Austintown Goodwill center to close

By ELISE FRANCO

AUSTINTOWN — The slumping economy is affecting more than just those spending money.

Even those who just want to help out the less fortunate will have to go a bit farther to do so.

Mike McBride, executive director of Youngstown Area Goodwill Industries, said that to save money, the Austintown Goodwill Donation Center will close Oct. 14.

“We had to look at ways to cut costs, and unfortunately closing the Austintown Donation Center made the most sense,” he said.

The center on Mahoning Avenue is the only “freestanding” Goodwill site left in the area, McBride said.

“This means it’s not attached to a store ... We only use it to collect donations,” he said. “All other [donation centers] now have [stores], so a person can shop as well as donate.”

McBride said the cost of running the center, about $50,000 annually, has become too expensive.

He said plans to add a store were in place when the donation center opened, but because of the declining economy, the plans never materialized.

“If the economy turns around we will definitely go back and look at it again,” McBride said.

The Austintown center employs three people, all of whom are set to transfer to the location in Boardman Plaza on U.S. Route 224.

“One person is scheduled to retire in December, and I believe one is going to take a different job as a sales associate in the store,” McBride said. “Of course, that is all subject to change based on our needs and their willingness to comply.”

The other area Goodwill stores are in: Calcutta, 15765 state Route 170; Hermitage, Pa., 2986 E. State St.; Liberty, 2747 Belmont Ave.; New Castle, Pa., 2611 Ellwood Road.; Salem, 187 S. Broadway; Struthers, 460 Youngstown-Poland Road; and Warren, 2083 Elm Road.