Goodwill's Changing Customer Base - North Carolina NPR News

Goodwill's Changing Customer Base

August 15, 2011 |

Economic uncertainty is actually good business for many Goodwill stores. Store manager Jason Hewitt works at the University Parkway location. He says people will find more than children's clothes as they prepare for the new school year. According to Goodwill of Northwest North Carolina multi-media public relations specialist Thomas Royal, this trend has been increasing since 2009, expanding the the non-profit's customer base to include more middle-class families. And according to Royal, 90% of the money earned by Goodwill stores goes into job training and education programs. Some residents in Hickory are benefiting from these programs. In recent years, Hickory has suffered large manufacturing job losses. The latest unemployment numbers from June lists the city's jobless rate at 10.9%. But Royal says the non-profit's increased store sales are fueling a slow recovery in that area. And now an area once famous for furniture and hosiery production is attracting other industries including telecommunications and call centers. Two call center are now operating in the city. Fiserv began in October of 2010. Meanwhile, Convergys expanded from 500 to 650 in April 2011. Goodwill of Northwest North Carolina has 36 stores from Hickory to Franklin, near the border between North Carolina and Tennessee. Five stores are in Winston-Salem.