Goodwill Store In Amherst Opens TODAY

The long-awaited opening of a retail thrift store on Route 101A is finally here.

The Goodwill store and donation center in Amherst will open its doors today on the resurrected Amherst Plaza, which was burnt down by a fire in 2008. The 17,800 sq ft store employs sixty employees that handle all donations on-site, which can be dropped off under their donation canopy.

The store is already stocked with tens of thousands of items and the donation room is ready for a steady stream of donations, according to district manager Ann Bond.

A tour of the donation center shows baskets just waiting to be filled with items that can be sent to the store for sale. Goodwill stores receive and process these donations daily, and try and use every single item that comes through their door.

Nothing is wasted as any item that doesn’t make it to the shopping aisles is sent off to bulk buyers, recycling centers and third world countries. There are even buyers for single shoes.

Store employees add donations to the sales floor each day, and can determine the prices as either higher or lower than the recommended cost. They are also sold online for those who are disabled and unable to leave their homes.

Goodwill CEO Anna Eleanor Roosevelt said at the store’s open house on Wednesday that she is proud to be a part of the Amherst community. Profits from donation sales fund their efforts to provide job training and placement, career counseling, youth employment opportunities, brain injury programs and other community support services for people with disabilities.

“The work that we do isn’t just about running a business and making money, it is what we do with that money that makes a difference,” she said. “The work that we do is to get people to a place of stability and ability to be a part of their community through the power of work.”

She is looking forward to forming a partnership with the surrounding community and hopes to see plenty of donors and shoppers.

“We are thankful when a community invites us in so we can be of service.”

Souhegan Valley Chamber of Commerce director May Balsama said that the local business community is very excited to have the Goodwill store after the plaza had gone unused for so long.

You can find the new Goodwill store at 131 Route 101A in Amherst. Store hours, job postings and directions can be found here.