Today we’d like to introduce you to Tom Hirosky.
Discount Home Warehouse, located on Empire Central, is not the typical salvage or junk yards most are accustomed. Customers do not have to dig through grungy, dirty spaces in order to find the right piece to add character to a home because Tom utilized his previous retail expertise to make the 30,000+ square foot warehouse and architectural yard shopper-friendly.
Tom is now the sole owner of Discount Home Warehouse and his enthusiasm for architectural salvage and the environment has not waned after more than twenty years in the Dallas/Ft. Worth market.
History
Tom was introduced to the ‘salvage business’ in 1993. In February 1994, he left his manager job with Kmart to work with a local salvage firm. Six weeks later, he was let go. He had no experience with construction or salvage materials or the DFW Metroplex.
In April 1994, he drained his retirement account with Kmart and secured a loan for $2,500. He started buying salvage materials from garage/estate sales from homes scheduled to be demolished. He sold the reclaimed items via classified ads in the newspaper from a 7’x11’ mini storage unit in Arlington, TX. He was 24 years old.
In the early 90’s, Tom began visiting (i.e. scouting) the DFW “salvage yards” and was surprised to learn there were not many storefronts for most salvage materials. Merchandise was being sold piecemeal by demolition guys and selling on-site through newspaper ads. Of the handful of salvage yards with storefronts or open-to-the-public properties, he found them to have irregular hours and the merchandise was incomplete/broken/assembly-needed, unorganized, unpriced, and located outside or under open-air awnings exposed to the elements.
Merchandise was located by ‘digging or picking’ by the customer and assistance from the store staff was necessary to help locate items and haggle with ‘today’s price”.
Growth and success is because their store has:
• consistent store hours,
• staffing with the best people who enjoyed clients and salvage
• professionally salvaged items in good (re)usable condition
• pricing and organizing the product efficiently
DHW sells reclaimed hardwood floors, lighting, doors, windows, wrought iron, garden, architectural pieces’, cabinetry, antiques, and more.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
It has not been a smooth process! Although the salvage business has been around a long time, most builders, contractors, etc., didn’t participate in it. The hardest part of this business is finding good materials to resell on a consistent basis. Salvage guys didn’t have the best of reputation 20-25 years ago. Salvage, at the time, was a messy, time consuming, chaotic process. Most homeowners, builders, city inspectors and contractors didn’t have time or inclination to allow unknown folks onto their job-site to “salvage” a house for days and weeks at a time.
These people, rightly so, required that a) salvage be compensated, b) removed and disposed in a safe, professional and timely fashion, and c) without drama or a lengthy public mess.
We started a company that specialized in residential demolition, so we could control the salvage process and enable those builders, contractors and homeowners, who wanted to recycle and preserve history, a way to do it safe and in timely fashion, without the mess and.. SAVE money while doing it!
The Great Recession:
Most recessions, historically, do not adversely affect our company; most people still had projects and dreams to complete! Unique architectural items demand lessened but people still need stoves, cooktops, dishwashers, doors, windows, kitchen and bath cabinets, wood floors—and you can get those for 50-90% off retail at our store.
The GREAT recession was different (2007-2008). Construction stopped. Many of clients lost their jobs and homes. No one could get credit. Our sales dropped 50% almost overnight.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with Discount Home Warehouse – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
DHW was established to re-purpose the re-useable building materials and unique architectural pieces recovered from the vast number of homes being demolished or extensively remodeled in the Dallas/Ft. Worth Metroplex. Now this valuable salvage is integrated into new building or design projects rather than headed to overflowing landfills. We are making a difference in our environment!
I’m most proud of the relationships I’ve made and maintained over the past 22 years. I still know and work with most of the folks I met at 24, 25 and 26 years old. I was the “boy”, “son” and “youngster” in 1994, 1995… when I shaved and got a haircut, I looked like I was 12 years old. A lot of us grew up in life and business together. I wouldn’t be here today without a lot of them.
Our customers are happy that our inventory is shopper-friendly. Merchandise is organized by departments and items are tagged. For instance, one area is dedicated to plantation shutters while doors and hardwood flooring are housed in another section. Vast stock includes kitchen cabinets, claw-foot tubs, copper sinks, mantels, lighting, ceiling tiles, and hardware plus a 10,000 square foot outdoor area with wrought iron gates and fencing, garden statuaries, and urns.
DHW’s highly trained, friendly staff members also offer design expertise and advice on projects free of charge. They love working with salvage and helping customers find inspiration! Our Facebook page (@DiscountHomeWarehouse) is a robust site announcing new arrivals, inspiration ideas, and reflects our passion for upcycling and all things salvage!
So, what’s next? Any big plans?
We have to get better, do it better- IMPROVE every year, period. Success is a year-by-year judgement, not a destination.
The Do-It-Yourself (DIY) generation is for real. They know their stuff and want a better selection and better prices. We work on that every day. We now offer a better variety of product, in better condition, and a cheaper price than we did 22 years ago. We’d better be, because there’s some 20-something kid, waiting to take my place.
Contact Info:
- Address: 1768 Empire Central, Dallas, TX 75235
- Website: www.dhwsalvage.com
- Phone: 214-631-2755
- Email: info@dhwsalvage.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DiscountHomeWarehouse/
Getting in touch: VoyageDallas is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
