Goodwill of North Georgia officially celebrated the grand opening of its newest retail location in Commerce, Georgia, on February 5, marking a strategic expansion into Banks County and reinforcing the organization’s mission to put people to work while delivering great value and sustainability to local communities.

Planning for the Commerce store began in April 2025 as part of Goodwill of North Georgia’s long-term growth strategy to intentionally expand into counties where the organization previously had no retail presence. Commerce quickly emerged as a priority location, offering the right timing and opportunity to broaden Goodwill’s reach across the 45 counties it serves.

“As we continue to grow, we are very intentional about where and how we expand,” said Dell McKinney, Chief Operating Officer of Goodwill of North Georgia. “Commerce represents a community where we saw both strong potential and a real opportunity to further our mission. Establishing a presence in Banks County allows us to serve new guests, create jobs, and extend workforce services to an area we had not previously reached.”

Located in the revitalized Banks Crossing area, the Commerce store was designed to complement the community’s role as a regional shopping destination. The new location features updated branding, enhanced in-store graphics, improved merchandising, and an expanded assortment of new goods alongside donated items, creating a modern, welcoming shopping experience centered on value and sustainability.

While the Commerce store has a slightly smaller footprint than some locations, its unique corner placement within the shopping center required Goodwill’s operations team to reimagine workflow from the donor door to the sales floor. The result is a thoughtfully designed store that incorporates new fixtures, upgraded systems, and technology that enhance efficiency and elevate the experience for both shoppers and donors.

“First-time guests are often surprised by how bright, modern, and easy-to-shop our stores are,” McKinney said. “We are intentional about creating an experience that is neat, clean, and clutter-free, while still delivering the great value people expect from Goodwill.”

The Commerce opening created more than 25 new jobs for local residents, including leadership positions such as store managers, assistant managers, supervisors, and hourly team members. From day one, those team members received hands-on training aligned with Goodwill of North Georgia’s standards, reinforcing the organization’s commitment to workforce development.

In addition to retail jobs, the Commerce location will host Goodwill’s Mobile Career Center, further supporting job seekers in Banks County with workforce training, career coaching, and employment resources.

Community enthusiasm was evident during the grand opening celebration, as shoppers began lining up shortly after 5 a.m. ahead of the store’s 9 a.m. opening. Throughout the weekend, the store exceeded expectations with strong turnout from both shoppers and donors.

“What stood out most was the pride,” McKinney said. “Seeing team members serve shoppers and donors from their own community, and witnessing how warmly Goodwill was welcomed, made the opening especially meaningful.”

Looking ahead, the Commerce store is expected to contribute to the local economy by attracting shoppers to the Banks Crossing Center, supporting neighboring businesses, creating jobs, and reinvesting revenue into mission services that benefit the broader region.

“We are in a growth mode at Goodwill of North Georgia,” McKinney added. “Commerce aligns perfectly with our strategy to open new stores, refresh existing ones, and deepen our impact. We plan to be part of this community for the long term, providing great value, creating jobs, supporting sustainability, and partnering in Banks County’s continued growth.”

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About Goodwill of North Georgia

Goodwill of North Georgia serves a 45-county territory with then 71 stores 45 donation centers, and 14 career centers with a mobile career center dedicated to providing no-cost job training and placement services. In fiscal year 2025, Goodwill of North Georgia was recognized for the sixth time as the number one Goodwill in the nation for connecting people to employment, helping more than 24,000 North Georgians secure jobs. Through its career centers and training programs, Goodwill supports veterans, people with disabilities, youth, single parents, the underemployed, individuals with criminal backgrounds, and anyone else seeking meaningful work. To learn more about Goodwill of North Georgia’s career services and job training programs, visit www.goodwillng.org