When Harry Bohna was growing up in the North End, recycling was not a trend but a practicality.

Years later, after almost 20 years as a landlord and contractor, he has discovered other people also see the value in reusing items once thought disposable. In fact, he's banking on it.

"I love garbage," says Bohna, president of Happy Harry's Used Building Materials, the largest operation of its kind in Canada. "To me, it's just used building material. It has the connotation of recycling and that's good."

With its founder as jovial as the business name suggests, the company specializes in the salvage and resale of quality used building materials including windows, doors, bathtubs, toilets, plumbing supplies, light fixtures, lumber, cabinets and flooring. The business also features "architectural artifacts," period materials of particular interest to customers restoring old homes.

"If you have an older home an you were looking for a part for a light fixture, an electrician might suggest you get the whole house rewired," says Bohna, holding up a vinage light socket. "But maybe all you really needed was one of these."

Homeowners aren't the only ones who come calling at Happy Harry's two Winnipeg locations. Theatre set designers, farmers, hotelliers, restauranteurs, and builders also turn to Bohn'a business for materials, sometimes unique but always bargain-priced.

The compnay has salvaged materials from such varied clients as the Salvation Army, Golden Nuggest Saloon, Health Sciences Centre and the Richardson Building.

"We try to keep the products as diverse as possible," says Bohna. "The name of the game is 'sell it all.'"

Recession often leads homeowners to improve their present homes instead of moving to new ones and the recycling trend continues in earnest. Both of these factors have helped boost business for Bohna, who company is currently grossing $4 million annually.

Since its start just four years ago, the success of the business indicates Winnipeggers are not alone in their pursuit of a good deal. Happy Harry's now has six outlets in Western Canada, with two more planned for Vancouver and Toronto. The second Winnipeg store, offering higher-end used materials, opened this summer.

Five salespeople serve clients at the original location with about 25 colleagues throughout the entire organization. Bohna says he only hires people with expertise in building materials so any staff member can advise customers on the finer points of such tasks as window or door installation.

The company's St. Boniface compound sports a "Sanford and Son" motif but what's junk to some is a building bargain to another.

"When you grow up in the North End, you're familiar with anything salvageable," he says. "Today's consumers are a lot smarter. Before, there was a generation of 'use it up and throw it away' types, but it's changing.

"We buy materials from wherever we can and try to clean them up so they're resellable. But our ultimate mandate is to recycle and make a living at it."

Copyright 2006 Happy Harry's Used Building Materials. All rights reserved

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