Second Goodwill coming to Lacey

By Rolf Boone | The Olympian • Published September 12, 2008

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LACEY – The Tacoma Goodwill service area, riding a wave of sales growth, will open a new secondhand store in Lacey next week, the nonprofit's third store in Thurston County.

Tacoma Goodwill has a store in west Olympia and another in Hawks Prairie, and the new store will open Thursday at 4750 Yelm Highway S.E. in the Little Prairie Shopping Center off College Street.

"We're looking for favorable demographics, and Lacey and the surrounding area clearly presents that," Tacoma Goodwill spokesman Matthew Erlich said.

Goodwill Industries divides the state into several regions, including Tacoma Goodwill, which now has 21 stores in 15 counties, Erlich said. The 20,000-square-foot store will employ 35 people, raising Goodwill employment in the county to more than 120.

As the economy has slowed, more people are shopping at Goodwill, he said.

"There's no surprise they (consumers) want to stretch the value of their dollar," Erlich said.

Sales climb

Sales at Tacoma Goodwill climbed to $32.6 million in fiscal year 2007 from $27.2 million in fiscal year 2005, according to Tacoma Goodwill data.

Although sales have increased, store donations haven't risen as quickly, Erlich said.

"More people are coming out to our stores, but more people are holding on to things longer," he said.

The new south Lacey Goodwill store will be more convenient for Viola A. Sharp, who was shopping with her daughter, Gwen Terrien, at the Hawks Prairie Goodwill store Thursday.

"Sure, I can walk down there," Sharp said about the new store, adding that she previously had to get a ride from her daughter.

Sharp, who lives off Social Security benefits, said Goodwill makes economic sense because prices for new items are "ridiculous."

Asked how much Terrien saves by shopping at Goodwill, she replied, "Compared to what? Compared to Nordstrom, I save a lot."

The new store hours are 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday.

Rolf Boone covers business for The Olympian. He can be reached at 360-754-5403 or rboone@theolympian.com.