Goodwill Gulf Coast to host grand opening of new Foley facility

A grand opening ceremony will be held at 9 a.m., Tuesday, September 23 to launch a new facility for Goodwill Gulf Coast at 200 E. Azalea Ave. in Foley, which will feature a retail store, opportunity center, outlet store, and donation center to serve Baldwin County.

“Having a facility of this size and scope in Foley will help us provide more of our programs and services to benefit individuals and families living in this part of Baldwin County,” Frank Harkins, President and CEO of Goodwill Gulf Coast, said. “This will be the only facility in our 10-county service area that combines all four types of our stores and centers in one convenient location.”

Construction of the new 50,000-square-foot facility took one year, working with partners Randall Paulson Architects, development partner Piedmont Companies, and construction company Rogers & Willard. The retail store and the opportunity center will open on September 23, but the outlet store will open later this fall. The donation center already opened to accept donations of goods for the new store.

With the Foley grand opening, Goodwill Gulf Coast currently operates 11 retail stores, two outlet stores, 10 stand-alone donation centers, and six opportunity centers throughout its 10-county service area in southwest Alabama and northwest Florida. Ninety cents of every dollar Goodwill Gulf Coast spends provides support for the programs and services offered to the community, including job training and placement services, as well as support programs for children, youth and parents.

In FY 2024, Goodwill Gulf Coast provided over 23,000 services to 14,474 individuals, encompassing people of all ages and abilities, through workforce development programs, early childhood preparation and support, and medical, financial, emergency, and disability support services.