Store expected to open in December less than a mile from current site on Tolman Creek Road
By Emma Coke, Ashland.news
A new Ashland Goodwill retail outlet expected to open its doors in the first half of December will include a Job Connection Center, according to representatives of Southern Oregon Goodwill.
Work began in March at the new location on Jefferson Avenue in the light industrial district just south of Exit 14, less than a half-mile from the current Goodwill on Tolman Creek Road. The new building will boast a sales floor twice the size of the old store, 40 parking spots, and a backroom and donation processing area four-times larger than the old location.
Once the new location is completed and open, the plan is to put Goodwill’s old location up for sale, said Michael Murphy, Southern Oregon Goodwill vice president of retail operations, and Alicia Preston, vice president of workforce development, in a joint email statement.
Asked if they’re looking forward to the opening, Murphy and Preston responded, “Of course we are (excited) — a bigger store, better parking, our mission actually able to be fully integrated for our community … What is there to not be excited about?”
Goodwill had outgrown the old building, the statement said.
“Frankly, our present location does not allow us to support the community as effectively as we desire,” according to the statement. “The space is inadequate for shoppers, donors, and mission support.”
Siting the new facility was influenced by several factors, according to the joint statement, including its ease of accessibility to the community, available space and amenities, proximity to the current location, and land availability and cost-effectiveness.
Improved accessibility was an important focus in site selection, Goodwill said, referring to enhancements that make the location more accessible to all individuals.
“This includes access to mission services, a better shopping and donor experience, the addition of sidewalk ramps for easier store access, an overall improved parking area that is level, adequate to the store needs, and convenient for customers,” according to the statement.
The new location will also host Southern Oregon’s sixth Job Connection Center. Goodwill Job Connection Centers offer various services, such as interview preparation support, resume building and job-specific clothing to those seeking employment.
According to the joint statement, the initiative will not only introduce another Job Connection Center but will also extend the comprehensive services offered by the GoodWorks program, which offers on-the-job training and support for those facing barriers to employment.
“Through these programs, we will provide essential job readiness support and training opportunities for community members, as well as an eight-week paid internship program designed to help those facing employment barriers reintegrate into the workforce,” according to the statement, creating a more inclusive and convenient environment for all visitors.
“This community is deeply appreciated for its generous support, from the donations received to the patronage of our stores,” the Goodwill spokespeople said in the statement. “We are thankful for the opportunity to expand our services in this area, furthering our mission and vision by providing employment opportunities to those facing employment barriers.”
Email Ashland.news reporter intern Emma Coke at [email protected].
