Goodwill closing locations in Oakland and San Francisco, 90 people laid off

OAKLAND, Calif. - Goodwill says some of its stores in the Bay Area are closing. Its Oakland warehouse is closed to the public and will soon close its doors permanently, leaving more than 70 people without a job. At least 18 people will also be laid off in San Francisco. 

"I never know what I’m going to find when I go in there, so you have to be adventurous and flexible," said Joyce Hawkins, of Alameda.  

What they're saying:

Joyce Hawkins says she’s been shopping at Goodwill for at least 40 years. She says the prices have changed over the years but having Goodwill in her neighborhood was a life-saver when she was a young mother.

"I have a 40-year-old daughter and when she was a baby, I didn’t have a lot of money. So, I would go to Goodwill and places. I would buy really cheap things, and then I’d take them to Buffalo Exchange in Berkeley and Mars in Berkeley and sell them. It was enough for me to have diapers and food," said Hawkins. 

This week, Goodwill San Francisco Bay notified the state’s Employment Development Dept. that it would terminate a total of 90 employees: 72 in Oakland on 30th Avenue and 18 in San Francisco on Post Street. The company says it’s making adjustments that will help it operate more efficiently. Fred Garvey says he used to go to Goodwill in Oakland but now lives in Alameda.

"I find electric motors, and I’ll convert it into a wind generator because you can run it backwards, and it’ll generate power. Stuff like that comes from yard sales, flea markets and Goodwill Stores," said Fred Garvey, of Alameda.

Goodwill San Francisco Bay says last year it helped 3,600 people through its career services program. 

For nearly 125 years, Goodwill has been known for offering affordable clothing and goods, but in recent years, it’s also gained a reputation for carrying gently used quality items priced well under retail value.  

"The products and the service, of course. They’re able to come in and find whatever they need. Get in and get out and get ahead," said Mark Thomas, Goodwill Customer Service Manager in Alameda.  

Goodwill San Francisco Bay says employees impacted by the closures will have a chance to apply at other locations. 

The company also says it's planning to open more stores in the near future that’ll improve the shopping and donating experience.