Minneapolis Duplex Owners Lose Valuable Resource

One of the best resources in Minneapolis for restoring duplexes to their original charm and character queitly closed its doors last month.

The ReUse Center just off of Lake Street, which sold salvaged building materials and architectural pieces, was closed by the non-profit organization that ran it; The Green Institute.

The ReUse Center was one of the first places to look if you were trying to replace a vintage Craftsman-era door, Victorian doorknob or simply needed a small amount of paint or tile. The Green Institute ran the retail store under the premise of keeping reusable building materials out of landfills.

In short, the Center was closed because it simply wasn’t profitable.

While there are hopes that after some business reorganization the ReUse Center can re-open next year, there doesn’t seem to be a concrete date for that to happen.

Until then, the Green Institute’s other ReUse Center, at 1723 E. Highway 36 in Maplewood remains open for now.

Of course, it’s important to note that the Twin Cities are relatively rich with architectural salvage companies. Google it. You’ll be surprised at what you find.