Goodwill’s Counterintuitive Plan to Open 50 Retail Locations in Affluent DC

Brandan Hurley

WASHINGTON, DC–Goodwill of Greater Washington has just signed leases for two retail stores in Northern Virginia — one in  Centreville and one in Manassas.  They are part of a relatively new plan for the nonprofit to expand the number of retail stores in the Washington DC area to eventually reach 50 locations.  And not just any location — the local Goodwill is specifically targeting affluent locations in which to locate its retail stores. This was the strategy suggested by a study commissioned in 2010, which determined that stores located closer to affluent donors significantly increase the quality of donated goods and thus retail sales.

That is because 1) donors are not willing to drive very far to drop off items and 2) they are more likely to donate if the process is easier and the newer stores are picked with comfortable drop off areas in mind. No parking in back by the dumpster anymore, in other words.