Timber Recovery supplies salvaged lumber to Second Use from fallen trees on private property. The business mills wood to sell as lumber or makes yard furniture from it. Over 50 items have been sold to Second Use, with most inventory selling in less than one week.
- Habitat for Humanity of Seattle/King CountycoreSince 1997, Second Use and Habitat for Humanity have built a productive relationship based on shared values of helping the community build affordable housing. When Second Use sells materials donated through Habitat, they generate funds for Habitat and support their own operations. As of 2020, over $4 million had been raised for Habitat through material donations made through Second Use.
- Habitat for Humanity of Tacoma/Pierce CountycoreSince 1997, Second Use and Habitat for Humanity have built a productive relationship based on shared values of helping the community build affordable housing. Both organizations help people exercise and strengthen their skills in home building and renovation.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves9 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Second Use competitors and assessment
Company assessmentMarket position
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Customer concentration
Second Use social profiles
Digital presenceSecond Use financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Second Use leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Second Use funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Second Use M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Second Use
What does Second Use do?
Second Use operates retail stores that sell salvaged and reclaimed building materials including appliances, architectural items, cabinets, doors, electrical, flooring, furniture, hardware, lighting, lumber, masonry, plumbing, tools, and windows. It complements retail sales with professional salvage services such as material pick-ups, strip-outs, deconstruction assessments, lighting restoration, and a recycled paint program, serving DIY homeowners, contractors, designers, and institutions in the Seattle/Tacoma metro area.
Is Second Use a public or private company?
Second Use is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Second Use founded?
Second Use was founded in 1994. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Second Use based?
Second Use is headquartered in Seattle, United States, in the North America region.
How does Second Use make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Retail Sales of Reclaimed Materials are the primary driver. The others are salvage Services.
Does Second Use have an API?
No public API is recorded for Second Use.
What industry is Second Use in?
Second Use's product category is Reclaimed Building Materials Retail. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRAIANAI, Reclaimed Materials & Fixtures Retail (Cabinetry, Sinks, Faucets), with a secondary code of CRAIANAN, Refurbished/Upcycled Home Furnishings Retail. Its NAICS code is 459510 and its SIC code is 5700.