Goodwill opens 1st Puerto Rico store in Carolina’s Plaza Escorial
The nonprofit plans to open 10 stores, including another in Carolina and one in Bayamón by late 2025, along with a maternal health program.
Puerto Rico’s first Goodwill store, located in Plaza Escorial in Carolina, opens today after more than a year of planning by Goodwill of Central & Southern Indiana.
Goodwill de Puerto Rico is a local nonprofit that collects gently used donations and uses proceeds from the sale of those goods to support community employment, health and education programs.
“We are very excited to introduce Goodwill to donors and consumers” on the island, said Kent A. Kramer, CEO of Goodwill de Puerto Rico.
Goodwill will open two additional stores by the end of 2025 — one in Los Colobos in Carolina, occupying part of the former Kmart big box, and another in the former Olazábal store in Bayamón. Hiring for the Bayamón location will begin in May.
The nonprofit has made an initial investment of $5 million to launch its mission programs and stores. More stores are in the pipeline, with long-term plans for 10 locations islandwide, Kramer said.
“Donations and purchases of secondhand household items and apparel drive our mission. In addition to reducing environmental impact by keeping items out of landfills, revenue from purchases also helps drive the good of Goodwill’s mission,” he added.
In addition to supporting community initiatives, donations to Goodwill are tax-deductible for local returns. The organization provides donors with a document to estimate the value of their contributions, which can then be used as a deduction when filing with the Treasury Department.
The 20,000-square-foot Plaza Escorial store, located at the former IKEA space, has been generating a buzz since it began collecting donated goods in December, which will be sold at prices aligned with Puerto Rico’s economy, Kramer said.
“We researched the local retail market and want to remain competitive. This store has 50,000 items for sale,” Kramer said, noting that the nonprofit will offer a rewards program for which customers must sign up online to receive tiered discounts.
Goodwill de Puerto Rico’s first store has created 47 jobs, and by the end of the year, employment is expected to exceed 175 positions across the three stores, said Francisco Rodríguez, Goodwill’s regional director.
“I’m proud to lead an incredible group of people as Goodwill opens its first retail store on the island,” Rodríguez said. “What attracted me most to Goodwill was the mission and focus on people, specifically those who face barriers to employment, including people with disabilities, limited education, or who are or have been involved with justice. I truly believe in the mission and am honored to be a part of this outstanding organization.”
In addition to employment opportunities and support services, Goodwill has obtained approval to launch a maternal health program for low-income first-time mothers. The Goodwill Nurse-Family Partnership (NFP) program connects families with registered nurses for home visits from pregnancy to the child’s second birthday, providing them essential support during their early, developmentally critical years.
Goodwill NFP has already received $1 million in philanthropic funding for its launch in Puerto Rico.
