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Press Releases

April 18, 2007

Goodwill celebrates grand opening of new Manistee store

Goodwill Industries of West Michigan (GIWM) is pleased to announce the Grand Opening Celebration of its newest store at 282 12th Street in Manistee on Friday, May 4. The public is invited to attend a special ribbon-cutting ceremony at 8:45 a.m. Doors open at 9:00 a.m.

The store is located in the former Daisy-a-Day florist shop on the corner US-31 and 12th Street in Manistee. The building has been completely renovated and expanded to accommodate the new store and donation center.

“We’ve been considering the Manistee location for some time,” said Goodwill Retail Director James Cherney. “The right property became available at the right time. It’s a convenient location for residents of the community, as well as for tourists and travelers.”

The 8,400-square-foot store will feature an easily accessible donation “drive-thru” on the north side of the building. A Goodwill Optical center will also be housed within the store offering the community quality eyeglasses and services at significant discounts.

The Grand Opening Celebration begins with a brief ribbon-cutting ceremony with the participation of key Goodwill staff and board members, and the Manistee Area Chamber of Commerce. Festivities include a free gift to every customer, drawings for prizes, refreshments, and — as part of a Goodwill grand opening tradition — a hidden one hundred dollar bill to be found by one lucky shopper!

Radio station WMTE-FM Oldies 101.5 will be on site to host a live radio remote from 9:00–11:00 a.m. that will be simulcast on their sister station WKLA-FM 106.3.

The store is providing jobs for 15 employees; nearly all of them new hires from the area.

Regular Store Hours: Mon.– Sat.: 9:00 a.m.–8:00 p.m. and Sun.: 11:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.

GIWM currently operates ten other retail stores throughout West Michigan, located in: Ludington, Whitehall, Allendale, Newaygo, Fremont, Muskegon, Norton Shores, Grand Haven, and (2) in Holland. GIWM also participates in Goodwill’s national online auction site: www.shopgoodwill.com.

Contact
Liz Witzler , Goodwill Industries of West Michigan, Inc.
(231) 722-7871
lwitzler@goodwillwm.org

The mission of Goodwill Industries of West Michigan, Inc. is to provide work opportunities and skill development for people with barriers to employment. Established in 1950, GIWM has been helping people lead more independent lives for over 50 years. Goodwill offers a wide range of programs and services all with the common theme of helping people overcome barriers to employment. Ninety percent of the revenue generated from the sale of donated goods is channeled back into Goodwill’s job training and placement programs. In 2006 alone, GIWM provided employment services to 6,388 people in West Michigan.