TERRE HAUTE —
Goodwill Industries Inc. on Tuesday opened its third Terre Haute store.
“I like it. It is a lot closer for us as we live on Chase Street,” Don Reed, 71, of Terre Haute, said of the store at 2645 Wabash Ave. Reed found a pair of shoes he planned to purchase.
Thomas Simmons, 55, who lives on Eighth Avenue, said he shops at all of the Goodwill stores in Terre Haute. Simmons was looking for blue jeans. “You can find a lot of stuff,” said Simmons, who was shopping with his girlfriend, also a regular Goodwill customer.
Bill Tennis, executive director of Goodwill Industries, said “people have wanted us to put a store our here for years.” Goodwill has made several attempts at locating on the east side. It became successful in December when Tennis was able to enter into a lease on the 4,000 square-foot building along Wabash Avenue. The retail display area is 3,600 square feet. The store is also a donation center for Goodwill.
Goodwill has a five-year lease, with two five-year extension options. “So we have the opportunity to be here 15 years or longer,” Tennis said.
“There is a lot of traffic here. The traffic count is about 15,000 vehicles plus a day. Obviously having a Kroger and shopping mall across the street just brings people to this area of the city.
“I will tell you in a year from now it was a good idea or not,” Tennis chuckled. “We are simply filling customer demand at this point.”
The new store marks Goodwill’s eighth store in the region. It has stores in Greencastle, Brazil, Sullivan and Robinson, Ill. Tennis said Goodwill is considering opening another store in Charleston, Ill. Goodwill operated a store there for many years. “We may relocate to Charleston,” he said.
Goodwill also sells books on five Internet sites and has a web auction site at www.shopgoodwill.com. “We do all this to create opportunities for people to work who have barriers to their employment,” Tennis said. “We turn donations into job opportunities. We are only successful with the generosity of the donating public, obviously. Donations to Goodwill are tax deductible ... as we are a 50(c)(3) organization,” Tennis said.
Annetta Taylor held several items in her hands as she shopped shortly after the store’s opening. “It is closer to me and I love shopping at the Goodwill and find a lot of good bargains,” Taylor said. “This store is very clean and very bright. I like the color and lights, so I am very happy. I am finding some good stuff.”
Jane Stephens, a retired nurse who lives in Edgewood Grove, also found several items. She carried a cat dish, a Precious Moment’s wall hanging, a circular rooster plaque, and a wood cone-shaped antique “you put in a colander to stir with to make tomato juice.”
“I think the location is great. This is real handy. I go to Goodwill all the time,” Stephens said. “You can find things you can’t find any place else.”
The new store’s hours are 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday and noon to 6 p.m. on Sunday. “It opens one hour later and closes one hour earlier than our other stores so we can staff this with one shift to start,” Tennis said.
Howard Greninger can be reached at (812) 231-4204 or howard.greninger@
tribstar.com.
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