What if every purchase in your store didn’t just drive sales — but changed a life? In an episode of Retail Revelations: Inside the Deal, Senior Vice President of Retail Operations for Habitat for Humanity of Greater Los Angeles Angy Smith spoke with ASD Market Week VIP Attendee Relations Director Stephanie Beringhele about how she’s redefining what retail can accomplish. With a background in big-box powerhouses like Home Depot and Lowe’s, Smith brings serious retail acumen to the nonprofit world — using merchandising, sourcing, and community partnerships to turn donated goods into meaningful impact.

From Corporate Sales Floors to Community-Driven Stores

Smith’s retail journey began early (at age 10) and took her through leadership positions at national retail giants. When she transitioned to Habitat LA, she found a way to channel her deep retail expertise into a mission-driven environment where every transaction contributes to building homes, strengthening communities, and creating paths to intergenerational wealth.

“I’m a retail geek,” Smith said, “but this fills my heart. … Any bad day at Habitat LA outplays any day in my for-profit life that was amazing.”

That passion is baked into every retail decision she makes, from buying to visual merchandising to hiring. Rather than chasing volume or hype, her strategy is grounded in relevance, practicality, and long-term benefit — both for the customer and for the community.

ReStore: Where Retail Meets Resilience

The ReStore model sits at the intersection of donation and discovery. Split between donated inventory and purchased product, each store cultivates the kind of “treasure hunt” environment that keeps shoppers coming back — and that Smith enjoys, too. “You can always find me in receiving,” she said, “looking at what just came off the truck.” That energy, the thrill of seeing what’s new, is central to ReStore’s success.

But ReStore’s priorities are practical, too. Smith’s team pays close attention to shifting shopping behaviors and local economic signals. One example: When big-ticket furniture slowed, they focused on everyday essentials. By sourcing deep-discount basics (everything from bandages to light bulbs) and layering in impulse-inspiring convenience buys, they boosted average basket sizes and kept the merchandise mix fresh and accessible.

Leadership That’s All About Cultivating Leaders

While mission is central to the brand, it’s Smith’s leadership style that keeps the machine running. Her approach? Embrace vulnerability and let your team take risks. “I try to take all the responsibility for the things that don’t go well, and really empower my team to try things, make mistakes, be vulnerable — I’m vulnerable, not all the decisions I make are right. But vulnerability is really critical in leadership,” she said.

That environment enables innovation without fear. Whether it’s testing new product categories or launching localized social campaigns, Smith’s team operates with clear goals — and permission to try new things. Weekly updates keep everyone informed on economic conditions and shifting industry trends, fostering buy-in at all levels.

Even in challenging seasons, morale remains high. “We celebrate the little wins — if somebody that is uncomfortable selling something jumped out of their comfort zone and sold an entire vignette of furniture, we make a big deal out of that,” Smith said. “When you can’t hand out $100 bills left and right, just making sure everyone knows how much you appreciate them, that goes a lot farther.”

Scaling Collaboration and Impact

Smith’s belief in sharing knowledge doesn’t stop at her stores. She also leads the ReStore Symposium, a gathering of Habitat affiliates whose stores each generate over $1M in sales annually. The event helps store leaders break down silos, collaborate, and bring new efficiencies to the mission. But it’s not just about trading ideas — it’s about scaling them, applying best practices across markets, and transforming innovation into impact. Smith also invites vendors and partners to the table, reinforcing that everyone has a role to play in making purpose-driven retail more effective and sustainable.

The Recommerce Revolution

Recommerce is clearly on the rise, and Smith sees it as a lasting shift in consumer mindset. With shoppers increasingly drawn to value, uniqueness, and sustainability, secondhand is becoming a key part of retail strategies — even among traditional retailers. Smith notes that younger, thrift-native generations are leading the way: “Those that are coming of retail age are already used to secondhand,” she said. “They’re going to see that that is a very viable piece of retail; it’s just going to be in their DNA.”

Finding Value in the Retail World

When it comes to sourcing new items to augment ReStore’s secondhand offerings, Smith heads to ASD Market Week. “Being able to find a great value that I can still turn around and sell, where I’m still beating whatever retail price is, that’s where the ASD show is the sweet spot,” she said.

Whether you’re focused on closeouts or category expansion, ASD offers access to a curated selection of over 1 million products that support retail strategies of all kinds. Register now to discover unique, margin-friendly finds for your store during the next ASD Market Week, March 2026 in Las Vegas.