The economics of thrift
Goodwill brings good outcomes for communities

[February 24, 2018]   

LINCOLN

This week the thrift resale business profile feature for our series ‘The economics of thrift” is Goodwill in Lincoln. The store is located at 1210 Woodlawn Road in the Heritage Plaza, Lincoln.

Goodwill in Lincoln is part of the larger 13-store network – Land Of Lincoln Goodwill Industries. Goodwill Industries utilizes thrift businesses to raise funding needed for its wide variety of programs throughout the region.

From the Goodwill International Website - Goodwill meets the needs of all job seekers, including programs for youth, seniors, veterans, and people with disabilities, criminal backgrounds and other specialized needs. In 2016, Goodwill helped more than 313,000 people train for careers in industries such as banking, IT and health care, to name a few — and get the supporting services they needed to be successful — such as English language training, additional education, or access to transportation and child care.

Goodwill works to enhance the dignity and quality of life of individuals and families by strengthening communities, eliminating barriers to opportunity, and helping people in need reach their full potential through learning and the power of work.

Goodwill was founded in 1902 in Boston by Rev. Edgar J. Helms, a Methodist minister and early social innovator. Helms collected used household goods and clothing in wealthier areas of the city, then trained and hired those who were poor to mend and repair the used goods. The goods were then resold or were given to the people who repaired them. The system worked, and the Goodwill philosophy of “Not charity, but a chance” was born.

Though Goodwill has been around for more than 115 years, locally the business has been in Lincoln since 2010. Goodwill in Lincoln opened its doors in 2010 in the building complex with Kroger. In 2013, Heritage Goodwill moved into Heritage Plaza in the old Aldi location.

Going into the store, it has more of a department store feel than some thrifts, with aisles identified by content and clothing being more than half of the floor plan. While clothing is one of the most popular categories for thrift shoppers, Goodwill also offers a large section of used furniture, home décor’, kitchen and dining, knick-knacks, kids toys and games, shoes, and much more.

All the items placed on the sales floor are checked for quality. Clothing while gently used is clean and stain-free with no excessive wear. According to Patrick Anderson, who works at the corporate offices in Springfield, “We are very picky about what donated items end up on our sales floor. If we wouldn’t buy something for our family, it won’t go on our sales floor.” Anderson went on to say that items that don’t meet the quality inspections are not simply thrown out to go into area landfills. Everything that is rejected for retail sale is passed on to an appropriate recycling program.

While most thrifts prefer not to take computers and televisions, Goodwill does have a policy for accepting such donations. However, you will need to check with local store manager Jeremy Botrell on how to go about this. The e-waste items that may be accepted include desktop and laptop computers, monitors, printers, ink and toner cartridges, keyboards, mice, speakers, external hard drives, power cords, USB drives, servers and computer software CDs. These items will not be resold in local stores, though you can find a wide selection of used DVD movies and other like items in the store.

The store also has a ‘behind the counter’ selection of high end items and collectibles. On Wednesday, employee Sheryl Nalley was happy to show off a genuine Harley Davison handbag in like-new condition. At full retail, similar purses sell starting at $80. This one was available for only $19.99. It is one of many items that are stored under glass at the front of the store. Friendly staff such as Sheryl will be happy to assist shoppers who wish to take a closer look at anything in the special display cases.

Nalley has been working for Goodwill for a while now, and says she really loves it. She says that Botrell is a great boss and good to work for, and she enjoys working with other staff at the store, and being a part of getting to see all the new stuff come in.

Nalley is also a walking advertisement for the store. She says since coming to work at Goodwill, she has not purchased clothing anywhere else. The value and quality offered at the store make it the best place around to shop. She also noted that savvy shoppers will find some very high-end items in the clothing department if they take time to look. She noted a ladies shirt that came in that was a Michael Kors, a very popular designer. At full retail, Michael Kors tops start at around $75. At Goodwill, the top was priced at a fraction of that full retail number.

The store offers senior discounts on Wednesday’s and also has a weekly tag color sale. For those sales, check when you come in to find out what the color of the week may be. Then when shopping, any tag that is the appropriate color will earn a discount at the cash register.

Goodwill also accepts donation at the Lincoln Store. There is no after-hours collection box, so donations need to be brought into the store during normal store hours.

At this store, those store hours are geared more toward working families, with the store being open seven days a week. Monday through Saturday the hours are 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., and they are open from Noon to 7 p.m. on Sunday’s as well.

Because Goodwill is a non-profit organization, donations made to the store may be tax deductible. Goodwill offers a website for the Land of Lincoln region that provides would-be donors with information about how to donate and what items are accepted.

Visit this website to learn more about acceptable donations: http://llgi.org/donate/ unacceptable-donations/

Link to estimated value guidelines for tax deductions: http://www.goodwill.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/Donation _Valuation_Guide.pdf 

As with our feature business last week, the Lincoln Goodwill Store is bright and clean and easy to shop. Aisles are wide, and clothing items are displayed according to type of garment and then by size. Shop the entire store to find great deals on men and women’s clothing from blue jeans and work boots to business dress and swanky high-heeled shoes. The kid’s selection is huge and offers good quality clothing at prices greatly reduced compared to full retail.

Shop the housewares and home décor’ aisles carefully. There are some terrific buys there, and you may find some mid-century modern, or even a couple of antique pieces in the mix.

This piece is an antique.  A little rough, but with tons of potential in the right hands.

All in all, Goodwill in Lincoln is another great ‘destination’ location for shopping, and is an asset to the local community in the sales tax it generates as well as the provision of local jobs, and another great alternative to filling our landfills with unwanted, yet worthwhile items, that others might be happy to own.

The next time you’re in town, be sure to check out the local thrift stores in Lincoln, including this great store on the city’s west side.

[Nila Smith]