Goodwill opens 2nd store in Turlock

Turlock residents have another place to shop and give as a new Goodwill store opens.

Turlock's second store, at 3000 N. Tegner Road, has been open a week and will celebrate all this week with grand-opening giveaways and prizes.

Sally Wooden, public relations and development director for Goodwill Industries of San Joaquin Valley Inc., said the not-for-profit group saw an opportunity in the new 14,300-square-foot space.

"We thought this would be a really convenient location for people on this side of town and part of the county," she said.

The building, across from Costco off Monte Vista Avenue, was built in 2007 and has been vacant since previous tenant S & G Carpet closed several years ago. The store is the 17th overall for Goodwill Industries of San Joaquin Valley. The other Turlock location opened 15 years ago on Golden State Boulevard.

The new store already has begun to accept donations, which Wooden said should cut down on the sometimes long lines to drop off items at the Golden State store.

The new location offers shoppers an open and airy place to browse through a selection of used and new items, from clothes and toys to furniture and books.

"It's nice, very nice," said Karen Jones, while shopping with her daughter, Delhi resident Kim Allen, in the store. "You walk in here and you want to shop. It's so open and bright."

The two women were looking for clothes for Allen's 4-year-old daughter and said they would definitely visit the store again.

Interim store manager Monica Trevino said the new store has garnered a lot of interest from the public.

"Even before we opened, people were asking, 'When is it opening? When is it opening?' " she said. "Now that it's open, there's a lot of positive feedback from customers."

Customers will get a chance to win as they shop all this week as the store celebrates its opening with giveaways. Each day will have a prize ranging from $100 gift cards to Chevron, Safeway and Costco, and a grand prize Sunday of a 42-inch LCD TV. The first 100 shoppers on both Saturday and Sunday will receive a free gift with purchase.

Proceeds raised at Goodwill go to providing work-force development services, including job training and placement programs. In 2011, Goodwill Industries of San Joaquin Valley provided services to 3,855 people with barriers to employment.

The store has hired 14 new employees and still has openings for everything from donation attendant to manager.

"We're excited for this store and to have people see it," said Wooden.

The new Turlock Goodwill is open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday to Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday. It accepts donations until 6 p.m. seven days a week. For more, go to www.goodwill-sjv.org.