New Goodwill store opens on Grand Strand

Hundreds of anxious customers crowded the entrance to Horry County’s newest Goodwill store in Little River Friday morning.

As the ribbon was cut and the doors opened, the crowds streamed in to gobble up the great deals on used items inside.

Richard and Jane Doutt came upon the grand opening quite by accident.

“We really came down to make a donation,“ said Richard. “We didn’t even know about (the grand opening). We decided to stay and see what’s in here.“

But the Goodwill store is more than just a drop-off point and a warehouse full of good deals.

Robert Smith, president of Goodwill Industries of Lower South Carolina, said the stores are intended to be centers for community growth.

“That’s one of the things Goodwill really strives to do, is make sure that we’re reaching out to those people who need us the most,“ said Smith. “Over 90 cents of every dollars goes back into programs and services in the community,“ he said.

Some of those services include a Job Link center, which, like the store in Surfside Beach, will offer area residents a chance to search for and train for new jobs.

In addition to the Little River and Surfside locations, Goodwill also operates a store on the north side of Conway, and Smith said there are plans to build a store somewhere in the Carolina Forest area, also.