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Goodwill opens North Bend store; hires 15
By Dan Schreiber, Staff Writer
Friday, November 19, 2004 | 1 comment(s)
A mob of shoppers flooded the Goodwill store Thursday morning on its first day of business. Parking spots were hard to come by in the area of Broadway and Newmark avenues, where many hoofed several hundred yards for a chance to strike it lucky on the store's fully stocked showroom.
The newly expanded former site of United Furniture Warehouse in North Bend is now inhabited by an outlet of the largest chain of thrift stores in the state, and it didn't go unnoticed by a couple hundred Bay Area residents.
They lined the store's neatly arranged aisles after queuing up well before the ribbon was cut at 8 a.m.
"A new store is always a good draw," said Rufina Saiz, assistant to CEO Jim Martin. "And knowing that they are coming to somewhere where they're supporting individuals with barriers to employment."
Goodwill Industries of Lane and South Coast counties is a nonprofit organization and part of Goodwill Industries International Inc., which oversees 207 autonomous community-based member organizations with a goal of providing training and employment services to individuals with barriers to employment.
"We're fortunate to have a tremendous amount of support from the community," Martin said. "There were 211 folks here in the first 15 minutes."
Before opening the store, the company added a loading dock and expanded the building by 4,000 square feet over the last two months to accommodate the new store, which now encompasses 14,000 square feet.
Like the buildup to opening day, the store's objectives are aggressive.
"Our goal is to ensure every donation that comes through our door hits the floor in less than one hour," Martin said.
Members of the administrative board for Southern Oregon said 15 people have been hired to work at the new thrift store. According to Saiz, 30 people will be hired total, half of whom have barriers to employment, including physical, mental or financial barriers.
The company conducted interviews in the Bay Area through the local Oregon Employment office.
Owners hope the new location will add to an especially successful chain of stores in the state. Portland's Goodwill store is one of the largest in the nation.
Shoppers were there Thursday, among the clothes, furniture, appliances and knick-knacks, not just for the spectacle, but also to see how they could help.
"It's a new and big store and I just wanted to come and see what they have," said Mary Carlton of North Bend. "I always donate clothes and different items."
Others were hunting for deals.
"It provides an opportunity to buy quality items for (what) a community such as us can pay for," said Norm Russell, 61, of North Bend.
Some said they didn't find those deals.
"They're asking too much," said Louis Faulkner, 52, of Coos Bay. "They're supposed to provide an opportunity for people who can't afford to shop at Wal-Mart, but by the looks of things, they're doing all right anyway."
That wasn't the common sentiment though, and most were happy to see something new in North Bend.
"We're just here to check out some of the great deals here," said Mark Potter, 32, of North Bend.
Donations are now being accepted at the store's loading dock on the north end of the building at 3698 Broadway Ave.
The newly expanded former site of United Furniture Warehouse in North Bend is now inhabited by an outlet of the largest chain of thrift stores in the state, and it didn't go unnoticed by a couple hundred Bay Area residents.
They lined the store's neatly arranged aisles after queuing up well before the ribbon was cut at 8 a.m.
"A new store is always a good draw," said Rufina Saiz, assistant to CEO Jim Martin. "And knowing that they are coming to somewhere where they're supporting individuals with barriers to employment."
Goodwill Industries of Lane and South Coast counties is a nonprofit organization and part of Goodwill Industries International Inc., which oversees 207 autonomous community-based member organizations with a goal of providing training and employment services to individuals with barriers to employment.
"We're fortunate to have a tremendous amount of support from the community," Martin said. "There were 211 folks here in the first 15 minutes."
Before opening the store, the company added a loading dock and expanded the building by 4,000 square feet over the last two months to accommodate the new store, which now encompasses 14,000 square feet.
Like the buildup to opening day, the store's objectives are aggressive.
"Our goal is to ensure every donation that comes through our door hits the floor in less than one hour," Martin said.
Members of the administrative board for Southern Oregon said 15 people have been hired to work at the new thrift store. According to Saiz, 30 people will be hired total, half of whom have barriers to employment, including physical, mental or financial barriers.
The company conducted interviews in the Bay Area through the local Oregon Employment office.
Owners hope the new location will add to an especially successful chain of stores in the state. Portland's Goodwill store is one of the largest in the nation.
Shoppers were there Thursday, among the clothes, furniture, appliances and knick-knacks, not just for the spectacle, but also to see how they could help.
"It's a new and big store and I just wanted to come and see what they have," said Mary Carlton of North Bend. "I always donate clothes and different items."
Others were hunting for deals.
"It provides an opportunity to buy quality items for (what) a community such as us can pay for," said Norm Russell, 61, of North Bend.
Some said they didn't find those deals.
"They're asking too much," said Louis Faulkner, 52, of Coos Bay. "They're supposed to provide an opportunity for people who can't afford to shop at Wal-Mart, but by the looks of things, they're doing all right anyway."
That wasn't the common sentiment though, and most were happy to see something new in North Bend.
"We're just here to check out some of the great deals here," said Mark Potter, 32, of North Bend.
Donations are now being accepted at the store's loading dock on the north end of the building at 3698 Broadway Ave.
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