Region’s largest Goodwill store attracts record crowds for grand opening

Hundreds of holiday shoppers braved freezing temperatures Saturday, Dec. 6, to be among the first in line at the grand opening of the Goodwill superstore in Moon Township.

Located in the former Big Lots, the 36,000-square-foot facility has been transformed into a thrifter’s paradise, bringing new life to a key property in the community.

“We capitalized on the closing of Big Lots,” said Lauren Brown, vice president of external relations for Goodwill of Southwestern Pennsylvania (SWPA).

Brown said that Goodwill Industries International provides market data about particular geographic locations. The market research for the local area indicated that Moon Township was a good place to open, both in terms of consumer demand and donor support.

Located right across the street from Robert Morris University, the new location is the largest store in Goodwill SWPA’s retail service area, which encompasses 9,500 square miles and stretches from Butler to Elkins, W.Va.

In addition to offering a larger inventory, the Moon Township store is modern, updated and sets the brand standard for the organization.

Monique McIntosh, Goodwill SWPA president and CEO, formally welcomed shoppers to the new store at a brief ribbon-cutting ceremony just before the doors opened at 10 a.m. Saturday.

“One of the most exciting aspects of this new store is the economic benefit it brings to the local community,” McIntosh said.

The new superstore has created over 50 new jobs, representing more than $600,000 in annual payroll reinvested into the Moon Township community.

“These jobs are more than just numbers,” McIntosh explained. “They are opportunities for individuals and families to thrive, to grow and to build brighter futures, which is the very heart of our mission.”

Goodwill SWPA’s human services program provides education and training, employment, disability, housing and support services to over 20,000 individuals every year, most of them concentrated in Allegheny County and Morgantown, W. Va.

“Our human services program is our crown jewel,” McIntosh said. “While most people know us for retail, it is lesser known that revenue from our retail stores plays a large role in making these services possible. It is what we call our social business enterprise.”

According to Brown, when customers shop at Goodwill, 91 cents from every dollar they spend goes directly toward providing these life-changing social services. It’s a mission that patrons can easily get behind, especially at this time of year.

A total of 346 individuals chose to round up their purchases on opening day to make an extra donation to Goodwill. Over 100 people made in-kind donations through the drive-in donation center. The store logged over 750 total transactions on Saturday and sold more than 7,400 individual items.

Tara O’Leary, a sixth-grade English teacher from Beaver, made the trip Saturday to Moon Township to experience the grand opening of one of her favorite stores.

“I love nothing more than thrifting,” O’Leary said. “Every Saturday morning, I find a Goodwill that just makes my heart happy. Being here is so fun to see the excitement; everyone’s happy and smiling.”

O’Leary came to Goodwill in search of some fun skirts and sparkly outfits for her school’s holiday-themed dress-up days. The long wait to get inside the doors was well worth it.

“I had no idea, when I got here a half an hour early, that there would already be a line,” she said. “I met a really nice young girl in front of me, and we were talking and sharing stories about how much we love this place. It was just a great communal experience.”

As customers were lining up to shop, donors were simultaneously pulling up in their cars to drop off donations. A convenient drive-thru area is located at the front of the store with attendants ready and waiting to receive items.

One of those attendants is Kevin Hill, a new store employee from Coraopolis. Hill smiled as he recalled the most interesting donation story of the day.

Hill was putting furniture on the sales floor when a customer approached him to ask if there were any skis. As a matter of fact, Hill had just set some skis out on the sales floor two days prior, so he told the customer where to find them. She rushed off to grab them, and Hill went back out to receive donations.

“The next donor that came in donated more skis!” Hill said, laughing. “So we sold a pair of skis. Then we got a [new] pair of skis in a matter of 10 minutes.”

Donation door greeters are on hand to receive donated items seven days a week during normal business hours. The Moon Township Goodwill store is located at 2820 Gracy Center Way, Coraopolis. Operating hours are from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday through Sunday.

Whether it’s skirts, skis or anything in between, Goodwill Moon Township is creating a welcoming space for the community’s upcycling needs. For more information about how to donate, visit https://www.goodwillswpa.org/donate/goods/acceptable-donated-goods/.

Photos by Laura Smail