“Once we are able to present what our new stores look like, the jobs and the affordable retail opportunities we offer, they embrace the opportunity.This position is responsible for receiving donated goods while providing excellent customer service to Goodwill donors. Yes, there have been some bumps in the road with some of our new stores,” Ritter said. Minnetonka City Planner Loren Gordon said since Goodwill opened, there have been only a few complaints about traffic and donations left after hours. When Goodwill opened in Minnetonka in 2010, some residents voiced concerns about traffic and commotion. Burnsville, which has 17 secondhand stores, is studying whether they should be more closely regulated. “They did a nice job with their site.”īut one community is wrestling with questions about thrift stores. It’s a sustainable design,” said Doug Borglund, Forest Lake community development director. Other new metro locations include Blaine, Forest Lake and a second store in Roseville.įorest Lake’s Goodwill opened in February 2012. They are a retailer, and they went into a retail space that was properly zoned.” “We don’t have a special process for a store like Goodwill. “It worked out very well for them in terms of location and the size,” said Scott Hickok, Fridley’s community development director. The location includes the store and a drive-through for donations. Goodwill occupied a big-box storefront at 5660 Main St. About 10 percent of items on the shelves are now new products.įridley’s Goodwill store had its “soft opening” in November. It’s often seasonal items, such as makeup kits for Halloween or decorative items for Christmas. The nonprofit purchases overstock from national retailers. It’s also selling some new merchandise at its stores.

It has developed a broad marketing campaign that includes television spots and glossy newspaper inserts. Increasing the number of locations is just one part of the operation’s growth strategy. Its retail operations employ about 1,300. Goodwill provides job training in a variety of fields, including automotive service, banking, construction, customer service, medical office and retail. “There are others who know the dollars that are raised in our stores help fund our programs to prepare people for work,” Ritter said. The charity’s mission also attracts customers. Ritter said Goodwill sees four categories of shoppers: treasure hunters, budget-conscious shoppers, environmentally sensitive shoppers and those who donate and then turn around and shop.Īll types of clothing and accessories, including sunglasses and reading glasses, can be found at the new Goodwill store in Fridley. The average Goodwill shopper is a woman 36 to 44 years of age with a median household income of $52,000, according to the nonprofit’s market research. It isn’t just lean times driving thrift-store sales. Goodwill’s 2012 retail revenue topped $57 million, compared with $38.4 million two years earlier. “We worked in partnership with our board of directors and really looked at the retail landscape.” “This goes back to a very deliberate, long-term expansion plan that went into effect seven years ago,” said Goodwill’s director of marketing Lisa Ritter. Goodwill now operates 29 stores in the Twin Cities area. It’s an ambitious expansion for the nonprofit that provides work training. In March, it celebrated grand openings in Fridley, Chanhassen and Maple Grove. The nonprofit has opened eight thrift stores in the past two years, including four in the north-metro area. Business is booming for Goodwill-Easter Seals Minnesota.

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