Building Goodwill: Charity opens its largest local outlet on Nellis Boulevard
Goodwill of Southern Nevada is on a roll.
The charity has another relocated and remodeled store opening today , in keeping with its plan to revamp its retail model and update its offerings.
In October, Goodwill opened a store at 4580 W. Sahara Ave., and the 16,000-square-foot shop and drive-thru donation center attracted about 500 people in its early-morning opening hours.
Expect the same size crowd today for the opening of a 13,000-square-foot shop at 348 N. Nellis Blvd. The location doubles the size of the store it’s replacing, which had been at 31 N. Nellis Blvd. since 1997.
The new Nellis store has the largest sales floor of any Goodwill retail outlet in the area. It will feature a drive-up donation center and a kids corner dedicated to children’s clothing and toys.
“Personally, this new store is really kind of a milestone. It allows me to go back because this was the first store we opened,” CEO Steve Chartrand said.
Goodwill operates 10 stores in the valley, including nine full-scale retail outlets and one boutique in the Albertsons at 9725 S. Maryland Parkway. The store shuffle is part of Goodwill of Southern Nevada’s plan to expand its retail presence by adding two new stores per year for five years.
The expansion began with the store at 9385 W. Flamingo Road in June, the group’s first new location in six years.
As the organization’s core business, the stores selling donated goods generate 91 percent of Goodwill’s revenue, which was up 11 percent in 2012 over the previous year.
“It’s really the economic engine that drives us to be able to create jobs and have funds to be able to provide services,” Chartrand said.
Donations for 2012 were up 20 percent over 2011. In addition, the number of people helped by Goodwill in 2012 increased 43 percent, to 1,800.
“There’s a direct correlation to growing our core business and how we’re able to help people,” Chartrand said.
As of December 2010, Goodwill had $6.6 million in assets and $19.3 million in revenue.
Since 1996, the charity has grown exponentially. Then, it employed 30 full-time people. Today, there are about 600 full-time workers. Goodwill has helped more than 8,300 people gain employment since 1996.
Contact reporter Laura Carroll at lcarroll@reviewjournal.com or 702-380-4588.
