[vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”37848″ img_size=”full”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Goodwill is moving into the former Bealls Outlet store in the shopping center anchored by Petco, PetSmart, Staples, Ross and Big Lots, with a scheduled grand opening of Oct. 13, a spokeswoman for the nonprofit organization said.
Courtney Nelson said Goodwill has gone through a lot of changes in the Kingman market following the April merger of Goodwill of Central and Northern Arizona.
A decision was made to close the current Goodwill on Airway Avenue and open the new 22,000-square-foot store on Stockton Hill Road.
“We looked at all the operations of the (Airway) location and the efficiency and what did that service and experience look like,” Nelson said Monday in an interview from Phoenix. “It wasn’t a convenient location. It didn’t have space for receiving. Parking was limited, and some people had to park on the street.”
Goodwill takes all of those factors into consideration when looking for a great shopping experience for its customers, Nelson added. They did look at a second location in Kingman before selecting the Stockton Hill site.
Ken Carter, project manager for Phoenix-based Willmeng Construction, said the interior of the building is being completely gutted, except for shelving, and will be renovated into the new retail space.
Nelson didn’t release any financial information such as the estimated cost of the project or monthly lease rate, but she said there’s going to be an investment with any building. Goodwill evaluated the rent and customer flow and felt the operation would be successful, she said.
Goodwill spent $100,000 to $150,000 renovating the former Atwoods Appliances building at 2369 Airway Ave. in 2014 and opening its first retail store in Kingman.
Goodwill closed stores in Sedona, Flagstaff, Bullhead City and Lake Havasu City when the Northern and Central regions merged in April, reopening them as combined operations. The Kingman store was not one of them.
Tim O’Neal, president and chief executive officer of Goodwill of Central and Northern Arizona, said the merger would allow Goodwill to expand its work in Northern Arizona and best serve those communities.
He said Goodwill plans to add more stores, more employees and reopen closed career centers.
“Our top priority is to provide the people of Arizona with the resources and support they need to secure sustainable employment and provide a better quality of life for them and their families,” O’Neal said when he announced the merger.
One of the unique services at the new Goodwill store is a workforce development kiosk that will assist people in putting together a resume and searching for jobs, spokeswoman Nelson added.
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