Goodwill Moves to Newer, Bigger Location

Goodwill of Colville is scheduled to open at its new location on Friday, Nov. 21. Located at the site of the now-closed Clark’s All Sports, the new space will host both the Goodwill Industries retail store as well as Goodwill Workforce and Family Services.

According to officials, the grand opening festivities are set to begin with a countdown to 9 a.m., along with coffee, hot chocolate, and breakfast goodies, followed by pictures with Sasquatch. The event will also include prizes, raffles, temporary tattoos, and books. People who attend will be eligible to win $100 Goodwill gift cards, officials said.

During the day, tours will be offered to community partners, hosted by Goodwill CEO and president Clark Brekke, who has been with the company for over 30 years.

“At Goodwill, we like to make a grand opening a celebration, because it takes a lot of work to get to this point,” said Heather Alexander, Goodwill’s vice president of marketing, communications, and learning.

“Goodwill has been a part of the Colville community since 1954,” said Alexander, who has been with Goodwill for 13 years and works out of the main office in Spokane. “The store’s first location was at 17 W. Astor St. In 1970, the retail store moved to its current location on 168 N. Main Street.” The Workforce and Family Services office opened at 153 S. Oak. 

Despite a facelift in 1977, the needs of Colville outgrew the Goodwill facilities in place. “We have been looking for new locations for quite a while,” Alexander said. “We had outgrown the current locations and wanted to find a site where we could combine the store and the local social services offices.

“The new location boasts a total of approximately 18,860 square feet,” said Alexander. “This means that we have more than three times the square footage of the other location. We have a much larger space to benefit the community and the employees. A lot of people need support. The whole reason we exist is to give people a hand up, by selling goods in order to raise funds for services.”

She continued, “Goodwill accepts donations and operates the retail store to fund programs. We offer payee services, which means that we assist people who are unable to manage their finances. We help people on SSI (Supplemental Security Income), disability, SSDI (Social Security Disability Insurance), etc., to establish income, pay their bills, and put money into savings. Our current representative is based in Spokane and is only able to serve clients by phone or online. With the new location, we will be able to have a rep here in Colville.”

According to Alexander, Goodwill also provides support for veterans’ families. “We operate by a housing first model, meaning that we make sure that the vets stay housed. Goodwill provides rental assistance, help with deposits, and wraparound services. Now that we have the new location, we will be able to have local case managers and housing specialists,” she said.

“Outreach staff will be here for the grand opening,” said Alexander. “We will also have veterans’ staff to meet with folks. Last year, the Colville Goodwill served about 20 veterans.”

The new facility offers an expansive break room, bathrooms, and manager offices, all in one area. “It’s nice to have a big space for employees to have a break. They work hard and often get dirty, and they deserve a nice space,” said Alexander. She said there will be both an indoor and a covered outdoor break area for Goodwill employees. 

Alexander added that the production area is upgrading to a second building, complete with a sorting station and donor services area. Where the production workers previously had to use storage pods for overflow, there is now ample room for donations. People wishing to make donations will drive up to the spacious unloading area. “Donors will no longer have to worry about their cars being bumped by people turning the corner,” said Alexander. The Workforce and Family Services office will have a separate location, complete with offices, cubicles, and a conference room.

“When Clark’s announced that they were closing, we were really excited,” Alexander said. “We looked at the space, and we were excited to work with Ray Clark, who sold the entire property.”

 All of the Colville Goodwill employees will be moving to the new location. “We’re also interviewing for an additional five staff members to join our team,” said Alexander.

The income generated from sales in 2024 has served 876 people in employment programs, 2,053 people enrolled in basic services, 1,134 people in payee services, 2,436 people in digital skills and training programs, and 2,050 people in housing programs (2024 Impact Report, Goodwill Industries of the Inland Northwest). Goodwill Industries of the Inland Northwest covers eastern Washington and north Idaho, with 15 locations over 23 counties.

Throughout the Goodwill location hang the pictures of local people whose lives have been improved through determination and some help from Goodwill. 

“One of my favorite stories is that of Wes Sawyer,” said Alexander, pointing to a photo. “Wes came to Goodwill through the Department of Vocational Rehabilitation. He had been in jail, and he had a heart condition. He came to Goodwill for a work assessment, unsure if he could work due to his health. When he learned that he could, he got a job in production. He moved his way up to a lead. He said that his life had changed, that he’s gone from living in a shed to having the keys to the store. Over the next couple of years, he moved on to a different job, started a family, and built a home. He’s gone from someone nobody could trust to helping others.”

“We at Goodwill get to impact people who come to us in some of the most difficult times of their lives. People are often discounted because of disabilities or a criminal background, or homelessness. It’s important for the community to know that we are here and have these services. We have been here for a long time, and we are not for profit.” 

Goodwill’s location on N. Main St. officially closed on Monday, Nov. 17.Goodwill of Colville will reopen at their new location, 557 S. Main Street in Colville, the site of the former Clark’s All Sports, on Friday, Nov. 21, at 9 a.m.