Goodwill Industries

I’ve been several times and really like this Goodwill. Its footprint is smaller than others, but the selection is a tad bit better. There’s a huge section of men’s suit coats and several racks of women’s dresses. There seems to be more designer clothes, maybe it is the location? I always find dishes from popular retailers in the housewares section and there always seems to be enough street parking.

It was ok… Nothing really special there.

This review is partially about this particular location and partially (I’m assuming) about the corporate policies of Goodwill. But this is something people need to know.
My fiancé and I went in there the other day to browse. Among other things, we found a shelf that we really wanted. So we picked it up to pay for it. Lo and behold, there was no price on it.
Worker: «There’s no prices on it. I can’t sell it to you.»
Fiancé: «Can you look it up? I want it.»
Worker (who spoke poor English): «No. Store policy.»
Fiancé: «It’s out on the floor. I’ll pay what you want. Just let me buy it.»
Worker: «I can’t. Store policy.»
Fiancé: «Can I talk to your manager?»
Yeah — literally, my fiancé is trying to talk them into taking her money. I’m standing next to her shaking my head at the ridiculousness. They have a shelf. We have money. Let’s trade. That’s the entire point of this place.
Manager: «Can I help you?»
Fiancé: «I want to buy this shelf.»
Manager: «It doesn’t have a price on it. We can’t process it today. It has to wait overnight. Corporate policy.»
Fiancé: «Can’t you make an exception? I want this shelf…»
Manager: «Nope. Corporate policy.»
Fiancé: «So who processes and puts prices on it?»
Manager: «I do.»
Fiancé: «Can you do that and sell it to me?»
Manager: «Nope. Corporate policy.»
Fiancé: *walks out*
I’m incredulous. Here’s how I processed this conversation in my head:
Fiancé: «That shelf is great. Here’s money. Let me walk out with the shelf.»
Manager: «Fuck you — I’m moderately retarded and incapable of doing my job.»
Fiancé: (In her best ‘Futurama’ Fry impression) «Shut up and take my money!»
Manager: «Derrrrrr…»
Fiancé: «You’re a god-​damned charity, and I’m trying to give you money in exchange for something you got for free. Why the fuck are you preventing me from doing this?!?»
Manager: «My fingers smell like doodie…»

How has no one reviewed this particular Goodwill yet? This is the best one, in my opinion, of the several Goodwills in Raleigh proper. I happen to be well-​schooled in Goodwills because as a theology/​ethics experiment three years (maybe four now?) ago I gave up buying new-​to-​me clothes. Anyway, I digress. This particular Goodwill has tons more dresses than any of the other ones, with four whole glorious rows, and they are nicer than any of the other ones (Case in point: I am the owner of three Nanette Lepore dresses. Two are from THIS Goodwill, the other from Dorcas Thrift Shop. If that isn’t «evidence» enough for you, I don’t know what is. If you’re funny about getting clothes at thrift stores, I think you should strongly consider getting over it. Take them to get minor tailoring and to A Cleaner World dry cleaners and you not only have a saucy new outfit, but you have contributed to The Greater Good with your purchase).
They also have a lot of really nice suit jackets and tons of housewares here — especially cookware. Try not to tell too many people, though; this is one of my very favorite places to go to de-​stress when I have too much research to do and school-​related stress piling up on me.