A year after the creation of the BaRC Re-tail Store, charged with taking reusable items out of the garbage stream, the Central Whidbey venue is thriving.

Manager Bobby Bryant said the building supply and reclamation store, operated by the non-profit Whidbey Animals’ Improvement Foundation, removed 84,000 pounds of reusable items from the land fill in 2013. This year through August, the store has removed more than 100,000 pounds of reusable items.

“This time last year, we had a tenth of the space and items we have now,” Bryant said. “We’ve really exploded in the last year.”

The retail store, located at the solid waste transfer station in Coupeville, works closely with Island County staff to identify and transfer items that could be sold and reused. The store held a grand opening in May of last year, and opened with $5,000 from Island County for start-up costs.

“The goal is to get stuff out of the waste stream,” said Gene Clark, the county’s recycling and hazardous waste coordinator.

Clark said the 84,000 pounds of items that were removed from the county’s solid waste last year through the BaRC Re-tail store would translate into two or three semi-trailer trucks that don’t have to be transported off the island and into a landfill.

“If these things can find a second life somewhere, that’s great,” Clark said.

Bryant said the store’s mission started out focusing on building supplies like doors, windows, lumber, paints and sinks. But they’ve expanded into carrying just about anything they think they can resell.

Among the many items for sale now at the store include chairs, bikes, treadmills and lamps.

The most interesting thing he’s seen come through was a set of 22-inch-high Laurel and Hardy statues they were able to sell for $100.

“They were going to the dump,” Bryant said.

They are also able to take hard-to-recycle items like printers, stereo equipment, DVD players and other broken items through their E-Item program for a few dollars.

All the proceeds go back into the operation of the store, but the ultimate goal, said Bryant, is to make enough to benefit WAIF and its efforts to “create a community in which animals are treated with compassion and respect,” according to its mission statement.

Bryant said other WAIF thrift stores in Freeland and Oak Harbor didn’t start making money for the organization until about the third year. WAIF also manages animal shelters in Coupeville and Oak Harbor.

The growing BaRC Re-tail program now has three paid employees and three volunteers.

Richard Stroter said he started volunteering for the program because it’s his chance to give back. Plus, he said, “it helps the puppies and kitties.”

The BaRC Re-tail store is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

For more information about the store and WAIF, visit www.waifanimals.org