Goodwill closing 16 Ontario Stores

[walkonby]

http://www.cp24.com/news/goodwill-cl...lems-1.2740936

Goodwill closing 16 Ontario stores because of cash problems


Joshua Freeman, CP24.com
Published Sunday, January 17, 2016 5:41PM EST
Goodwill Industries says 16 stores, 10 donation centres and two offices in Ontario are closing effective today due to a cash flow crisis.
In a statement, the organization says 430 employees in Toronto, Mississauga, Brampton, Newmarket, Barrie, Orillia and Brockville are affected by the closures.
“Due to a number of factors affecting the retail environment, Goodwill is facing a cash flow crisis,” Keiko Nakamura, CEO of Goodwill Industries of Toronto, Eastern, Central and Northern Ontario said in the statement.
Nakamura said the organization is facing “a tremendously difficult time,” but called the situation “fluid.”
“Goodwill is exploring a variety of options to continue its decades-long mission,” he said. “Goodwill will be reaching out to the union, stakeholders and all levels of governments to bring clarity as soon as possible.”

[walkonby]

This has got to be the straw that broke! MORE people out of work? How many more people need to lose their incomes before something changes? No, I have no answers I am just feeling so awful for those affected.

[Purdee]

ah this is sad. I love my local goodwill stores. 1 closed down last month in my area. Hopefully, they don't close anymore stores around here.

[walkonby]

ah this is sad. I love my local goodwill stores. 1 closed down last month in my area. Hopefully, they don't close anymore stores around here.

those stores are a lifeline for many shoppers to renew their wardrobe and household needs! I just cannot believe they are not turning a profit, because at times I have found their prices to be higher than what I expected to pay for second hand stuff. Oh well at least there are other Thrift stores still up and running.

[Purdee]

^^ true their regular prices are higher than brand new clothes from regular stores in the mall i.e. tank tops which go on sale for a few bucks several times a year at old navy, suzy, etc.
compare to Value Village which price their items individually, Goodwill is a better store in my opinion to hunt for a good deal and combine with their 50% off

[frugal50]

that place is a dump and the CEO makes millions from them
just sucks for the workers to be unemployed like the rest of
Canada

[walkonby]

that place is a dump and the CEO makes millions from them
just sucks for the workers to be unemployed like the rest of
Canada

I watched a clip last night on the news, they didn't even have the courtesy to call their employees!! They showed up for work to locked doors.

[abbasgirl]

that place is a dump and the CEO makes millions from them
just sucks for the workers to be unemployed like the rest of
Canada

I've been reading this rumor a lot since the news came out. I think it comes from an email that's been circulating. Here's what snopes says about it: http://www.snopes.com/politics/business/charities.asp
I don't know what's happening with this. It seems strange that a thrift store would be struggling so much in this climate. But I guess everyone is. I agree that they didn't handle this well with their employees.

[gryphon]

Apparently the Unions played a role in Goodwill's problems...turns out making large demands and excessive benefits can lead to being in the red fast

[anisa]

The lack of forsight on the part of the head honchos and lack of notice to employees is appalling.

Our local goodwill has dumb pricing and they play the "50% off Fridays" game. Why not price things fairly to get a steady flow of customers and hopefully have a healthier bottom line? Gimmicks have never lured me in. I would probably buy more things from my local goodwill if the pricing was somewhat reasonable all week long, instead of just on Fridays.

So-called charities and non-profit organizations are primarily about giving a group of people some jobs. They might not be operating for profits, but they do have a revenue, and they do have people making an income. It is too bad that the real workers got shafted in this, and the ones that decided to close the doors are likely more comfortable during this closure.

[anisa]

All that said, I have no clue if my Goodwill closed. I don't have a car these days to make the rounds and check my fav. stores.

[madchives]

heard 2 interviews with now ex employees, they had worked at good will for
9 years and were living paycheck to paycheck - sighing,, how/why is that?

looked around and found this article, (don't remember last time i read the sun, but,,,)

TORONTO - The 11-person board of the now-shuttered Goodwill Industries made their decision last Friday evening to abruptly shut shop — and then promptly ran for cover like cowardly rats deserting a sinking ship.
Despite the fact many of the 11 have been on the board for three or four years and several tout their financial credentials in their lengthy bios, they said in a statement posted on the Goodwill website Wednesday night that the entire board resigned because of “significant business challenges” and the need to “restructure retail store costs.”
and so more:
http://www.torontosun.com/2016/01/21/goodwill-board-close-of-shop-and-run

[abbasgirl]

heard 2 interviews with now ex employees, they had worked at good will for
9 years and were living paycheck to paycheck - sighing,, how/why is that?

Anyone working at or near minimum wage could potentially be living paycheck to paycheck right now. The cost of living has been rising at a rate that has been really difficult for people in lower income brackets to maintain.

[walkonby]

great article @madchives ( even if it came from the Sun rag....lol! ) but I am confused now. Which is it?? Did their employees get paid TOP dollar
" union " wages with lavish benefits as gryphon had suggested or were they paid at minimum wage??

[madchives]

Apparently the Unions played a role in Goodwill's problems...turns out making large demands and excessive benefits can lead to being in the red fast

hmmm - you are kidding right? if not please define 'large' demands and 'excessive' benefits.