Goodwill Opens New Concept Store On Upper West Side

UPPER WEST SIDE, NY — The Goodwill of New York/New Jersey opened its new concept store "Curated by Goodwill" Friday on the Upper West Side.

The new secondhand boutique is located at 217 W. 79th St., between Broadway and Amsterdam Avenue, and offers clothing items curated by a rotating list of featured stylists, according to a press release. The concept was designed by a team of four students at SUNY’s Fashion Institute of Technology and is part of Goodwill's Vision 2020 strategic plan to create a shopping experience more in-line with current consumer trends.

Curated by Goodwill may look different than other Goodwill stores, but proceeds from the sales of donated clothes will still go toward workforce development programs for the unemployed and people with disabilities, according to a press release.

Shopping at a secondhand store like Goodwill also ensures that consumers aren't contributing to the wasteful practices of big-name stores and brands, Goodwill executives said.

"We designed Curated as a distinct shopping experience to introduce shoppers concerned with the waste and pollution that fast fashion causes, to a stylish, affordable alternative," Katy Gaul-Stigge, the CEO of Goodwill of New York/New Jersey, said in a statement. "Because Curated is part of Goodwill, conscious shoppers triple their impact. Their purchases create jobs locally, result in positive environmental outcomes for the global community and they find unique pieces that keep New Yorkers ahead of the trends."

The team of FIT students who developed the idea for Curated by Goodwill were awarded $10,000 for their winning concept, according to a press release.

Curated by Goodwill is open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Mondays through Saturdays and from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Sundays.

Photo courtesy Goodwill of New York/New Jersey