HARTFORD — Goodwill Industries of Southeastern Wisconsin and Metropolitan Chicago opened their second location in Washington County, as they held a grand opening for their new Hartford Goodwill Store and Donation Center, 1201 Bell Ave., on Wednesday.
“By opening our second store and donation center in Washington County, and the first one in the city of Hartford, we can meet a growing demand for affordable shopping options, and be able to deepen our mission impact on a local level here,” said Goodwill Regional Manager Rebecca Johnson.
According to Johnson, Goodwill’s mission is “connecting people to work, and preparing people for life.”
That mission is shown, in part, through the store’s hiring practices, as they have chosen to primarily hire employees from the Hartford community, according to Johnson.
“We look forward to supporting Hartford’s growing population through meaningful work and essential job-readiness training, placement and supportive services,” said Johnson. “Thank you to this entire [store] team. We created a lot of jobs, and a lot of people located right here in the Hartford community were able to be a part of this team.”
The new store is over 17,700 square feet in size, and it has plenty of space to take in, sort and display a wide range of donated items, which are stocked daily, according to a Goodwill release. Revenue generated by the Hartford store will go towards supporting workforce development programs in Hartford.
Hartford Store Manager Jessi Gonzalez-Moore thanked her staff for their hard work getting the store ready for Wednesday’s grand opening.
“It took a lot of blood, sweat and tears. Literally blood,” said Gonzalez-Moore. “We are excited to be welcomed into this community, we would not have without all of you.
“We have brought in 46 new employees, and a lot of this is brand new to you, so I’m really excited that you guys put your stamp on this store in your community and can be proud of it.”
Johnson added that local impact was what drew Goodwill to opening a store in Hartford, and they can’t wait to be part of helping the community continue to grow.
“We are honored to be part of the Hartford community and to contribute to the growth of the area’s retail business sector here with this expansion,” said Johnson. “And the revitalization of the Hartford community and this plaza in particular.”
