Goodwill Industries has plans to enter the Georgetown County market by opening two stores in 2013 — one in Georgetown and another in Murrells Inlet.

Robert Smith, president and CEO of the Lowcountry region, confirmed this week the retail store in Georgetown will be built in the 1500 block of Highmarket Street, in a vacant lot next to Curry’s Cleaners. The target date for opening is October.

The Murrells Inlet store is scheduled to open in July at the intersection of Highway 17 and Highway 707.

Both stores will be 15,000 square-feet in size. Construction in Murrells Inlet is expected to begin next month and in Georgetown in March.

Smith said the new stores will mean 50-60 new jobs in the county — 25-30 jobs at each store.

“We started expanding into the Grand Strand in 2008,” Smith said. “We look at places where Goodwill services are needed and we saw this as an opportune time to expand into Georgetown County.”

Goodwill provides job training and employment placement services for people with disabilities and those who face other employment challenges. About 92 percent of revenue from stores goes to support these missions.

Smith said the stores will offer a job link center where people can see what jobs are available in the area. He said the centers will help people learn how to “dress for success” and provide instruction on “working through the obstacles to become gainfully employed.”

Goodwill stores rely on contribution of goods from the public. Smith said a donation drive will take place prior to the opening of the stores so that each location will be stocked when construction concludes.

By Scott Harper

sharper@gtowntimes.com