Estero Goodwill holds grand opening

Lynn Watts, a longtime Goodwill shopper, found herself in the midst of the bustling scene.

“The parking lot was full. It took us a long time to find a space. But I said, ‘I don’t care, we’ll just walk,'” said Watts.

Watts is an avid thrifter, always on the lookout for hidden treasures.

“It’s not expensive, and a lot of people give away really, really good stuff. That’s why I go to Goodwill all the time,” said Watts.

She left the store with a tablecloth, skirts, and a bathing suit, among other finds.

“They have a lot of new stuff, like brand-spankin new stuff,” said Watts.

Despite the crowds and the signs, Watts was unaware that the Estero location was celebrating its grand opening.

“Oh, we were like, ‘why are there so many people here? We didn’t know it opened today!” said Watts.

Beyond thrifting, Goodwill’s mission supports various community initiatives.

“A lot of people don’t know that Goodwill isn’t just one big organization, it’s a collective of nonprofits that each share the brand,” said Debra Donatto, Goodwill’s Director of Communications and Marketing.

These nonprofits assist with job training, support people with disabilities, and help small business startups.

“We’ve had people in this community that have never been out of work, have never needed assistance, and they were finding themselves in that circumstance and didn’t know where to go. So a lot of what we were doing is providing orientation, just helping them get back on their feet,” said Donatto.

For Watts, learning that her purchases support such causes added more value to her shopping experience.

“I didn’t know that, that’s awesome,” said Watts.

“It makes me feel good, it makes me feel good,” she added.