8 March 2021
A wave of closures and layoffs at Goodwill stores in the Bay Area is the latest sign of the staggering losses suffered by retail and service-industry businesses amid the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdown.
Goodwill Industries of the Greater East Bay has announced it closed eight retail stores and laid off 61 employees on Friday. Mike Keenan, president and CEO, said the nonprofit organization had to make a difficult decision.
“Goodwill is all about the people,” he said Sunday. “It was a very emotional day for me.”
Keenan said the organization, which serves Contra Costa, Alameda and Solano counties, closed stores in Albany, Berkeley, Dixon, Dublin, Livermore, Oakland, Oakley and Vallejo.
A yellow sign with red letters hung still from the Dublin store: “Now Hiring.”
Keenan said the nonprofit has 36 openings and has hopes it can place some of those who were let go into new positions. He said some of those in the Dixon store might relocate to stores in Davis or Sacramento.
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