Greeley-Weld Habitat for Humanity moving Restore into former JCPenney space in Greeley Mall

GREELEY — The Greeley-Weld Habitat for Humanity is moving its Restore to the former JCPenney space in the Greeley Mall from its current location in the former Kmart building at 2400 29th St. 

The move will give Habitat for Humanity about 10,000 square feet more than it currently has. In addition to hosting the organization’s discount resale store, the expanded space will allow Habitat for Humanity to consolidate its construction and administrative offices in the same building for the first time. 

“It came down to settling in at the mall for a number of reasons,” said Cheri Witt-Brown, executive director for Greeley-Weld Habitat for Humanity. “We wanted to be good community partners and help revitalize the mall. We all know malls like the Greeley Mall are distressed to say the least.”

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Witt-Brown said that Habitat for Humanity began looking for a new space for the Restore when the owners of the building it currently occupies decided to sell. It took occupancy of the former JCPenney in December and has since been renovating it to make it more energy-efficient. The store is expected to open for business in March.

The Greeley-Weld Restore has seen rapid growth in its annual sales over the past few years. Witt-Brown said that it’s grown from about $400,000 in annual sales in 2017 to nearly $1 million. The store ranked second in the nation among Restores for sales growth in 2019, Witt-Brown said, and the new space will help it push past the $1 million barrier. 

Habitat’s current administrative office, which will move into the new space, is located in a single-family home in one of the organization’s developments. That building will be sold to a daycare to serve the community.

“We’re really excited about that,” Witt-Brown said. “It will be a great amenity for the northeast side of town where there isn’t as much access to child care.”

This move comes as the Greeley-Weld Habitat for Humanity embarks on its biggest project yet: Hope Springs, which will be a nearly 500-unit housing development in west Greeley. 

“Now more than ever, affordable housing is critical,” Witt-Brown said. “People are understanding in ways they never did before how vulnerable populations can suffer.”

Hope Springs is slated to have about 175 duplexes and single-family homes, plus about 315 multifamily apartments. The community will include open space, a soccer field, a daycare center and other amenities. 

“This is something we are very serious about,” Witt-Brown said. “We see the need for affordable housing growing exponentially. To be able to develop ways of meeting that need that really start to make a substantial dent in poverty housing. We can finally bring quality affordable developments to our communities. Our hope is to have a Hope Springs in Fort Lupton, Johnstown. Every town needs a model like this. We’re very excited about the future.”