The mismatched furniture in the 1891 Bistro recently helped provide mattresses for those in need through a charity organization designed for displaced families

NW Furniture Bank (NWFB), based in Tacoma, is a charity organization aimed to help unstable or displaced families.

NFWB is a “food bank for furniture,” according to Jim Matheny, catering manager for Central Catering. They recycle donated furniture, which would otherwise end up in a landfill or sold at a loss, and give it to those in need.

Hope Furnishings is the retail department of NFWB, and sells the better-kept furniture at a discount, which directly provides revenue to NWFB for mattresses.  

According to Matheny, a set of six maple dining chairs cost Central $299, which is normally the cost of a single chair.

The mismatched furniture in 1891 cost a total of about $12,000, said Patrick Stanton, director of auxiliary accounting at Central.

According to Hope Furnishings, every $100 of furniture purchased provides a twin-size bed for NWFB.

Additionally, Central possibly saved around $30,000 through Hope Furnishings, Stanton said. Central would have bought “bulletproof” furniture that would’ve lasted longer but not have fit the space.

“This stuff is cheaper, so if coffee is spilt on it or it’s broken, we get rid of it and get new ones,” Stanton said. “The furniture keeps changing, so you might walk in and see something new. It makes it seem like a living room.”

Industrial furniture is what Central normally uses for spaces, but it wouldn’t have worked with the atmosphere, according to Matheny. The aim was for students to not feel scared to put their feet on the tables.

“We didn’t want to come in here with brand new furniture where people wouldn’t feel comfortable or afraid to spill something,” Matheny said. “As the operator, if a table breaks I’m not beat up about it, we’ll just replace it.”

Originally Wellington’s Cafe, 1891 Bistro became what it is because of student surveys. The results showed that students wanted a coffee house-type space on campus.

“That’s how it should be,” Stanton said, “If the students come and say ‘X’, we will do that.”

Additionally, a student committee was formed to help design 1891, which lead to Hope Furnishings.

The committee said the Bistro should feel like a Seattle or Portland coffee shop, and that furniture too “matchy-matchy is bad,” Stanton said.

“They said if all the furniture is new and matches, it feels like we’re at the airport,” Stanton said, “or a dentist’s office waiting room.”

Hope Furnishings provides a large variety of furniture and, according to Matheny, Central purchased nearly half of its showroom at the time. There is leftover furniture in a warehouse, ready to replace any broken furniture.  

Additionally, 1891 Bistro may see improvements in the future. There are more wifi routers in the Bistro than anywhere else, Stanton said, more power outlets will be added in the future.

“There are improvements still to come as we get our feedback and the common thread has been more outlets,” Matheny said. “It’ll have to be a grassroots effort from the student body to make that happen.”