Goodwill at Washington Square Mall is officially open

EVANSVILLE, Ind. (WEHT) – The Goodwill store on the north end of Washington Square Mall is officially open to shoppers. The store opened as a part of a weekend grand opening celebration , lasting through Sunday August 25.

The process of converting the former Sears building into this Goodwill complex has taken just over three years. The turnout, according to Evansville Goodwill Industries President and CEO Connie Ralph, was overwhelming.

“I’ve just been really so excited and a little emotional,” says Ralph, “because we’ve been working at this for so long, so to see it really come to fruition is just really exciting.”

Hundreds of shoppers lined the sidewalk to get indoors, with store employees allowing 100 customers inside at one time. Premere Johnson and Nick Rennels were first in line at 5:30 am, three and a half hours before the store opened.

“We just like finding cool things and figured if we were the first ones, maybe we would get dibs on it,” says Rennels. Johnson adds, “Hopefully a lot of the good finds. We’re true treasure-hunters, so I imagine a nice dose of that probably went into the decision-making.”

“It’s pretty common that most of our shoppers, or a lot of our shoppers, are people who like to re-sell,” explains Ralph, “that’s okay, you know, we’re alright with that. You know, everything in there is one of a kind.”

Ralph is hopeful this revitalization of the Sears building will convince others to invest in Washington Square Mall.

“I hope so, really. I think that this part of town needs that kind of investment,” says Ralph. “So we’d love it if other people would follow us here.”

Rennels and Johnson both say they are pleased to see the once-vacant space thriving once again.

“It’s crazy just seeing it, because I remember being a kid and going upstairs and being in the electronics and everything,” says Rennels. “So it’s interesting 20 years later seeing what it is now.” Johnson adds, “It’s really cool to see something revamped into this, for sure.”

Now that the Washington Square location is open, the Goodwill location on South Green River Road will be converted into an outlet store for Goodwill. Officials say that change should take place by this October.

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