PEORIA — Goodwill Industries of Central Illinois recently relocated one of its two Peoria stores into a more convenient, larger facility.

The new store, 3905 N. University St., Peoria, that once served as the showroom for Peoria Tractor Co., a Caterpillar Inc. dealer, opened June 6. It replaced a store that has been operating at 2319 E. War Memorial Dr., Peoria, since 1990.
Drop-off of items still can be made on a temporary basis at the War Memorial Drive store from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.
“It’s going to stay open for probably a month because people are used to going to that store,” said Goodwill Industries of Central Illinois Vice President of Administrative Services Bob Parkhurst.
Goodwill offices will remain at the War Memorial Drive location. The building will be retrofitted for an expansion of training programs that help veterans, youth and other groups become self-sufficient.
“Now that we’ve completed preparations for the new store, we’ll turn to announcing plans for the training complex at War Memorial,” said Goodwill Industries of Central Illinois CEO Patty Fuchs.
According to Parkhurst, people were lined up waiting to enter the new store when it opened last week.
“We already have people lined,” said Parkhurst. “Based on the results we’ve seen today (June 6), we expect the new store to be very successful. It’s quite a bit bigger. It gives us more opportunity to do more merchandising.”
The University Street store is “a lot more convenient location” than the War Memorial Drive store, said Parkhurst.
“This site has served us well over the years, but it’s not the best location for a retail store,” said Fuchs.
The new 16,000 square-foot store that includes new fixtures and racks for the display of merchandise will require double the staff that was needed for the War Memorial Drive store.
“The previous store was less than 10,000 square feet,” said Parkhurst.
Like the Goodwill store at 1409 W. Pioneer Pkwy., Peoria, the store on University Street will provide both a donations store as well as a drive-through drop-off of merchandise.
Goodwill Industries of Central Illinois operates nine stores across central Illinois, with two stores in Peoria and individual stores in East Peoria, Pekin, Washington, Canton, Galesburg, Kewanee and Peru.
The University Street store was the last of the nine Goodwill stores in the central Illinois region to expand its facility space. Each store is now 15,000 to 16,000 square feet.
Fuchs said the expansions were necessary to keep up with increasing sales.
“I want to be sure that the people in our communities that give us donations realize that their generosity is making this possible,” said Fuchs.
Goodwill officials will host a Grand Opening at the University Street store June 15-17.
Anyone who spends $25 or more during the Grand Opening will be entered into a drawing for a 50” LG Plasma TV. The first 10 people to find a “mystery item” during the Grand Opening will win $25 in Goodwill gift certificates.
Goodwill will be giving away free hamburgers and hotdogs at the University Street store from 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. June 16, as part of the Grand Opening.