Comparing the industries of thrift: Goodwill

In an effort to better understand the thrift store system, I present to you the companies that create these cheap havens. First up, we got Goodwill Industries International, Inc.

Goodwill in general has pretty solid thrift stores. All in all, Goodwill stores are a bit pricey but most have dressing rooms, something needed most of the time if you are a perfectionist and generally enjoy well fitting clothes. The best thrift store in my hometown happens to be a Goodwill.

Almost all thrift store chains are doing something good with the money they make. Well, at least they profess to. For example, check this out...

Goodwill Results 2008

• People served through employment and training programs: 1,525,451
• Workforce development services provided: 10,490,787
• People who earned a job with Goodwill’s help : 172,317
• Estimated total earnings of people who earned a job with Goodwill’s help: $2.3 billion
• Personal and family support services provided: 18,534,362
• Total revenue generated by Goodwill organizations: $3.28 billion
• Total revenue spent directly on programs: 84 percent
• Total number of donors (includes repeat donations): 64.4 million
• Total number of retail stores: 2,324

Revenue Sources

• Retail sales: $2.16 billion
• Industrial and service contract work: $597.2 million
• Individual/corporate/foundation support for mission services: $61.1 million
• Government support for mission services: $392.49 million
• Other revenue: $46.5 million

These numbers are provided by Goodwill on their website hither.

Goodwill tries to help people get jobs, get training for jobs, sell things to people who need jobs and generally be a good corporation to get people back on their feet. Pretty solid.

Check out those numbers under revenue sources. Retail sales equal $2.16 billion. That's a crap-ton of money coming from retail sales. Now I don't know if that equals only thrift stores or not but damn! Let's say it did for simplicity sake. Now the company has 2,342 retail stores. Crunching some numbers and the average Goodwill retail store makes $900,000 in sales. It makes me want to start a thrift store. This video on the other hand says that the average Goodwill makes $200,000 to $400,000. That's probably more accurate than my quick math, so the retail sales probably include something else I don't know about.



Check that out. Well done, Goodwill, Well done.

Goodwill has failed me...

A thrift store has failed me.

This quarter, in order to look more hip and fresh (as the kids call it nowadays), the Singing Men of Ohio changed their uniforms from a tux shirt and button cover to a regular button-down and tie. Being a member of this esteemed organization, I was against the change but because majority rules it was decided nonetheless. So, after using my $160 current uniform for two years and, I now had to spend another $30 to buy a white shirt and tie.

This is where thrift stores come in. I am not buying another new white shirt for $20. I am poor. I have a broken car. I have bills to pay. I have college to pay for. I am not buying a new white shirt, so what do I do? I go to a thrift store.

BUT ALAS!

They had no white long-sleeved button-down shirts. It's really a sad day. We really need some quality thrift stores in Athens. I don't need to support the corporate nightmare that is Wal-mart or any other large stores in this town.

I am really just complaining at this point, but I hate when something I support so much not support my clothing needs. (It's hard to communicate sarcasm in the written word, so read that over with a different tone)

Anyway, my point...

Sometimes a thrift store doesn't have a whole lot in what you need, but a thrift store somewhere probably has it. If you live in a small town with few choices than you take what you can get. If not, keep looking around the surrounding area. Anything goes in thrift store-land. That's where the fun is.

Seriously...anything goes.

Thrift Stores in Athens

I currently live in the small college town of Athens, Ohio. From what I know, there are four thrift stores in the immediate area. 1. the Goodwill on East State St. 2. Athens Underground on Court St. 3. Re Use Thrift Store on Columbus Rd. and 4. New to You Thrift Shoppe also on Columbus Rd.

This post will concentrate on the Goodwill. The Goodwill here in jolly ole' Athenstown is pretty small. I've seen Goodwills easily two to three times larger than the one we got here. Goodwill in general tends to be somewhat pricy compared to some other thrift store chains. For example, the cheapest thrift stores are one-owner entrepreneur thrift stores. Chains are a little more expensive. Goodwill is the most expensive of the chains. Still, being a thrift store, it's not like it's going to break your budget.

It's collection is little small. The clothing section in particular is one of the smallest I've ever seen. If you're looking for something for Halloween then you probably will still find something, but if you're looking for interesting clothing than move on. The bric'n'brac (thrift store slang for random stuff) is probably half of the store. That's a good ratio, but considering the store is generally small then it's not all that great. I would rate this particular thrift store on the low end of the spectrum...maybe a 2 out of 5. It's not completely awful but it's no Detroit Salvation Army.