Just off the highway in Henderson, NC, sits a cozy restaurant and event space that feels more like your grandmother’s dining room than a traditional eatery. That’s exactly what Owner Bollar Lewis had in mind when he opened Hattie’s Bistro, named in honor of his mother, who once ran the kitchen herself.
“My vision was to have things in here that people have had in their houses,” Lewis said. “By shopping around, Habitat had what I needed to make it feel like home.”
Nearly every piece of furniture and decor inside Hattie’s Bistro was sourced from various Triangle ReStore locations. From the dining sets to the decor, light fixtures, and even lumber used to build a staircase.
It took a few years to collect all the pieces in the restaurant. Lewis visits the ReStores as much as he can, often three to four times a week.
“You have to shop regular in order to see something new coming in,” Lewis said. "It might come in today and tomorrow it might be gone.”
It’s not just the food that draws people into Hattie’s; It’s the ambiance and sense of nostalgia and comfort that Lewis has carefully curated using secondhand treasures with stories of their own.
His connection to the ReStore started decades ago, when a friend suggested it as a place him and his mother should check to find building materials. Today, shopping at the ReStore is more than a hobby, it’s a way to give back to the community.
“I feel like I’m making a difference by shopping there,” Lewis said. “I want to see the community grow.”
