New GW store on South Boulevard will offer larger footprint plus food options
Goodwill Industries of the Southern Piedmont’s chic boutique is expanding to a second location in South End with an even larger footprint. The second GW store will open to the public at 9 a.m. on Friday, July 20 in a 7,000 square foot space on South Boulevard.
GW is Goodwill’s specialty boutique offering affordable designer and brand name women’s and men’s apparel, shoes, accessories and home décor, all stylized for shoppers. While brand-name items can be found at any of the now 25 Charlotte-area Goodwill stores, GW’s product offering is tailored to those who are trendy, fashionable and young at heart. GW features color blocking, style stories and a variety of curated décor items incorporated into the store’s design to enhance the shopping experience.
The store debuted as a concept in 2015 at a holiday pop-up shop at EpiCentre. Shoppers enjoyed the unique thrifting experience so much that a permanent location was opening in 2016 at the Goodwill Opportunity Campus on Wilkinson Boulevard. GW has quickly become one of Charlotte’s favorite Goodwill stores, and was named “Best Thrift Shop in Charlotte” in Charlotte Magazine’s 2017 BOB awards and the 2016 CharlotteFive awards.
“We’re excited to bring the GW brand to South End. With the popularity of the GW store at the Goodwill Opportunity Campus, we’ve been searching for the right location to introduce a second boutique store with convenient access for Charlotte shoppers,” said Barbara Maida-Stolle, chief business officer. “This space on South Boulevard is ideal, bringing a bigger GW to fun-loving, trend-embracing South End shoppers who appreciate a good deal.”
This second GW in lower South End, affectionately referred to as GW LoSo, is located at 3609 South Blvd., across from the Scaleybark light rail station. It’s walking distance to popular Charlotte hotspots like Olde Mecklenburg Brewery and Queen Park Social, and around the corner from Red Clay Ciderworks.
Early access to shop the store will be provided to members of the Good Points Loyalty Program to be the first to shop the store beginning at 8 a.m. on July 20. The first 100 customers will receive sustainable canvas Goodwill shopping bags. Regular store hours will be Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. – 9 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. – 7 p.m.
GW LoSo presents nearly double the retail space of the GW at the Goodwill Opportunity Campus at 4,800 square feet, giving shoppers even more opportunities to find designer looks at a fraction of the price. The store will offer an expanded men’s section and a dedicated athletic wear section for GW’s new neighbors along the rail trail.
The new store is Goodwill’s 25th retail store in the region, which includes 18 counties in North and South Carolina. The store is creating 15 new jobs in the community.
The new store also marks Goodwill’s first introduction of food and drink into a retail space with offerings from Community Table Bistro, the organization’s chef-driven restaurant offering affordable, locally-sourced cuisine. Located at the Goodwill Opportunity Campus, Community Table Bistro was named one of Charlotte Magazine’s “Best New Restaurants” in 2017. The restaurant will offer a refrigerated section in GW LoSo with grab-and-go meal options such as wraps, snack packs and various fruit, pasta and vegetable salads, as well as beverages. A frozen section will allow patrons to peruse the racks and then bring home dinner – with take-and-bake items made by Goodwill chefs such as chicken potpie, family-sized pasta dishes, baked goods, ice cream and more.
When you shop GW LoSo, your closet and your stomach will thank you, and so will your community. Every item sold in Goodwill stores supports job training and employment services to help people in our region find and secure family-sustaining employment.
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