Thrift shopping goes mainstream as Goodwill opens in Savage

A Goodwill store opening next week in Savage will offer deal-conscious shoppers a new option and further evidence that thrift shopping is going mainstream in the suburbs and beyond.

Grand opening festivities on Oct. 25 will feature treats, gift card giveaways and storewide savings. The store is at 5925 Egan Dr.

Goodwill-Easter Seals Minnesota locates its retail stores based on traffic counts and demographics of an area, including the number of women ages 35 to 54.

That helps explain why suburban locations are among the sites it targets, said Mary Beth Casement, director of retail marketing. The nonprofit organization, which has 34 Minnesota locations, generates revenue to support its job training and placement programs.

The typical shopper is a parent with a couple of kids who also owns a home, is highly educated and has an annual income of $50,000 or more, Casement said.

"We find a lot of those people live in the suburbs, so that's where we put our stores and donation centers," she said.

Goodwill has locations in Minneapolis and St. Paul, and suburban openings in recent years include Fridley, Maple Grove, Brooklyn Park, St. Louis Park and Cottage Grove.

"As we look to continue expanding, we certainly will be looking at all those types of locations — urban, suburban and outlying areas," Casement said.

Goodwill stores also have benefited from the growing acceptance of thrift shopping, which more people are including in their shopping choices, along with discount and department stores, Casement said.

"Whether it's younger people who focus on sustainability or whether the recession drove people to get more items for their dollar or whether it was the acceptability of saying, 'I got this at a thrift store or consignment store,' it seems like a broader group of people is using thrift as part of their shopping behavior. That's a trend we've seen over the last five years."

Goodwill stores offer a better shopping experience than in past decades, Casement said. Larger, more open, brighter interiors help attract shoppers of all ages, races, socio-economic and educational levels. About 10 percent of a store's merchandise is new, she said.

"One thing that powers the entire operations is donations, and here in Minnesota people are very generous with their donations," Casement said.

Retail revenue has risen from $38.4 million in 2010 to $66.8 million last year, according to Goodwill-Easter Seals documents.

In addition to its suburban expansion, Goodwill in August opened Gina + Will, aimed at teens and young adults, in Dinkytown, near the University of Minnesota.