COVID-19, and the important steps being taken to slow its spread, are creating challenges for virtually everyone in Western Washington. Some folks are sick and trying to figure out if they have the virus. Schools are closed; parents are juggling work responsibilities with childcare in new ways. As many workers as possible are trying to work from home. We are all learning how to practice “social distancing”. How is it possible to achieve a new rhythm or find even a sliver of normalcy in these strange times?

This question has been on our minds a lot at Second Use. While we can’t do much about constraints of emergency declarations, or the direct effects of the virus, we are seeking to do what we can to make life a little better during this time. Our stores in Seattle and Tacoma are still open, and we will do our best to keep them open, while also following closely the latest public health policies and recommendations.

Yes, Our Stores Are Open

One of the great things about Second Use is that 90+% of our inventory from both stores is viewable online. You don’t even have to leave the safety of your living room to look for great ideas for your home projects. If you see items you like, you can call us to put the items on hold for a day. You can buy items over the phone and pick them up at your convenience over the following 2 days. Our stores are, by nature, well ventilated. Our employees are bleach-wiping down commonly touched surfaces, like our customer service counters, as often as they can. We have asked our employees to wash their hands regularly. And while we might be less likely to shake your hand when you visit the store right now, we still strive to offer the same level of courteous, professional customer service that we always have—from 6 feet away.

We do not know how everything will go in the next weeks and months. If our hours or operations need to change in the future, we will send out updates, to keep you informed about our status and plans. Meanwhile, we hope to weather this storm by continuing to divert trash from the landfills and offering our unique materials to the public. Please help us in this endeavor by staying home if you are ill, and by being patient with us if we are short staffed, as we ask the same of our employees.

March 17th, 2020 Update

We feel extremely lucky to still be on the job, doing this salvage and reuse thing that we love to do. In order to continue to be operational, we need your help! Here’s how:

  • Our stores are still physically open. You can come in and browse and purchase merchandise in person. However, if you are sick, you need to stay home. We all need to follow along in the proper hand-washing protocols. And you must stay 6 feet away from other persons in our store, be it an employee or another customer. We are wiping down commonly touched surfaces on a regular basis, and are here to help remind you of the 6 foot social distancing rule. Also, please make your purchases with credit cards rather than cash if at all possible.
  • Our materials drop-off doors are also still open. All the same protocols remain in place. We have to maintain our social distancing with regards to getting materials out of your vehicle and into our warehouse. We usually love using the buddy system to move stuff around, but it is just one of the many changes we have had to make.
  • Making your purchases over the phone will help us meet these state orders! If you see something on our site that you are interested in purchasing, please call in during our regular business hours to make a purchase over the phone. We will allow for extended storage, but encourage those that can, to make their pick-ups timely so we can continue to offer this extra storage time and space for those that cannot. We will also waive the restock fee for items purchased over the phone and deemed to be not what’s needed upon physical inspection.
  • With all purchases, we will do the best we can to organize and help with load outs. But we must maintain the 6 foot rule here too. If you want to remain in your vehicle, you can call us and we will arrange a location with you to get your purchases to your vehicle.

And now, more than ever, is an opportunity to be decent human beings to each other. We have made these decisions based on the orders of the state, and what we feel in our hearts is the best way to comply and remain as kind to our employees and community as possible. Thanks for your help and doing business with us!