After 10 years, the Goodwill Industries of Greater Detroit is now back in the retail business and set to bring more jobs in line with its main mission of transforming and changing South Michigan by creating job opportunities for its people. Goodwill is now aiming to expand its efforts to the retail shops industry in Southeast Michigan. Recently, with the support of the local officials, the organization launched its retail project in Canton since the area has a big population density. The store, located at 41937 Ford Road west of Haggerty and with 11,000 square feet of retail space, was designed to be an upscale department store instead of a resale shop. The store has been stocked with 18,000 pieces of clothing and hundreds of other items such as jewelry, purses, shoes, linens, furniture and electronics. The Canton’s store alone has successfully generated 25 jobs from truck drivers to retail clerks to managers.

Jeffrey Ukrainec, Goodwill director of donated goods, said that the organization is very excited with the project. “Goodwill last had an area retail shop in 2000. The agency revived the idea as another way to create jobs amid a tough economy and to provide quality merchandise for cash-strapped shoppers looking for good deals. It’s all about creating jobs.”

Mark Lane, Goodwill director of public relations and special events, added that the 90-year old organization touched about 28,000 lives in 2009 by creating jobs, providing job retrainings, helping with resumes or evaluating job skills.