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Goodwill bringing store, services to Marble Falls; KBEY will be at grand opening

DANIEL CLIFTON • PICAYUNE EDITOR

MARBLE FALLS — There’s a new thrift store coming to town, and it’s all about creating good will.

Well, that’s actually its name.

Goodwill Industries of Central Texas is celebrating the grand opening of its latest facility located at 2510 U.S. 281. Officials are holding a grand opening celebration from 9 a.m. to noon June 6 featuring family-friendly activities, giveaways and even a free gift for the first 200 people who walk through the doors.

And if that wasn’t enough, KBEY 103.9 FM Radio Picayune will be doing a live remote from noon to 2 p.m. at the new Goodwill location.

Goodwill is internationally known for its retail centers, but many people might not realize the organization’s mission statement doesn’t even mention it.

“Our mission is generating lifelong connections to work,” said Zubin Segal of Goodwill Industries of Central Texas. “It’s interesting we don’t have a mention of the retail side of what we do in the mission statement. We use the retail side to really drive and sustain our social services.”

Segal explained Goodwill works with local communities to establish other social services the area needs along with the retail center. Goodwill officials are already working with Marble Falls-area leaders to determine what the needs are and strategize on how to begin offering them.

Job and vocational training are a part of the Goodwill emphasis. Segal said the organization typically focuses on four sections of society: ex-offenders, homeless or near homeless, individuals with barriers to learning, and disabled citizens.

The Marble Falls location will employee about 20 people when it initially opens.

While Goodwill offers social services and programs, there’s no getting around what most people know it for: the thrift store.

“I think what Goodwill does is it benefits a tremendous range of people,” Marble Falls City Manager Ralph Hendricks said. “There are people who shop there for the great deals, but you also have people who are looking for the more vintage items. And with the other thrift stores already in Marble Falls, what you see is it doesn’t just draw people from Marble Falls, but from around the area.”

The grand opening of Goodwill also serves as a beacon to other businesses looking at Marble Falls to set up shop.

“Having the name ‘Goodwill’ associated with our community, and with other similarly well-known businesses already here, I think we’ll get looks from other businesses considering Marble Falls,” Hendricks said.

Goodwill officials said expanding to Marble Falls was a good fit for the organization.

“It just seems natural,” Segal said. “We’re moving westward into communities we really want to have an impact in. And every dollar spent in our store is put right back into the community in the form of services.”

For more information on Goodwill, go to www.austingoodwill.org.

daniel@thepicayune.com

IF YOU GO

WHAT: Goodwill’s grand opening

WHEN: 9 a.m.-noon June 6

WHERE: 2510 U.S. 281 in Marble Falls

TUNE IN: Live remote by KBEY 103.9 FM Radio Picayune from noon to 2 p.m. at the new Goodwill location