Tomeka Sinclair | The Laurinburg Exchange
Hundreds celebrated the grand opening of the Goodwill store in Laurinburg and they shopped. This marks the nonprofit’s 33rd store. The new store in Laurinburg brings 30 new jobs to the region and has an estimated economic and fiscal impact of $3.4 million annually, including wages and sales.
LAURINBURG — There was dancing, a door prize spinning wheel, a marching band, a mascot, and of course, a ribbon cutting, on Friday during the highly anticipated grand opening of the Goodwill in Laurinburg.
Some customers waited hours and lines stretched the length of the shopping center, at 1681 S. Main St., now anchored by the nonprofit thrift store.
Secondhand furniture items and clothing were abundant — and color-coded — in the 16,500-square-foot space that once held a grocery store, before deteriorating due to poor maintenance, according to the Laurinburg mayor.
“The fact is, the previous property owner was a notorious slumlord from Greensboro … We are seeing a real rebirth and regrowth of this community that I grew up in and it’s extremely exciting,” Mayor Jim Willis said.
The space now has a fresh refurbished look, something Goodwill officials take pride in.
“We’re not only celebrating the growing impact of our organization but the impact of our stores on the neighborhoods in which they reside,” said Jose Luis, Goodwill’s chief operations officer. “It was important to us to not only expand into new territories but to repurpose spaces in the community repurposing is at the core of what we do, and our intent is that bringing new life to this building contributes to the revitalization of areas like the one we’re in today.”
This marks the nonprofit’s 33rd store. The new store in Laurinburg brings 30 new jobs to the region and has an estimated economic and fiscal impact of $3.4 million annually, including wages and sales.
”As our growth continues, over the next five years, we are expecting to add another estimated 750 positions,” Luis said.
The new store will provide a location for local residents to donate and shop to reuse and repurpose items while supporting the Goodwill mission to help people advance their careers and improve their lives through free career training and employment services.
“So many of you know Goodwill thrift stores … This one is more than a store. Goodwill Industries of the Southern Piedmont is a non-profit organization that connects people to opportunities to find gameful employment and meaningful work,” said Chris Jackson, president and CEO of Goodwill Industries of the Southern Piedmont.
Jackson said in 2022, “Thanks to the generosity of individuals who donate their gently used items and those who shop in our stores or online, Goodwill helped more than 7,700 people advance their careers and improve their lives. We created 240 new jobs, through the opening of eight goodwill locations in the region including this one, and we sold or repurposed more than 17 million items, giving them a second chance and helping to protect our planet.”
Willis said the addition of the Goodwill contributes to the pattern of continued growth in Laurinburg.
“We’ve had 10 million dollars in investment. Primarily along south Main Street here, in the last year, we’ve had over 20 million dollars in the last four years,” Willis said.
“This is going to make a difference in so many people’s lives here in this county and surrounding areas,” Rep. Garland Pierce added.
Regular hours for the new store are Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Tuesday from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. (Senior Day – 55+ save 25%); and Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Tomeka Sinclair is the editor of The Laurinburg Exchange. She can be reached at 910-506-3169.