Goodwill Industries of Arkansas is planning a 20,000-SF retail center in west Little Rock that would be the charitable organization’s first purpose-built facility in the state.
The flagship project at 610 Kirk Rd. is expected to cost $4 million-$6 million and create 30-50 jobs, CEO Brian Marsh said in an interview with Arkansas Business. Goodwill in November purchased two parcels totaling 5.3 acres north of Chenal Parkway for $3.88 million, Pulaski County property records show.
Goodwill is aiming to open the retail center in late 2025. CBM Construction Co. of Little Rock is the general contractor.
The project comes as Goodwill faces growing competition in the secondary retail market. As prices have risen, more shoppers have sought bargains from flea markets, online auction sites and other sellers of used goods.
Marsh said donations to Goodwill have softened, as well. The nonprofit is about 2% below last year’s donation levels but hoping for a post-election bounce to finish 2024.
Marsh said the new retail center will help Goodwill reach more donors, most of whom give due to convenience rather than an understanding of the nonprofit’s mission. Goodwill helps people complete high school, gain industry-recognized credentials, and secure jobs. By shopping at or donating to Goodwill, people directly support those efforts. That’s why making the donation process as convenient as possible is a top priority, Marsh said.
Goodwill employs about 1,450 people in Arkansas.
The retail center will be Goodwill’s 36th in the state. The nonprofit owns about a third of those locations, but has never built its own.
“We’re a hermit crab,” Marsh said. “We move into other people’s shells, right? There’s not a lot of shells for us to move into, especially in that that area [of Little Rock]. So building our own building is truly the best option.”
The new facility will be built to improve the flow of products from donors to processing to the sales floor. That design will also allow items that don’t sell to be moved more efficiently to Goodwill’s outlet store on Scott Hamilton Drive, where shoppers can make purchases by the pound.
Goodwill plans to build a similar retail center in Centerton. The nonprofit expects to complete the purchase of the site this month, with an opening in late 2025 or early 2026.
A previous version of this story incorrectly stated the size and total cost of the land Goodwill purchased for its retail center.
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