SYLACAUGA, Ala – Goodwill Alabama celebrated their new Sylacauga location with a large crowd on hand to shop the new business, in support of its mission.
President and CEO of Goodwill Alabama, DeWayne Cuffie said, “The Sylacauga community support today has been overwhelming. Everything we do as a retail operation has our focus at heart – ‘Changing Lives Through the Power Of Work!” is more than a slogan. It is our mission, our reason for being. Every purchas, every donation supports career training and substantiality.”
There was a long line waiting when the doors were officially opened. It too only a few minutes to lose count of the crowd coming through the doors. “ Just a few minutes in, we lost count at over 500,” said Sylacauga Store Manager, Tyrone “TJ” Daneshinia, “It made all the work we put in quite worth the effort.
While local officials and business leaders joined more than a dozen Goodwill Alabama corporate officials- meeting and greeting, posing for photographs and more.
“Those things are important,” said Daneshinia, “to be a part of a great community. This is my home, and this store and its operation are important to me, which is why I have left the celebration aspects to others. Our every day staff is celebrating by working hard to make it a positive shopping experience. I came in a few months ago as an assistant manager to help get things ready. And before we even opened the doors, I was moved to Manager. It’s an humbling challenge.”
“TJ,” as he is known, had no problem with answering my questions, as long as I could keep up. He never stopped moving as a working manager, moving from department to department to oversee staff and operation details.
“This is how we will operate everyday, taking care of important details as best we are able,” said Tyrone, “The store can and does change a lot every week, every day. We get at least one truckload of merchandise every day, and we’re busy keeping things well stocked and orderly. Our donation to the right of the store has folks ready to come help you unload. It’s more than a commitment to customer service, but also to our mission – That is the focus of our career training and substantiality goals, too. It keeps us moving in positive ways.”
Local donations will obviously be a big part of the Sylacauga Goodwill inventory but, according to CEO Cuffie, the bulk of the inventory will come from their donation centers in the Greystone – Inverness area, “Yes, a thrift store, with a focus on quality merchandise, outstanding customer service, and career training.”
