Falls Goodwill Reopening, Creating Jobs

Residents of Cuyahoga Falls and surrounding areas will once again have the opportunity to help their community and save money all at the same time.

Goodwill Industries of Akron will open a new 7,500 square-ft. Retail Store at 1725 State Road in the Smith Centre Shopping Plaza (next to Dollar General) located in Cuyahoga Falls in the third quarter of 2009. Not only will the store feature quality items at affordable prices that Goodwill shoppers are accustomed to, but the store will also feature many new goods at bargain prices and serve as a donation site in the community for their gently used items.

Beginning May 18, an attended donation trailer will be parked at the site to accept donations of gently used clothes, furniture, books, household items, and more. After the store officially opens, a drive-up donation center for the store will be located in the back of the building. Information about the tax benefits from donating to Goodwill and guidelines for donations are available at www.goodwillakron.org. All donors receive a 20% off coupon good at any Goodwill store in Summit, Portage, Medina, Ashland, or Richland County.

With the cost of necessities like gas, bread, and milk going up, it makes sense for people to buy their clothes at Goodwill Retail Stores. Shoppers can find name-brand and designer clothing at a fraction of the cost they would pay at another retailer, making their dollar stretch farther.

Like Goodwill's other stores in its five-county region encompassing Summit, Portage, Medina, Ashland, and Richland Counties, the new store will be equipped with a Conference Room that can accommodate 10-15 people and is available to community groups on a first-come, first-serve basis. The new store will also serve as a training ground for Goodwill Vocational Program participants who will assist with daily operations such as donation processing and hanging clothes.

Goodwill anticipates hiring 10-13 full- and part-time staff for the new store. The new Cuyahoga Falls Retail Store will increase to 11 the number of store locations operated by Goodwill Industries, and the fifth Retail Store in Summit County. Net proceeds from the sale of items donated to the stores are used in assisting the agency in fulfilling its mission of helping individuals prepare for, find, and retain employment.