Goodwill opens new Panama City facility
PANAMA CITY - It didn't take long for Goodwill Industries-Big Bend's new Panama City facility to attract shoppers, a company spokesperson said.
The company held a grand opening for the 12,000-square-foot 23rd Street outlet Aug. 8. Goodwill spokeswoman Brooke Lochore said more than 1,000 people shopped at the new store in the first weekend.
"In that area, it was our biggest grand opening, in terms of the amount of people and the amount of sales," Lochore said.
Goodwill Industries-Big Bend operates 21 retail outlets in Northwest Florida.
Lochore said the Florida Legislature appropriated $500,000 to Goodwill's Florida operation. Of that appropriation, more than $60,000 went toward the construction of the new Panama City facility, she said.
The facility has a ground-floor retail component and a second-floor employment training center.
At the store's December 2007 groundbreaking ceremony, Goodwill Director of Training Services Rick Campbell said the job training center would be the company's fifth in the area, joining sites in Springfield, Valparaiso, Tallahassee and Thomasville, Ga.
Campbell said the company's centers provide office skills training, computer training in Microsoft Office and Windows, GED preparation and financial literacy classes.
Company spokeswoman Stephanie Savoy said the new facility has a large upstairs computer training classroom, as well as additional classroom space.
The new facility is expected to provide up to 30 new jobs, Lochore said, and it serves as a donation center for county residents.
It is open 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., Monday through Saturday, and 1 to 6 p.m. Sunday, Lochore said.