The best little warehouse off campus

Inside the 45,000-square-foot warehouse he manages, Bob Reid has a lot to keep up with. You name it, somewhere within the huge facility located east of campus on Chestnut Street across from Greer Stadium, he just might have it. Better still, it might be for sale.

"We have a little bit of everything here," Reid said.

He's not exaggerating. Beneath the dim glow of humming fluorescent lights suspended from the 40-foot-high ceiling are stacks of storage shelves crammed with oddities. Mismatched boxes sealed with duct tape containing who-knows-what, old office desks, solid oak tables, office chairs. There's even a beat-up door from a pickup truck used in student plays propped upon one of the shelves.

"We're storing most of these things for various departments across campus, mostly from the Medical Center," said Reid, who plans to retire next spring after 18 years with the University. "The rest is considered surplus, which we sell to other departments or private individuals, or donate to area schools. Anything to keep it out of the landfills."

Services offered through the warehouse include long-term and short-term storage for the University, shipping and receiving via UPS, and pickup and delivery of items to be stored indefinitely. Reid said he and his staff of five also spend much of their time moving entire offices from one building to another.

The fees charged for the variety of services offered -- "We're self-supporting budget-wise," -- are nominal.

"So far, we've always managed to break even, or real close to it," Reid said.

Items to be "surplused," as they say at the warehouse, are housed near the freight door of the warehouse to be sold quickly and affordably.

"Everything here is a bargain," said Reid.

Oak table, ready to be refinished: $15. WWII-era office desk: $25. Beautiful round-back chairs from the Chancellor's office: $30.

"Most of our chairs sell anywhere from a few dollars to $40," he said. "We sell more chairs and desks than anything else."

Occasionally, automobiles will be on the sale rack.

"Plant Operations will drive just about every mile out of a truck it can, but once they're finished with it, it comes here," said Reid.

The first option to purchase surplused items is given to other departments within the University. Second dibs is given to employees from the office surplusing the items, which often includes computers and printers. For security reasons, the bargain-hunting employees affix their names on the items they want to purchase. They are picked up with the remainder of the goods by Reid's staff and delivered to the warehouse.

"That's for security reasons," he said. "We don't need people walking to their cars with armloads of computers; they can pick them up and pay for them at the warehouse."

When they are in stock, Pentium II PCs with keyboard, mouse and monitor fetch $125.

Once at the warehouse, surplused items are available for purchase by Vanderbilt employees and the general public.

Much of the inventory in storage (not for sale) belongs to the Medical Center. In addition to box after box of medical records dating back more than 75 years, there is a blood transfusion machine, a heart/lung machine, an incubator, monitors of all types, examination tables, gurneys and hospital beds.

"We keep 30 or so of the beds on hand, just in case of emergency," said Reid.

By storing these items offsite, it enables the hospital to keep its corridors clear and provide a safe environment for its patients and staff, said Ken Browning, director of Plant Services.

There are motors of all sizes in storage for Plant Operations. There is an industrial sized air-conditioning unit. There are holiday decorations including a 30-foot artificial tree. Aside from the set props for a campus drama group, the most surprising find may be the dismantled banister to what was once a monster spiral staircase.

"There's talk of using it in a renovation project down the road," Reid said.

There are plans to make the surplused items available for viewing via the World Wide Web in the near future. Until then, bargain hunters will have to take a short drive east and visit Reid and company in person. The warehouse is open to the public Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.

For more information, call 936-4626.