The REAL Deal Reuse Store and Environment Centre
85 William St. W, Smiths Falls (across from the Railway Museum)
Open Wednesdays through Saturdays 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. (look for the OPEN flags!)
Closed Sundays, Mondays and Tuesdays
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| The REAL Deal Reuse Store is a project of the non-profit organization, the Rideau Environmental Action League (REAL). REAL and the REAL Deal welcome volunteers. If you have a half day or a full day that you would like to contribute please contact Dan Cunningham, Store Manager, at (613) 283-7999. |
What is it?
The REAL DEAL Store is a household goods, furniture, building supply and home improvement store that accepts and sells quality reusable materials and keeps them out of landfill. Funds raised through the sale of these materials support REAL’s many other environmental projects in our community.
Donations must be clean, and in working condition, and are subject to assessment by our staff. We reserve the right to refuse any item we feel we cannot sell. Sorry, we do not provide a pickup service.
Please be patient – we need to weigh items going in and out, and record the municipality customers come from so we can track how we are doing.
Prices are non-negotiable, and all sales are final. We now accept debit, Mastercard and Visa as well as cash.
Skip to Donations Accepted and Not Accepted
Tips for Preparing Your Donations
See photos of the installation of our backyard coverall , where we keep some of the renovation materials.
Other Waste Materials
We have drop boxes for:
- old-style thermostats
- inkjet/laser print cartridges
- batteries: single use household or rechargeable (no large e.g. car batteries)
- plastic outer milk bags
- used writing instruments
- NEW! clear pill bottles
- NEW! crayons and glue sticks
and also collect
- scrap metal and
- electrical cord (e.g. Christmas light strings)
Replacing your thermostat?
Older thermostats contain mercury, a potent neurotoxin. Bring thermostats to the REAL Deal for collection. They will be go to a recycling facility to be processed so that the mercury will not contaminate the environment.
Electronics Recycling
The REAL Deal is an EPRA (Electronic Products Recycling Association) depot. We accept old televisions, computers, game systems etc. to be recycled responsibly in Ontario.
If an electronics item is in good working order, you may sign a waiver permitting us to resell it.
What is accepted.
Some questions answered
Household Hazardous Waste
The REAL Deal is not a hazardous waste depot. Every municipality has its own arrangements for accepting materials like propane cylinders, corrosive cleaners, pesticides and fire extinguishers etc. from their residents. These depots are generally seasonal. Please consult with your municipality if you have these materials, do not bring them to us.
If you are a resident of Smiths Falls, Carleton Place, Mississippi Mills, Beckwith, Montague, Perth or Drummond North Elmsley you can use the depot in Carleton Place. See details.
Special Features
We also feature a Free Table, outside the customer entrance in good weather. Help yourself to anything on the table you could use.
Wish Book. If you are looking for something we don’t have, leave your name, number and the item in our Wish Book, located at the cash. New items arrive daily, and if it comes in, we’d like to let you know.
Tool Library. Beginning October 1, 2021, those who purchase a tool library membership will be able to borrow from our selection of about 100 tools, largely hand-held power tools.
Exterior Doors and Windows, kitchen sinks, bricks, scrap lumber, exterior doors, plant pots etc. are in the green dome and in the yard immediately behind the store. Enter through the receiving gate or from the store.
Dishware Lending. Hosting a large event? We have glassware, mugs, plates, cutlery and vases for you to borrow. Avoid the disposables or buying what you’ll never use again. Your $20 deposit will be returned when you return the items clean. See more.
Holds Policy. We understand sometimes customers need to arrange transportation. Once an item is paid for in full, we will hold it for 48 hours or to the following Wednesday if arranged on Saturday. Deposit or payment is forfeited if there is no follow through within the specified time period.
Electric Appliances and Electronics. We test every direct plug in appliance to determine if there is power before putting it out for sale, but are unable to test every feature. If you purchase an item that you find does not work to your satisfaction, please return it to us for a store credit. Sorry, we cannot issue refunds.
Location
85 William St. W., Smiths Falls
(opposite the Railway Museum)
Note: Many refer to this stretch of William as Abbott Street! We are between Garden Market and Home Hardware. Look for our yellow sign.
Phone: (613) 283-7999
Hours:
- Monday closed
- Tuesday closed
- Wednesday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Thursdays 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Fridays 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Saturdays 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Sundays closed
Look for the “open” flags!
Please do not leave donations outside of store hours:
- we need to assess everything that comes in for suitability
- we need to know what municipality it comes from
- it looks untidy to passers by
- someone may help themselves to it
- items can be ruined outside and we lose twice: we don’t make any money from it and we have to pay to dispose of it
Sorry, we do not accept these categories of materials:
clothing, draperies and bedding (try Jewels or Salvation Army)- large appliances: washers, driers, stoves, ovens etc.
- appliances containing coolant: dehumidifiers, air conditioners, water coolers, fridges, freezers
- encyclopedias and hard cover text books (put them in your blue box programs). We can take university textbooks under 15 years old.
- paint – see dothedrop.ca
- any hazardous waste or materials – see dothedrop.ca
- toys (although we are willing to put them on our Free Table, and puzzles and games are OK)
- mattresses
Some Basic Questions
Where do the goods come from?
Goods for sale in our store are donated by private individuals, building supply stores, contractors, and demolition crews. Retailers and manufacturers can donate end-of-line, scratch-and-dent, discontinued inventory and customer returns and avoid the cost of returning them to the manufacturers.
Donations
REAL gratefully accepts donations subject to approval. Items must be clean, in good repair and in sellable condition. This is not a waste disposal service; we cannot accept items that we will have to pay to dispose of. If you are unsure, please call or consult the list. Other items may be accepted or sold at REAL’s discretion. All prices and sales are final.
For items not on this list, please call (613) 283-7999 or e-mail the store. Sorry, we are unable to provide pickup or delivery service, but may be able to provide you the names/numbers of others willing to do so for a small fee.
Why are we doing this?
We know from our experience with the Reuse Centre and from our research that there are many times when it’s impossible to find a good home for a perfectly usable product – those tiles left over from a renovation, old kitchen cabinets replaced by new, doors and windows exchanged; or when someone is relocated quickly and just has to get rid of their furniture; or is downsizing. We know too that 25% of landfill is construction waste and we’d like to put a dent in the good lumber, wallboard, insulation, electrical wiring, and other construction materials that unnecessarily go to landfill.
Is REAL making money from this?
Funds raised through the sale of these materials will support the REAL Deal and REAL’s other environmental projects in our community, and create jobs and volunteer opportunities.
What is the Environment Centre about?
85 William Street is also the base for REAL’s other environmental programs, such as home energy assessments. We are a registered EPRA electronics recycling depot, and accept a number of other waste materials for reuse or recycling on site (mentioned earlier on this page.) We have printed information, rain barrels for sale, a native garden, a community garden, an environmental mural and junk art on our outside wall. A demonstration solar wall was installed in March 2015. We have established a compost demonstration site next to our community garden, and will begin selling composters in 2022. In 2019 we started a monarch butterfly/pollinator garden. Our Tool Library opened in October 2021. More features will be added as we are able. Workshops are also offered periodically – check the home page or our Facebook page for notices. Read more about the Environment Centre.
