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The nonprofit organization, which has leased space in a strip mall off South Riverside Avenue for many years, is blaming the closing on an increasing lack of “foot traffic,” according to its director of communication, Jose Medellin.
Medellin represents Goodwill Industries of Greater New York and Northern New Jersey.
Medellin said the decrease may be partly due to an expansion project now under way at the ShopRite supermarket next door.
The 10 employees at the shop have been offered positions at Goodwill’s three other Westchester locations: New Rochelle, Elmsford and Somers, Medellin said.
The store will be accepting donations from the public up until its closing, Saturday, Dec. 31, he added.
To get a tax receipt for the donated items, donors can get one at the store, or by emailing a request to donations.department@goodwillnynj.
The store’s shelves are nearly empty now, but there are still plenty of clothes to be had. The stuff that remains is being sold at a seriously discounted rate.
Recently, a reporter spoke with several customers who were poking around the leftover goodies.
Most expressed sadness at the loss of a local resource for castoff housewares, books, DVDs, jewelry, art, lamps, clothing, toys and miscellaneous tchotchkes.
Some were just taking it as another sign of the economic times while others (such as this reporter) were seriously worried where they were going to get their next “junque” fix.
As for the employees, as one said, anonymously, it’s time to be “moving on.”
Robert Skovan, of the property’s managers, Juster Development Co. of Tarrytown, said Wednesday that there are currently no new occupants for the space once Goodwill moves out.
Goodwill, the company, operates as a network of 164 independent, community-based organizations in the United States, Canada, and 14 other countries.
Its mission is to provide job training, employment placement services and other community-based programs for people who have challenges – such as a lack of education or experience -- that may prevent them from finding employment.
In 2014, Goodwill organizations reportedly generated a total of $5.37 billion in revenues, 83 percent of which was spent directly on programs.
According to its Wikipedia entry, at that time it had provided 89 million “total employment and community services, with more than 26.4 million people served and more than 318,000 people placed into employment.”
The Elmsford Goodwill is located at 380 Saw Mill River Road; the Somers one, 80 Route 6 in the Baldwin Place shopping center; and the New Rochelle one, 28 Joyce Road.
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