Goodwill Store Opens Dearborn Store Today

More than two years ago, Rick Pierce was unemployed and job hunting, when he stumbled across a job opening with Goodwill Industries of Metro Detroit.

"I knew it was a place you donate to," Pierce said of his knowledge of Goodwill at that time.

But he soon learned, he said, that the company was so much more.

Pierce served as the manager of Goodwill's flagship store in Canton–but recently, he's helped to oversee the opening of the , set for Saturday, Sept. 8.

For him, it's another chance to support the Goodwill mission.

"With Goodwill, it's something different," said Pierce, who has a long history of working in retail. "Every day is an opportunity to create jobs."

And, Director of Donated Goods Jeff Ukrainec explained, that's exactly what the Dearborn store will accomplish with every donation and every sale.

"All the revenue that's generated goes back into employment and training, or new stores," he said. "It goes back into creating jobs."

In 2011, Goodwill's southeast Michigan branch gave help of some sort–from job placement to resume editing to job training–to around 20,000.

"We don't rely on benevolence," added Director of Public Relations Mark Lane. "We're a social enterprise; we create the business to create the jobs."

For the Dearborn store, the goal is to generate $1 million in revenue annually.

All funds raised go to support the more than 20 jobs created by the opening of the store, as well as furthering Goodwill's job training efforts.

But first, they have to tackle opening day: The doors open at 9 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 8, at the Dearborn store.

The store has been stocked for weeks–much of it, with clothing, furniture and home goods donated at the nonprofit's .

Pierce said they're preparing for a very busy first day.

"Lines from the front door to the back door," he predicted. I'm expecting the place to be packed. But we're ready."