‘The thrill of the thrift’: New Goodwill in Myrtle Beach will offer values, assistance
Myrtle Beach shoppers looking for a bargain will soon have a new location in The Market Common.
Those seeking employment assistance will have a new resource as well.
Construction has started on a new 15,000-square-foot Goodwill thrift store on Agnes Way close to the Walmart Neighborhood Market near the intersection of U.S. 17 and Farrow Parkway.
It is expected to open in August.
It will have a customary drive-through donation drop-off for new or gently-used clothes and items.
The store will sell clothing and home goods, and other items including furniture, jewelry, handbags, shoes, accessories, etc.
“That’s the fun of Goodwill, you never know what you’re going to go in and find. It’s the thrill of the thrift,” said Megan Fink, vice president of marketing at Palmetto Goodwill, which will operate the store.
A large part of Goodwill’s mission in the community is training and creating employment opportunities for residents, particularly those who are in need of assistance.
So in addition to the store, a career opportunities center will be a portion of the building. It will provide employment assistance and training opportunities.
“We’re excited to expand our service in the Grand Strand community. As you all are expanding we’re trying to step up and meet the needs,” Fink said. “With the generous donations the community is entrusting us to continue to support our employment services and training opportunities, which impacted more than 16,000 people last year, so we’re really proud of that.”
The job training center has professionals known as career navigators who assist people with tasks such as resume building, job applications, job searches, job training and unemployment filings.
Goodwill hosts training sessions and has a large online catalogue of courses. The training includes industrial trade classes in fields such as HVAC, manufacturing and commercial driving, and has relationships with community colleges including Horry-Georgetown Technical College as well as the University of South Carolina and Clemson University for certificate programs in medical and other fields.
The services are available to anyone but are free for those who qualify based on need including being unemployed or underemployed, or receiving the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefit (food stamps), and there are also free programs for veterans.
Goodwill has business relationships with a number of area companies to place workers.
“We’re obviously known for our thrift store and donation drive-throughs, but that money then fuels our mission so it’s helping people find jobs, and some people end up finding jobs within the Goodwill organization,” Fink said. “So most of the time it’s just trying to get people more meaningful employment in their own communities.”
The new Goodwill store will be the ninth on the Grand Strand, and 32nd for Palmetto Goodwill based in North Charleston, which operates stores in 18 South Carolina counties in the Lowcountry, Pee Dee, Midlands and Strand.
