AUBURN – Goodwill’s Auburn thrift store will move up Center Street, from a cramped space between Cumberland Farms and Wendy’s to a new place next to Pep Boys.
The new store will be in the former Emerson Toyota building. It will have much more space, several times the number of places for customers to park and a drive-through dropoff.
“Because of the way it’s laid out, our parking is pretty much limitless,” said Jean Salce, director of marketing for Goodwill Industries of Northern New England.
The current store has about eight spaces, shared with the neighboring Cumberland Farms. The new store has about 100 parking spaces, Salce said.
It’s scheduled to open Aug. 5.
Based in Portland, Goodwill of Northern New England operates stores throughout Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont.
Donated goods, including clothing, books, furniture and toys from around the region, are sent to the Portland warehouse where they are sorted and shipped out to the thrift stores. Proceeds from sales support a wide range of charitable causes and medical programs.
This will be the region’s first drive-through donation center.
“It’s the first time we’ve had the room,” Salce said. Drivers can ring a bell at the back of the new store and an attendant will come out to collect the donations.
In the meantime, Goodwill has reduced prices at the current store. Everything is on sale at 50 percent this week. That will go up to 70 percent off July 17 through July 23. The store will close for the following two weeks while the staff moves into the new store.
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