By Daniel Nash | The Courier-Herald

A new Goodwill store will be opening its doors to Bonney Lake next week.

Mayor Neil Johnson Jr. will join Goodwill Board of Directors President Bob Bruback and CEO Terry A. Hayes for the ribbon-cutting ceremony at 8:45 a.m. on Thursday, Dec. 3. Doors will open to the public at 9 a.m.

“We are very excited about having a store in this growing community,” Bruback said. “In these tough economic times, a Goodwill store provides many ways to help a community. It is a way for families to stretch the value of their dollar, a place for people to get that first job or second chance and a support for our job training and placement services.”

The store, located at 21153 state Route 410 E, will give away prizes, including a DVD player, an iPod and $50 gas cards over the weekend. A mattress sale will be held while supplies last. Friday, Dec. 4, country music station KMPS 94.1 FM will broadcast live from the store, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., during the Stubbs show.

Goodwill is known for its sales of discounted and donated goods of all kind, but the retail stores are a support system for the non-profit organization’s various job training and “soft skills” programs. Soft skills programs include workshops on job interviews and resume writing.

The stores themselves provide job training to the disabled or disadvantaged, and provide first jobs for many young workers, store manager Frank Quintana said. Approximately 70 percent of employees across all Goodwill locations are disabled or disadvantaged in some way.

Quintana was previously the store manager for the neighboring Fred Meyer’s, where he oversaw that store’s remodeling.

“Goodwill is a growing organization and this store is in a growing community,” he said. “I’m excited to be a part of that growth.”

The Bonney Lake store is run by Tacoma Goodwill Industries. Goodwill is an international organization of 501(c)3 non-profits based out of Rockville, Maryland.