Goodwill to Celebrate Grand Openings in Downers Grove, Lombard

Goodwill Industries of Metropolitan Chicago will open two new retail and donation centers next month in Downers Grove and Lombard.

Both stores have set their grand opening weekends for Feb. 14-17, according to Goodwill officials.

The 18,000-square-foot Downers Grove store will be located at 110 W. Ogden Ave., next to Office Depot in the Downers Grove Plaza Shopping Center.

The Lombard Goodwill store will be located at 351 E. Roosevelt Road in a new, 19,000 square-foot facility. 

In addition to being a retail and donation drop-off, the Lombard store will also have a Goodwill Workforce Connection Center, which offers free job search assistance. Services include computer and Internet access, resume preparation and on-site interviews.

"It's a great resource for people in the community who are having trouble finding a job," according to Cheryl Lightholder, spokesperson for Goodwill.

Goodwill stores sell previously donated items such as clothing, kitchen accessories and household decorations. Retail stores also feature donation centers for residents to drop off used items, Lightholder said.

"One of the things that we're interested in is providing high-quality products at a great value, but we also promote responsible recycling of household textiles," she said.

Goodwill currently has 48 stores—28 in Illinois and 20 in Wisconsin. In addition to the Downers Grove and Lombard sites, the company will also open two new retail centers in Wisconsin next month.

According to Goodwill's website, 84 percent of revenue from all retail centers goes toward the company's mission of providing training, employment and supportive services for people with disabilities or disadvantages.

Lightholder said the company hires an average of 45 employees for retail stores and donation centers.

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