MSU Surplus Store

MSU Surplus Store & Recycling Center Focal Point TV News Story

noreply@blogger.com (Aaron Cookingham - Online Sales) — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 13:39:00 +0000

"Michigan State University celebrated the opening of their new Surplus Store and Recycling Center on campus. The new building will help both the University and its surrounding communities increase their green efforts. The building itself also has unique green elements. Focal Point News Reporter, Carole Polan, takes us inside the new facility that is making MSU even more "green" than ever before."

Grand Opening Sale Event Friday, October 2, 2009

noreply@blogger.com (Kris Jolley - Store Manager) — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 16:39:00 +0000

We're celebrating the completion of the Farm Lane project with a Grand Opening Sale in our new building at the corner of Green Way and Farm Lane on Friday, October 2 from 7:30am to 3:30pm. There will be all sorts of great finds including new men's basketball apparel, football cleats, soccer jersey's, Wharton Center gift shop close outs, Laptops, LCD projectors, monitors and a nice selection of the usual furniture, scientific items and oddities. There will be free MSU Dairy Store ice cream from 11:00am to 1:00pm. Free reusable shopping bags and raffles while supplies last. Raffle prizes include custom t-shirts, hats, polo shirts, thumbdrives,two MSU rocking chairs and you won't want to miss out on our special fortune cookies.

A special thanks to our Facebook and Twitter customers for their suggestions on the giveaways.

Last Sale Day in Old Building

noreply@blogger.com (Aaron Cookingham - Online Sales) — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 14:41:00 +0000

As a send off for the last sale day in our old building we will be having a one time special:

Everything $10 or less will be Free, starting at 11 am today (Friday, Sept 4th)

There are a few restrictions: All items must be removed immediately (we will not hold any free items). Bid items, Compost, Online Items, Mattress, and Batteries are excluded from this offer. Athletics items Limit one per person, and price tag in hand claims ownership as our normal rules apply.

We have hundreds of items that will be made available all over our store, from Furniture, Electronics, Computer Equipment, Lab Equipment, Office Supplies, and more!

Bikes Availible Sept 11th

noreply@blogger.com (Aaron Cookingham - Online Sales) — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 14:49:00 +0000

100-125 bikes will be available on September 11th in our new building. Average pricing ranges between $15 and $35 with a wide rage of styles, models and conditions but can be anywhere from $5 to $300. They will be sold on a first come first served basis from 7:30 am until 3:30 pm.

Another reminder that we will be closed Monday through Thursday next week (Sept 8th to the 10th), opening for public sale on the 11th in the new building. You can find a map below or online here. Any Questions feel free to contact our store at (517) 355-0364 or e-mail us.

Closed for Moving Dates

noreply@blogger.com (Aaron Cookingham - Online Sales) — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 20:11:00 +0000

The move to our new facility has begun! We will be closed September 7 through September 10. Our first sale day in our new building will be September 11th with no preview.

We will not be selling on the 8th, and we will not be accepting drop offs or customer pickups available that week. If you purchase items this week please plan in advance to have your items picked up before the end of the week. If you are unable to pick your items up they will be made available again starting the 11th.

If you have any questions or need to make special arraignments please contact us immediately.

New Building First Sales Day and Grand Opening Dates

noreply@blogger.com (Aaron Cookingham - Online Sales) — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 18:22:00 +0000

Our first sale day in the new facility will be Friday, September 11. Normal business hours will apply throughout the rest of September.

Our grand opening event, where you'll get free stuff and other surprises will be Friday, October 2. You can RSVP on Facebook for the grand opening event. As the day gets closer we will have more information about the event, so be sure to check back for more information.

New Conference Table

noreply@blogger.com (Aaron Cookingham - Online Sales) — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 17:22:00 +0000

The new recycled glass conference room table at the MSU Surplus Store and Recycling Center has been installed. This beautiful table was created and donated by EnviroGLAS of Plano, TX.

The table is made of three piece for a total size of 5 feet across and 14 feet in length and a inch thick. The center portion has an inset metal "S" with green glass surrounding it.

Be Spartan Green

noreply@blogger.com (Aaron Cookingham - Online Sales) — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 14:13:00 +0000

Check out some great videos produced on campus about Reduce, Reuse, Recycle initiatives on campus: Be Spartan Green site. There are some great recommendations and easy ideas about how you can help make MSU a greener place.

Construction Progress - Part XXV

noreply@blogger.com (Aaron Cookingham - Online Sales) — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 19:06:00 +0000

Furniture is starting to go into the new MSU Surplus Store and Recycling Center as we are in the home stretch of finishing the new facility. On the exterior the landscaping and paving have been finished and just fences and gates are yet to be installed. The MSU Recycling processing area is fully functional with lots of bails being churned out already.

On the interior we have most all of the major elements of the building finished with just the continued installation of the furniture to be completed. Carpets, cabinets, and counter tops have all be installed and the framework for the modular furniture has been finished.

Remember to keep checking back for more updates! Also don't forget that we have a compilation of all of the constructions photos available. We would also like to thank Irish Construction Company who has been very gracious in allowing us access and keeping us up to date with the progress of construction.

Previous Updates

Construction Progress - Part XXIV

noreply@blogger.com (Aaron Cookingham - Online Sales) — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 12:50:00 +0000

Our new building is almost complete as doors, lights, electricity are being completed and the bathrooms are now fully finished at the MSU Surplus Store and Recycling Center. All of the exterior doors are now in and the MSU Surplus Store entrance has now been completed. Pavement has been laid through out most of the facility and even some landscaping is starting to show up in areas.

On the interior the bathrooms have been finished and many of the smaller finishing touches are being completed in preparation for furniture installation coming later this month.

In the MSU Recycling processing area, equipment testing has started and we now even have some materials being processed at the facility. On the processing floor large modular concert blocks have been placed for keeping the different materials separated. In addition all of the rain water retention barrels have now been installed.

Previous Updates

Closed July 3rd and Bikes Update

noreply@blogger.com (Aaron Cookingham - Online Sales) — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 12:38:00 +0000

The MSU Surplus Store will be closed Friday, July 3rd for the July 4th holiday. We will resume our normal hours again on Monday. So, our next public sale date will be Tuesday, July 7th.

For those of you interested in bikes, we still have some available (around 20-40 currently) they will be for sale on Tuesday. We do expect to receive new bikes in the near future but we do not have a date yet on when our next batch will be coming in.

Thank you and please enjoy the holiday weekend!

Bikes Available June 19th

noreply@blogger.com (Aaron Cookingham - Online Sales) — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 13:42:00 +0000

We will be picking up a new batch of bikes on June 18th and have them for sale on June 19th. They will be sold on a first come first served basis starting at 7:30 a.m. Prices are based on condition, age and model but generally will be from $25.00 to $50.00. This is our third shipment of bikes and we should be receiving more periodically throughout the rest of the summer.

Please see Our Hours and Location Information for details on sales hours and directions to the MSU Surplus Store. Any Questions feel free to contact our store at (517) 355-0364 or e-mail us. Item availability and date of sale is subject to change, please call ahead to insure items are in stock.

Construction Progress - Part XXIII

noreply@blogger.com (Aaron Cookingham - Online Sales) — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 12:34:00 +0000

We are getting closer and closer to the completion of the new MSU Surplus Store and Recycling Center. We are expecting to move to the new building in two months from now. Work is still continuing both inside and outside as sidewalks and parking lots are being paved.The ceilings are installed and electrical wires are being run.

The most exciting new feature is a large block S located by the MSU Surplus Store main entrance. It will be visible from Green Way (our new road) to make it easy to locate our main entrance.

Inside most of the large MSU Recycling equipment is installed, including the sort line and baler . The rain water retention bins that store gray water for use in the building are installed, including much of the pipes to collect and move this water.

Previous Updates

Online Store Maintenance Tonight

noreply@blogger.com (Aaron Cookingham - Online Sales) — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 18:22:00 +0000

Our online store (http://www.msusurplusstore.com) will be inaccessible tonight (June 16) from 2am-4:30am EDT for system upgrades.

We apologize for the inconvenience and thank you for your continued patience and understanding.

Construction Progress - Part XXII

noreply@blogger.com (Aaron Cookingham - Online Sales) — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 20:55:00 +0000

It has been a while since we've had an update on the new facility. Today we have a very large update of photos, including some major new additions. Starting on the exterior of the building, the good weather has allowed the start on many of the sidewalks around the building including the MSU Surplus Store Outside Covered Sales Area. Many of the roadways and parking areas are being graded and leveled throughout the job site. A major new addition is the truck scale located on the southwest corner of the facility, where MSU Surplus Store and MSU Recycling trucks will be able to weigh materials that are being processed through the facility. On the north side of the site we also have the start of the MSU Recycling drop off area, which will provide 24 hour access to recycling containers for MSU students, faculty and staff.

The largest new feature on the inside of the facility is the large conveyor, sorting line and baler in the MSU Recycling processing area. This equipment assists in moving items into sorting containers and then moves the product to the compactor for preparation for shipment to off site recycling facilities. Many of the finish items such as doors, electrical and networking outlets have been installed as the buildings completion date approaches.

Previous Updates

Map to our New Building and Artist Renderings

noreply@blogger.com (Aaron Cookingham - Online Sales) — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 16:53:00 +0000

We have an early version of the new MSU Campus Map that includes our new facility and roads that we will be close by. We are currently located on the left side of the map and will be moving to our new location just off of Farm Lane on the right side of the map. There will be two new roads that will be bordering our building; Green Way on the north side running East/West and then Recycling Road that will provide access from Service Road. You can also see where the MSU Recycling drop off will be located. It will allow for easy drive through access to recycling containers 24 hours a day.

We also have added some artist rendering of the completed MSU Surplus Store and Recycling Center. We have an aerial drawing and a few ground level drawings of the new building. In addition we have artist rendering of the MSU Recycling Center public drop-off for MSU employees and students and of the MSU Recycling processing floor and material flow.

Solar Panels

noreply@blogger.com (Aaron Cookingham - Online Sales) — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 18:18:00 +0000

Last time we had ground photos of the new MSU Surplus Store and Recycling Center's solar panels from the roof, now we have some closer photos taken from the roof which show the panels in much greater detail. This system will have a real time display in the lobby to show electricity generated. Current estimates are that over 7.5% of the buildings energy will be provided from this renewable energy source.

Also be sure to check out the list of other LEED certification items for the new building.

Friday Finds

noreply@blogger.com (Kris Jolley - Store Manager) — Fri, 08 May 2009 17:05:00 +0000

Reuse is what the MSU Surplus Store is all about. I'm always fascinated by uses people come up with for surplus finds, especially when their creations are turned into revenue. One of my favorite web sites these days is Etsy - "Your place to buy & sell all things handmade". Many items on this site are from reused or re-purposed items. If you can't find anything to buy, maybe you've got something to sell.

Please don't hesitate to share with us how you reuse items bought at the MSU Surplus Store.

Bikes Available May 8th

noreply@blogger.com (Aaron Cookingham - Online Sales) — Wed, 06 May 2009 16:16:00 +0000

Bikes will be sold on a first come first serve basis (we open at 7:30 a.m.), at the MSU Surplus Store. Price on these bikes are determined by condition, age and model but generally will be from $25.00 to $50.00. This is our second shipment of bikes and we will be receiving more periodically throughout the rest of the summer. Please see Our Hours and Location Information for details on sales hours and directions to the MSU Surplus Store. Any Questions feel free to contact our store at 355-0364 or e-mail us. Item availability and date of sale is subject to change, please call ahead to insure items are in stock.

Aerial Photos of MSU Surplus Store and Recycling Center

noreply@blogger.com (Aaron Cookingham - Online Sales) — Tue, 05 May 2009 13:27:00 +0000

We have some awesome aerial photos of the MSU Surplus Store and Recycling Center taken by Mark Staton who is helping construct the new facility. Here you can see the the progress of the entire job site and even the construction work on the Farm Lane Underpasses in the backgrounds of some of the photos.

Construction Progress - Part XXI

noreply@blogger.com (Aaron Cookingham - Online Sales) — Mon, 04 May 2009 14:18:00 +0000

The detail work on the new MSU Surplus Store and Recycling Center is continuing as many smaller projects are being completed through out the building. One of the largest projects is the installation of the roof solar panels on the south end of the building. The pads for outdoor materials collection and storage for compost, scrap metal and other materials has been finished on the South East side of the building. The rain water collection and retention system is also still being installed in some areas as the drainage pipes are being connected to the main storage area which now has the concrete retention based poured and installed. On the interior of the building most all of the ceilings and walls on the MSU Surplus Store side of the building have been completed and the offices areas have the finishing touches being done on the walls and start of ceiling installation. In the MSU Recycling processing area the HVAC and radiant heating elements are now going in as the main receiving docks have been finished in this area.

Previous Updates

MSU Compost It’s Good “Stuff”

noreply@blogger.com (Aaron Cookingham - Online Sales) — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 19:15:00 +0000

**They are selling my what?!?!?**

MooPoo, yes we sell it and it is actually really great "stuff". As one of the premier agricultural schools in country MSU currently produces approximately 10,000 cubic yards of compost annually and has been doing so since 2005. Our facility has three indoor 120 foot bays where manure is mixed and turned until heating requirements of 132 degrees Fahrenheit is achieved. The temperature remains 132 degrees for a minimum of 72 hours. It is then turned three times a week which helps to reduce weed seeds and pathogens. It meets MDOT criteria and U.S. EPA part 503 temperature criteria for pathogen kill. It also exceeds generally accepted weed seed kill criteria, and germination tests on prior batches show 0% germination of any weed seeds.

Here are just some of the potential benefits of using compost

Improves soil structure
Improves nutrient holding capacity
Reduces soil compaction and crusting
Increases ease of cultivation
Improves root growth and yields
Improves water infiltration and drought tolerance
Protects plants from disease
Increases microbial and earthworm populations

We offer a couple of different products to fit your needs whether you are a large farm or just someone with a backyard garden.

We have uncured compost that is available for $6 a cubic yard with a minimum order of 20 yards.

We also have cured compost for $20 a cubic yard that is available here at the MSU Surplus Store.

Reuse Everyday Items to Build a Solar Oven

noreply@blogger.com (Kris Jolley - Store Manager) — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 11:52:00 +0000

Check out this story on how to build a solar oven with 2 cardboard boxes, black paint, foil, and a sheet of acrylic.

Solar Oven

Construction Progress - Part XX

noreply@blogger.com (Aaron Cookingham - Online Sales) — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 12:12:00 +0000

Construction at the MSU Surplus Store and Recycling Center continues as some of the detail items are starting to show up inside and outside the new facility. On the outside, the screen wall separating the MSU Surplus Store and MSU Recycling has been completed with the addition of the wire mesh for green plants to grow on. This should create a great looking and helpful visual screen for the processing side of MSU Recycling. On the inside, the biggest change is the newly poured floors in the MSU Recycling processing area, so now all floors have been installed throughout the building. In the other areas we have paint going up on many of the walls. The MSU Surplus Store's sales floor and the MSU Storage area there is now paint going up on its internal masonry walls. The internal offices also now have paint up on many of the walls as we come closer and closer to our late summer early fall completion date.

Previous Updates

Furniture Reuse

noreply@blogger.com (Aaron Cookingham - Online Sales) — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 18:30:00 +0000

In addition to electronics recycling we have many customers who contact us looking for us to take furniture or other items that they no longer need. While we currently do not accept donations from the public there are places in the local area that do take these items. The city of East Lansing has a great list of local agencies that accept donations. Also be sure to check out your local area for reuse events, there people from the local community can bring items they no longer need and also take items that may have a need for.