Goodwill Stores Reopen in Three Phases
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Goodwill of Western and Northern Connecticut Retail Stores to Reopen in
Three Phases
Stores to reopen with extensive protective measures
in place
for staff and customer safety
Bridgeport, Conn. (May 19, 2020) – Goodwill
of Western and Northern Connecticut (GWNC) today announced it will reopen its
21 retail stores in three phases, beginning on May 22nd. The first
four stores to reopen will be Bridgeport, Brookfield, Monroe and Westport. All donation and store hours will be 9am-7pm.
“The health and safety of our team members and customers is our chief priority, and we have implemented a number of protective measures to deliver a positive in-store experience,” Jeff Wieser, Interim President of Goodwill of Western and Northern Connecticut, said. “Safely welcoming customers back into our stores allows us to generate revenue to support our Career Centers, which are providing virtual services at this time. With high unemployment rates, these services have an added measure of importance right now and we appreciate those who continue to shop with us in support of our mission.”
In response to COVID-19, all GWNC retail locations are asking
customers to assess their own health before entering and wear masks when they
are shopping. Store capacity and hours have both been reduced, and fitting
rooms will remain closed at this time. Sneeze guards have been installed at all
checkouts and carts/shopping baskets will be disinfected after each use.
Customers are also being asked to keep a distance of 6-feet between themselves
and other shoppers and staff, and to follow directional signage placed on the
sales floor. Touch-less checkout will also be provided through credit card chip
scanning, Android and Apple payment options. In addition, all staff will be
required to perform a health screening before every shift. Lastly, contact-less
drop off remains in place at all donation sites and donated goods will continue
to be quarantined for at least 24-hours in accordance with CDC guidelines.
“While the shopping experience will look different when we reopen, these changes have been made for the health and safety of our team members and customers,” Wieser said. “We are excited to welcome customers back into our stores, and appreciate their patience and cooperation with these new guidelines so that we can open safely.”
Following the reopening of four retail stores on May 22nd,
GWNC will reopen nine additional stores on June 1st. The stores
opening on June 1st include: Avon, Enfield, Manchester, New Milford,
Norwalk, Oxford, Shelton, Stamford Elm and Torrington. GWNC’s remaining retail
stores will reopen on June 8th, which includes: Bloomfield, Danbury,
Fairfield, Glastonbury, Milford, Newington, Stamford Broad and Waterbury. The
Bristol retail store, which was originally scheduled to close on July 19, 2020,
will not reopen. All dates and locations are subject to change based on safety
recommendations from the CDC and state officials.
For customers who are not comfortable entering a retail store
at this time but would like to support GWNC’s mission, Shop Goodwill, the nonprofit’s ecommerce platform,
remains open.
ABOUT GOODWILL OF WESTERN AND NORTHERN CONNECTICUT
Goodwill is a non-profit organization that helps individuals, businesses, and communities come together to support people with disabilities, economic disadvantages, and other barriers to employment. Last year, Goodwill of Western and Northern Connecticut (GWNC) helped 2,766 Connecticut residents find work. And, in 2018, one out of every 275 hires in the US were the result of services provided by Goodwill. Donations of goods and revenue generated from store sales power this mission, with more than 90% reinvested into the programs and services strengthening Connecticut families. GWNC is headquartered in Bridgeport, Conn., and has store, donation, and career center locations around the state. To learn more, visit: www.gwct.org.