“It’s a great feeling to get up in the morning and know I’m doing good things.”
Scott Husch would rather make a difference than a buck.
As the new Director of the Habitat ReStores in Newport News, Williamsburg and Yorktown, Scott is doing both, knowing that every dollar made makes a positive impact.
The ReStores operated by Habitat for Humanity Peninsula and Greater Williamsburg sell new and gently used furniture, appliances, contracting supplies and more at prices 30-90% below retail. All proceeds go toward building Habitat houses locally that are sold to families who pay back no-interest mortgages. Those mortgage payments are recycled back into the community to construct more houses.
“I knew this work would be fulfilling, but it’s much more fulfilling than what I originally expected,” said Scott, who spent more than 40 years working in retail for multiple companies. “When you’re in corporate retail, it’s all about how much money you make, not who you make the money for. That’s not the case here. When you go to a ribbon cutting or a groundbreaking for a Habitat house, you see the tangible results. It’s just that much more meaningful.”
Scott began managing the Newport News ReStore in June 2022 and, in this new role, he has invested time in learning the personalities of the three stores. The Williamsburg store is massive and much of its furniture reflects the elevated values of homes in that region. The store includes a case for rare collectibles and its housewares section is a shopper’s oasis. The Newport News store has the largest selection of office furniture and is a treasure hunt for contractors looking for building supplies, appliances and paint. The newly opened Yorktown ReStore offers a boutique feel with an eclectic mix of finds. Each of the stores represents distinct communities.
“If we’re building and repairing homes for the community, we should be part of that community,” he says.
Building connection between customer and ReStore is a top priority for him. The Newport News ReStore hosted fundraising game nights earlier this year and plans to offer more of those in the coming year at more of the stores. The Yorktown ReStore is working toward a Lego Build night. Scott took several pies to the face all in an effort to raise funds at the Newport News Store. He watched in delight as two little girls who spoke no English giggled endlessly after smacking him with a whipped cream pie.
“That was the best moment of my day,” he says. “Anything to lighten the mood and make customers feel welcome.”
Each of the ReStores will introduce a Royalty Rewards program later this month to reward loyal customers. Scott is also mindful of finding innovative ways to reduce paperwork so the ReStore can reduce its carbon footprint.
“We want to be good stewards to the community we serve,” he says.
In his role, Scott aims to be “a Ted Lasso kind of guy,” he says, referring to the fictional character from the popular series who wins people over through his kind and compassionate approach to coaching.
“I use him as a model a lot — the idea of being compassionate and passionate about what you’re doing at the same time,” Scott says. He is happy to work with the ReStore managers for cross promotions and consensus on ideas to bring more awareness to Habitat’s mission of building homes, communities and hope. Scott adds, “It’s a great feeling to get up in the morning and know I’m doing good things.”
