Nu2U Again is a resale store founded with the goal of offering meaningful work for people with disabilities. Originally founded by Lisa Rentschler to create a job for her son Connor, it has since grown into a local staple. The community support is the reason the business has been able to expand.
“At the beginning, we took the leap of faith, you know, a push from God that this is the path that you needed to be on,” Rentschler said. “And the closest experience that I had to a retail store was shopping in one, or when I worked part-time at a call center for credit cards. So, no experience with a nonprofit, no experience with managing retail. At the beginning, we did not see an expansion.”
The whole Nu2U team is excited about the prospects this new location offers.
“We looked at a couple places, and this was definitely the best one,” Allison Bradley, a member of the nonprofit, said. “A lot of foot traffic. A couple of the other ones we looked at weren’t in shopping areas.”
Because of the nature of the nonprofit, accessibility was a huge consideration in this expansion. Some employees use the bus to get to work, which can be difficult if public transportation doesn’t reach the shop.
“In Saline, the closest bus stop is Walmart,” Rentschler said. “To get from Walmart to where we are, it’s a couple miles on a very busy road. There’s no sidewalk all the way.”
One employee in particular had to reduce his hours because of the trip.
“He dropped down to one day even though he liked working with us,” Rentschler said. “And I remember when we were first talking to him when we had secured the lease in this spot, and I said to him, ‘We signed a lease for a store in Ypsilanti, and it’s right on a bus line. And he said, ‘When’s it gonna be open?’”
Donations from the community are what have made this expansion possible, both Rentschler and Bradley emphasized. They’re both grateful for the support that has allowed them to continue their mission.
“The long-term goal is to branch into other communities and try to make a difference and help as many, you know, individuals with disabilities as we can,” Bradley said.
The new store location is at 3140 Carpenter Rd, Ypsilanti, MI, 48157. The official grand opening will be on Monday, September 30th.
Photos by Matt Rosentreter
