Goodwill Hosts “Recycle for Jobs” Event in Dearborn

Store representatives will collect computers and electronic accessories at Goodwill’s Dearborn location on April 20.

Area residents will have the opportunity to do a little spring cleaning, while disposing of used computers and computer parts in an environmentally responsible manner at the Goodwill retail store in Dearborn on Saturday. Goodwill representatives will be on site from 8 a.m. to noon to collect CPUs, computer monitors, mouse devices, keyboards, printers, copiers, scanners, fax machines and software in honor of Earth Day. The items will be recycled through Goodwill’s partnership with Dell Computers. “The computer recycling event is an extension of what happens in our Goodwill retail store locations everyday. Repurposing and ‘upcycling’ items for the greater good,” said Lorna Utely, president and CEO of Goodwill Industries of Greater Detroit. “…

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Dearborn Goodwill Store Transforming Lives of Local Residents

The retail store resells donated clothes and provides employment for dozens of workers in Metro Detroit.

The average customer doesn't think about the larger ramifications of dozens of empty parking spaces in shopping centers. But for business owners in Dearborn, the empty spaces represent minimal profits. Goodwill Industries of Greater Detroit is hoping to change that. Six months after opening its location at 22451 Michigan Ave., the resale company is breathing new life into a 15,000 square-foot retail space and transforming a once vacant storefront into a bustling center for commerce. "Business has been phenomenal," Jeff Ukrainec, director of donated goods for Goodwill said. "Everyone who has come in here has thanked us for being part of the community and for our persistence with opening a location in Dearborn. I think we fill a need in the …

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Inside Look: Dearborn Goodwill Store Set to Open in September

The retail store will resell donated goods while hiring people with employment challenges.

With construction progressing on schedule, Goodwill of Metro Detroit is now only two months away from opening a store in a west Dearborn strip mall, ending a decade-long drought where no business had occupied the space. More: Follow the history of Goodwill's move into Dearborn on Patch. Jeff Ukrainec, the Goodwill director of Donated Goods, said the community has taken notice of the soon-to-be-open resale store on Newman, which has been under construction for a few months. “It's going well and I think it's created a lot of buzz,” he said. “People are anxious for it to open up because they see things happening here finally—for over 10 years nothing's been happening at this particular location.” Conversation surrounding the store has been …

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Dearborn Zoning Board Approves Goodwill Store Plan

The metro Detroit arm of the nonprofit is moving forward with efforts to open a store in Dearborn by fall of 2012.

Goodwill Industries of Metro Detroit received its final OK to move forward with plans to open a retail store in west Dearborn. The effort passed the City Plan Commission April 9 after four months of debate. The plan–requesting a zoning variance to allow a secondhand store within 700 feet of residences and a school–came before the Zoning Board of Appeals, where it was approved with a 3-1 vote Wednesday evening by the five-person board. Board member Susan Binder was held from voting because she had already voted on the issue as a City Plan commissioner. According to Goodwill Director of Donated Goods Jeffrey Ukrainec, it was a relatively smooth process. "It was not a circus like it has been," he said. "It was controlled. They all had …

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Goodwill Request Passes Dearborn Plan Commission, 5-4

"The fourth time's a charm," said Goodwill Director of Donated Goods Jeffrey Ukrainec about the Monday night passage of the nonprofit's request to build a store in Dearborn.

After four months of public debate and three tablings of the issue by the Dearborn City Plan Commission, Goodwill Industries of Greater Detroit got its final vote Monday night on a special land use request that would pave the way for the opening of a retail store in Dearborn. With all members present at a meeting held at City Hall, the commission passed the request with a 5-4 vote. "They say the third time's a charm–well, for us, the fouth time's a charm," said Goodwill Director of Donated Goods Jeffrey Ukrainec of the approval. "We're happy that everyone showed up ... it was all or nothing." Goodwill announced in November of 2011 that they hoped to lease a property on Newman Street in west downtown Dearborn, just west of Military and …

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Plan Commission Discusses Attendance Policy After Goodwill Issue Tabled Again

"It's an embarrassment to the city," Commissioner Susan Binder said of the fact that the commission has not been able to reach an agreement on Goodwill for three months.

Goodwill’s Dearborn store will likely have to wait at least another month­ to learn its fate. A Special Land Use request that has been before the City Plan Commission since January in an effort to bring Goodwill to Dearborn was tabled for a third time at the commission’s Monday night meeting at City Hall. But unlike January and February’s meetings, the request to table was not made by the commission, but by Goodwill. “Goodwill remains hopeful that we’ll be able to become a part of your community,” said attorney LeRoy Asher, speaking on behalf of Goodwill. But with just five of the commission’s nine members in attendance–and knowing that only four of those five would vote in favor of their request–Goodwill opted to wait. Goodwill's request …

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UPDATE: City Says They Can't Step in on Goodwill Issue

Goodwill says they won't press city officials other than asking residents to continue showing support.

As Goodwill Industries awaits their third chance to address the Dearborn City Plan Commission in March concerning their efforts to bring a retail store into west downtown, residents have asked: Why can't the city council step in and settle the issue? "Someone needs to ask a council member to speak up and bring it to them for a vote," commented Colette Richards on the Dearborn Patch Facebook page. "It's time to over step the commission!" But according to Council President Tom Tafelski, it's not within council or Mayor Jack O'Reilly's bounds to challenge the issue, especially given that commissions are intended to operate as bodies independent of the influence of city officials. Goodwill Industries of Metro Detroit has come before the City …

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Letters to the Editor

Letter to the Editor: Goodwill in Dearborn?

A resident discusses his reasons for supporting Goodwill's plan to open a store in west Dearborn.

Last week I walked out of City Hall after the meeting of the City Plan Commission after the dead lock vote on Goodwill opening a new “upscale” resale store in the old Inca building downtown west Dearborn, with anger, surprise and a lot of questions regarding the survival and future of my beloved city. I read a statement from Councilman Robert A. Abraham in discussions about west Dearborn, paid parking, and future plans. “If you run your business today, like you did five years ago, you will most likely go out of business.” And this reflects all of west Dearborn. A successful business has to re-invent itself time and time again, to follow the times, changes in economic circumstances, change in demographics, etc. It is imperative to follow …

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Poll: Goodwill, or No Good?

Tell us where you stand on the issue of Goodwill bringing a store to Dearborn.

It's the hot topic of 2012: Should Goodwill Industries be able to open a retail store in west Dearborn? Many residents of Dearborn have left comments on Dearborn Patch, sent letters to the city and spoken up at City Plan Commission meetings since January as to whether they think Goodwill is a good fit for the city. Naysayers have contended that the store may bring "undesireable people" to the area, scare off other prospective businesses, lower adjacent property values, or become an eyesore. Supporters say it will bring foot traffic to west downtown, provide a much-needed new retail option, and fill space in a building that has been vacant for over a decade. Now, we want to hear where you stand. Voice your opinion in our poll, and tell us …

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Goodwill Dearborn Petition Held Up Again by City Plan Commission

The commission vote was split–four in favor, four against–on Goodwill's special land use request for a Dearborn store.

Goodwill's endeavor to open a retail store in Dearborn is at a standstill for the second month in a row, failing to gain adequate support from the City Plan Commission on Monday. At City Hall Monday evening, the commission heard debate from residents, business owners and Goodwill representatives on the nonprofit's plan to open a resale retail shop in west downtown Dearborn. But at the end of the night, Commissioner Said Deep's motion to deny the nonprofit's Special Land Use request garnered four votes in favor and for against–and with Commissioner Tawfic Hassan absent, that put the issue in gridlock. Goodwill's request faced a similar fate in January. At that City Plan meeting, only five of nine commissioners were present, and a vote on …

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