New Goodwill store opens at Loop 1604 and Bulverde Road with fun activities, giveaways

Goodwill logo colorWhen the newest Goodwill store opens on the city’s North Side, it will kick off a celebration that includes do-it-yourself workshops on turning Goodwill finds into fashion and home décor treasures, along with great deals and giveaways.

The new Goodwill store, located at 3730 North Loop 1604 East (Loop 1604 and Bulverde Road), will open with a launch ceremony on Thursday, Oct. 3 at 9 a.m., followed by giveaways and door prizes each day through the opening weekend.

In addition, Goodwill’s Pinterest page will come to life during the grand opening celebration with a schedule of free Do-It-Yourself workshops by local bloggers on making the most of Goodwill finds, including craft projects and fashion tips. The workshop schedule takes place Saturday, Oct. 5 and includes:

  • 11 a.m. —  Kick off Q&A with Goodwill’s Do-It-Yourself Bloggers.
  • 11:45 a.m. – 12:15 a.m. – Blogger Morena Hockley will offer tips and tricks from MorenasCorner.com on up-cycling glassware from Goodwill for crafty projects.
  • 12:30 – 1 p.m. – Veronica Rouse of SevenLovelyThings.Blogspot.com leads a presentation on “Thrifty Ways to save in the Kids Room.”
  • 2 – 2:30 p.m. – Pam Lutrell of Over50Feeling40.com presents “Fall Fashion Tips.”
  • 2:45 – 3:15 p.m. – Pippa McLennan of ShopWithPippa.com presents “The Most Interesting Thrift Store Shopping Tips & Style Advice.”

Workshops are free, but space is limited. To register for a workshop, please go to www.goodwillsa.org.

Shoppers and donors who visit during opening weekend will also be treated to special giveaways. From Thursday through Sunday, the first 50 families to come through the door will receive a prize, ranging from store discounts and free Coca-Cola products to passes to area attractions including Fiesta Texas, Schlitterbahn and SeaWorld.

Every donor who brings in household items to Goodwill’s Donation Station will receive a complimentary bottle of Dasani water or Coca Cola during the four-day grand opening celebration. The store features a convenient drive-through Donation Station staffed by attendants to help unload donated items and provide taxed receipts.

The new store is the 18th location in Goodwill’s 24-county service area. The location makes it more convenient to shop and donate to Goodwill, but also provides additional support to Goodwill’s mission of helping to change lives through the power of work. Every donation and sale of items at Goodwill funds educational programs and services that assist people in finding better jobs and building careers.

“We are thrilled to expand our retail presence in this location,” says Marla Jackson, President and CEO of Goodwill Industries of San Antonio.  “Our retail stores are vital in supporting Goodwill’s mission in changing lives through the power of work. Revenue from our stores is invested in education, training and programs that help people find employment and strengthen our local communities.”

The 14,000-square-foot retail store features a sleek new updated design to give shoppers an optimum experience as they browse for Goodwill treasures. The new look will be a model that other area Goodwill stores will follow. Like all Goodwills, the store features a wide selection of gently used household items, furniture, jewelry, books and clothing. The store also features an expanded processing center for donations so that new merchandise gets onto the sales floor more quickly.

“Goodwill’s mission relies on shoppers and donors, so we want to continue to be known as the ultimate thrift shopping destination for the area,” Jackson says. “We want to create a shopping experience here that keeps our shoppers coming back.”

Like other Goodwill donation locations, the new store also accepts donated computer equipment of any brand in any condition, including desktop computers, laptops, printers and other peripheral equipment, through the Dell Reconnect computer recycling program. In 2012, Goodwill recycled more than 1.7 million pounds of computer equipment and e-waste.

In addition to shopping and donating, the new location provides easy access to other Goodwill services, including career assistance, job training and placement opportunities to help create more sustainable communities. The 20,000-square-foot building features a 3,000-square-foot community center equipped with classrooms to train individuals for better employment opportunities.

The new location will create 18 new retail jobs. The construction of the store is one of the projects funded by Goodwill’s Bridge Builders campaign, a capital campaign that raised more than $3.3 million to support several new Goodwill facilities.

“Many people don’t realize all of the good they do for the community when they shop or donate at Goodwill,” Jackson says. “The store is more than just a great place to shop. It increases Goodwill’s ability to fund services that help put people to work.”

Store hours are Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

For more information on Goodwill, visit www.goodwillsa.org or call 210-924-8581.