Goodwill/Easter Seals of Minnesota will open its 26th metro area store next month in Forest Lake, and its first that is LEED-certified.
The 20,000-square-foot store at 197 SW. 19th St. will have 35 to 40 full- and part-time employees when it opens on Feb. 18, said Lisa Ritter, a Goodwill spokeswoman.
A public grand opening will be held on Feb. 18, with a fundraising preview night from 4-7 p.m. Feb. 17. Goodwill will stock the shelves with merchandise collected at other locations for the opening. The Forest Lake store will begin accepting donations on Feb. 18, Ritter said.
Goodwill chose to open in Forest Lake because the city has a growing population, Ritter said, and Goodwill was able to secure property along a freeway and at a major intersection. The store earned the prized LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Energy Design) certification for its green approach to design, construction, operations and maintenance.
Goodwill also will open a store in Lakeville on Saturday, and it plans to open four more stores in 2012, according to the company's marketing strategy.
STILLWATER
New boat brokerage business sets sailAfter working for several years in a boat brokerage firm, John Tetzlaff has branched out on his own to start his own firm. He opened Tetzlaff Yacht Sales in December at the Stillwater Marina at 575 N. Main St.
Calling himself a "real estate agent for boats," Tetzlaff works with customers who are looking to buy or sell used yachts, cruisers, trawlers, houseboats and other watercraft.
The company's website, www.tetzlaffyachtsales.com, also lists slips for sale or rent. For more information, call 651-439-7078.
