What Evanston Rebuilding Warehouse does

Evanston Rebuilding Warehouse (ERW) is a nonprofit organization founded in 2011 and headquartered at 2101 Dempster Street in Evanston, Illinois. It operates a single physical warehouse retail location where it sells reclaimed and reusable building materials — including doors, wood and trim, ceramic tile, plumbing fixtures, lighting, and hardware — donated by individuals and businesses, priced at 50-90% below retail value. ERW also offers professional deconstruction services for homes and building interiors using its own workforce, which simultaneously diverts material from landfills and feeds inventory back into the warehouse. The organization explicitly states it is not a technology company and does not maintain e-commerce or online ordering; all transactions occur in person.

ERW operates a tiered membership program (individual at $45/year, business at $150/year) that provides discounts and is the primary recurring revenue mechanism, supplemented by donations (with associated tax deductions), deconstruction service fees, and an annual Wrecking Ball fundraiser. Beyond retail, the organization runs a workforce training program in warehousing and deconstruction skills, free community workshops (such as the 'Working With an Architect' series), and structured volunteer roles that include a high-school pipeline through a partnership with Evanston Township High School. Its served customer base spans local homeowners and DIY renovators, small contractors, business members, and workforce trainees in the Evanston area and surrounding communities, with a stated mission of reducing construction and demolition waste in landfills while building local economic opportunity.

The organization is led by Executive Director Lou Dickson with approximately 11 full-time staff supported by a broader volunteer network and a Board of Directors. Funding comes from a mix of earned retail revenue, membership dues, donor contributions, grants (e.g., Rotary Club of Evanston Lighthouse, Taste of Evanston), and annual fundraising events. ERW holds no patents, has no outside investors, and has not undergone mergers, acquisitions, or leadership changes documented in the available material.

Name

Evanston Rebuilding Warehouse

Legal name

Evanston Rebuilding Warehouse

Website

https://evanstonrebuildingwarehouse.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Evanston Rebuilding Warehouse is a nonprofit operating a single warehouse in Evanston, Illinois, where it sells donated reclaimed building materials at deep discounts, provides deconstruction services, and runs workforce training and community education programs for local residents, contractors, and businesses.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Reclaimed Building Materials Retail

NAICS

Building Material and Supplies Dealers (4441), Remediation and Other Waste Management Services (5629)

SIC

Retail-Building Materials, Hardware, Garden Supply (5200), Retail-Lumber & Other Building Materials Dealers (5211)

akta.pro primary industry

Architectural Salvage & Reclaimed Building Elements Retail (Doors, Windows, Mantels) (CRAIANAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Repair, Refurbishment & Remanufacturing Services (EUAIANAB), Reclaimed Materials & Fixtures Retail (Cabinetry, Sinks, Faucets) (CRAIANAI)

Keywords

• Reclaimed building materials
• Deconstruction services
• Workforce training programs
• Construction waste diversion
• Reuse retail warehouse

Headquarters

HQ city

Evanston

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Retail Sales of Reclaimed Building Materials: Sells donated reclaimed and reusable building materials at the warehouse. Materials include building supplies, renovation items, doors, lighting, plumbing fixtures, hardware, ceramic tiles, wood and trim. Prices are set at 50-90% off retail value to make materials affordable while generating revenue.
2. Membership Fees: Individual memberships at $45/year and business/organization memberships at $150/year. Members receive 5% discount on everything, 10% discount on doors, access to wish lists, and monthly special discounts.
3. Donations: Accepts donated reclaimed and reusable items from individuals and businesses. Donors receive tax deductions for their contributions, which supply the warehouse inventory.
4. Annual Wrecking Ball Fundraiser: Annual fundraising event with auction and ticket sales to raise funds for operations.
5. Deconstruction Services: Provides deconstruction services for homes or building interiors using their workforce. Revenue from this service supports workforce training programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Evanston Rebuilding Warehouse sells donated reclaimed and reusable building materials (doors, wood, trim, ceramic tile, plumbing fixtures, lighting, and hardware) at 50-90% off retail value through a single physical warehouse store in Evanston, IL. It also provides professional deconstruction services for homes and building interiors using its trained workforce, and operates a workforce training program in collaboration with local community partners. All revenue supports education, job training, and job development programs.

Product overview

Evanston Rebuilding Warehouse is a non-profit organization operating a single-location retail warehouse (at 2101 Dempster, Evanston, IL) that serves as both a reclaimed building materials store and an educational/social service organization. The core offering is the physical warehouse retail operation selling salvaged building materials at reduced prices, supplemented by workforce training programs, volunteer opportunities, and community workshops. The organization operates on a membership model (individual at $45/year and business at $150/year) offering discounts and exclusive benefits. All services support the mission of landfill waste reduction through deconstruction and sustainable building practices.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Reclaimed Building Materials Sales Retail sales of reclaimed and reusable building materials at the warehouse store in Evanston, IL. Materials include doors, wood/trim, ceramic tile, plumbing fixtures, lighting, and hardware, priced at 50-90% off retail value. Customers include homeowners, DIY renovators, and local contractors.
• Deconstruction Services Professional deconstruction of homes and building interiors using ERW's trained workforce, diverting usable materials from landfills and salvaging them for resale. Service is available to homeowners, contractors, and property owners undertaking renovations or demolitions.
• Individual Membership Annual membership at $45/year for individuals, providing 5% discount on most purchases, 10% discount on doors, monthly special offers, wish list capability, and a monthly e-newsletter. Targeted at homeowners, DIY enthusiasts, and individual supporters of the organization's mission.
• Business Membership Annual membership at $150/year for businesses and organizations, providing discounted access to reclaimed materials and supporting the organization's sustainability and workforce training mission.
• Workforce Training Program Job training and job development program in warehousing, deconstruction, and related skills that fosters individual, community, and economic growth. Targeted at individuals seeking employment and career development in sustainable construction and waste management fields.
• Workshops and Events Community workshops and classes on sustainable building practices, including the free weekly 'Working With an Architect' series. Targeted at community members interested in renovation, architecture, and sustainable building.

Quantifiable outcome

• Diverts thousands of tons of waste from landfills annually
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Evanston Township High School (ETHS)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHigh school students volunteer at the warehouse through ETHS community service programs, providing workforce exposure and volunteer labor.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• The ReBuilding Center: The ReBuilding Center in Portland, Oregon is a nonprofit retail warehouse that sells salvaged and donated building materials and offers deconstruction services. It is one of the closest direct peers to ERW in mission, model, and scale.
• Second Use Building Materials Center: Second Use is a Seattle-based retailer of reclaimed building materials offering doors, fixtures, lumber, and hardware at discounted prices, with a comparable focus on architectural salvage and deconstruction-adjacent supply.
• Habitat for Humanity ReStore: Habitat for Humanity ReStores are nonprofit retail outlets that sell donated furniture, appliances, and building materials to fund affordable housing. They operate on the same donation-driven, community-impact model as ERW but at vastly greater geographic scale across the U.S.
• Community Forklift: Community Forklift is a Maryland-based nonprofit that sells donated and salvaged building materials at discounted prices to fund local housing and workforce programs. Strongly aligned with ERW's mission of affordable reuse with social impact.
• EcoBuilding Bargains: EcoBuilding Bargains is the reuse outlet of the Center for EcoTechnology in Springfield, Massachusetts, selling donated and salvaged building materials to fund sustainability programs. Directly comparable nonprofit retail and reuse model.
• Urban Ore: Urban Ore is a Berkeley, California reuse business operating a large retail yard selling salvaged building materials, furniture, and household items. Comparable product mix and emphasis on salvage retail, though it operates as a for-profit social enterprise.
• Big Reuse: Big Reuse operates nonprofit reuse facilities in Brooklyn, New York selling donated building materials and home goods at low prices, with proceeds supporting environmental and workforce programs. Highly comparable in mission and operational structure to ERW.

Regional players

• Reuse Warehouse (Houston): Operated by the City of Houston, the Reuse Warehouse accepts donated building materials and resells them at low cost for reuse. Comparable warehouse-based reuse retail, though primarily serving the Houston/Gulf Coast market rather than the Midwest.

Others

• GreenBuildingAdvisor / ProTradeNet: GreenBuildingAdvisor is a media and information platform focused on sustainable building practices, adjacent to ERW's educational and workforce training programming. Comparable in audience interest but not a direct retail competitor.

Emerging players

• PlanetReuse: Planet Reuse is a marketplace and consulting service that connects commercial projects with reclaimed building materials, including deconstruction services. Operates as an emerging online channel partially overlapping with ERW's reuse mission but at commercial scale.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/evanston-rebuilding

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Evanston Rebuilding Warehouse