

WASHINGTON CH — Ginger Fleihman brought her basket of clothing up to the front checkout counter at the reopened Goodwill store and quickly shared her feelings about having the store open again.
“I am so glad you have opened up again here,” she told store manager Tori Copas. She wasn’t alone.
On Monday morning, a ribbon-cutting ceremony was held at the Goodwill Industries of South Central Ohio retail store at 1827 Columbus Ave., returning to this side of town the store that had been closed more than a year ago.
“We were responding to popular demand,” said Goodwill Executive Director Marvin Jones. The Columbus Avenue store had closed and a new, smaller boutique store had opened on Leesburg Avenue.
But after the larger store closed, Goodwill received a number of requests to reopen it, said Jones.
“I’m very excited to be back in this location,” Jones said. “This will be good for Goodwill and good for the community.”
He said all the renovations and improvements at the store will “serve as an example of how to improve our stores at the other seven locations.” Inside the remodeled store are sections for furniture, shoes, electronics and today, as well as racks and racks of gently used clothing.
Copas was also happy with the new store, saying, “I am thrilled to be opening here.”
The Goodwill store’s hours are 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and noon to 6 p.m. on Sunday.
The smaller “boutique-style” store on Leesburg Avenue will remain open, Jones said. He said its hours are now 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday and closed on Sunday.
Gary Brock, editor of the Civitas publication Rural Life Today, is a member of the Goodwill Board of Trustees. He can be reached at 937-556-5759 or on Twitter at GBrock4.

