CHARLOTTE, NC (WBTV) - The Goodwill store at 6607 South Blvd. will reopen Saturday after a fire shut it down for seven months. Friday, WBTV got a sneak peek at the renovations.
"For the past twenty years, we've had a presence right here on South Boulevard," said Michael Elder, CEO of Goodwill Industries of the Southern Piedmont.
Last February, police say an arsonist broke in and set it on fire. No one has been arrested for the crime, and police are no longer associating a former Goodwill employee with the arson, which caused half a million dollars in damage.
"We had a decision to make. And really it was a decision about whether we could continue to provide services and have a presence in this community," said Elder.
They decided to stay, but they practically had to start from scratch. Now, the work is finished and the doors are opening again.
Elder thanked the community for its support throughout the past seven months. Residents rallied to restock the store with clothes, books, electronics, and more.
The inside of the store is modeled after the brand new Goodwill stores in Ballantyne and Huntersville.
Employees say the South Blvd. store is proof that something positive can come from a disaster.
"We indeed are back. Back better than ever," said Elder.
Goodwill will hold a short re-opening ceremony between 8:30 and 9 a.m. Saturday, September 22. Doors open for shopping at 9 a.m.
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