Fifty to sixty people lined up early Thursday morning, Sept. 17 for the grand opening of the new Des Moines Goodwill store at 23313 Pacific Highway S.

Des Moines Mayor Bob Sheckler along with Goodwill Board of Directors president Bob Bruback and CEO Terry A. Hayes were on hand to cut the ribbon, ceremonially opening the store.

The site in the LaPlaza shopping center used to house a QFC supermarket. The shopping center is on the southwest corner of the Des Moines-Kent Road and Pacific Highway South.

Goodwill spokesman Matthew Erlich reported that 800 transactions were made at the store's cash registers in the first hour.

Erlich noted that 91 percent of Goodwill's proceeds go back into funding the organization's programs.

The new Goodwill features inexpensive merchandise, a drop-off for tax-deductible, gently used clothes and household goods, and provides support for Goodwill's job-training and placement programs.

"Our new Des Moines Goodwill Store provides tremendous benefits to the community," said Bruback. "A Goodwill store not only means a place where families can stretch the value of their dollars, but jobs and even tax revenue for the community."

About 35 people, from the store manager to supervisors, cashiers and production clerks and donation attendants, were hired for the store.

The payroll exceeds a half-million dollars, along with health insurance and other benefits.

Hayes noted Goodwill provides a great opportunity for people seeking that first job or that second chance. Goodwill's retail stores also are utilized as part of Goodwill's job training and placement programs, she said.

Hayes thanked architects BCRA, the contractor, Mountain Construction; and Trinity Real Estate, property owners/managers.

The Des Moines store is 17,000 square feet.

Robert Glidewell will be the store manager. Glidewell has been with Goodwill since April 2008 and was manager of the agency's Outlet Store.

Before coming to Goodwill, Glidewell was a store manager for Walgreen's and has experience as an assistant store manager at Lowe's in Bellevue. Jeff Kelly will become the Outlet Store manager.

The store hours are 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., Monday through Saturday and 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Sunday. The store can be reached by calling 206-824-1101.

More information about Goodwill is available online at www.tacomagoodwill.org.

The store will be the 23rd for the agency, headquartered in Tacoma, and marks the fifth store in King County.

Another Goodwill store, affiliated with Seattle Goodwill, is located in Burien.