Back in business

WASHINGTON - The Washington Goodwill welcomed back friends and familiar faces on Monday.

On the chilly morning, five people lined up at the front doors waiting to shop and while others waited in their vehicles.

Tracey Hammie stood in line, excited to get shopping. She said she loves Goodwill, and it is one of her favorite stores. Unique items, clothes, gifts and toys are all good items to get, she said.

Hammie said the store helps people, and she was excited for it to be reopened.

'Especially during Christmas time,” Hammie said. 'There's a lot of families that are in need right now.”

Hammie said she was excited to see the staff.

As the doors opened, staff greeted the familiar faces with smiles.

The Washington Goodwill closed in July. Goodwill officials said that the plan was to reopen in September. Goodwill of the Heartland operates several Goodwill locations throughout eastern Iowa, including Washington, Fairfield, Muscatine, Iowa City and Cedar Rapids.

The Washington store was the last to reopen.

'We have had to reallocate our resources as part of our logistics and organizational needs,” Brent Watkins, creative services manager for Iowa City-based Goodwill of the Heartland said recently. 'The pandemic has impacted our operation in many different ways.”

During the closure, all of the employees were working at the Iowa City location, helping sort the influx of new donations after reopening, said Kolbi Jamison, Washington's retail project manager.

There are seven employees in Washington, Jamison said. The store also has six open positions.

'They are so excited to be here and get the store full of fresh, new product,” she said.

Judy Carle has been an employee at the Washington location for six years. She said she is excited to be back and is happy to see familiar faces again.

She greeted customers at the door, sharing comments about how happy she is to see people again.

There was a steady flow of customers entering the building throughout the morning.

The store hours are Monday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-7 p.m.; Sundays, 11 a.m.-5 p.m., for shopping and donation drop off.