Emmi Chen
On April 26, community leaders and Goodwill officials gathered outside of the new retail location in Ithaca to mark its opening. Each participant cut a piece of the blue ribbon in front of a crowd.
Goodwill of the Finger Lakes officially opened its first Ithaca location April 25. The new store, located in the former Ollie’s Bargain Outlet at 723 S. Meadow St., became Goodwill’s 13th retail establishment in the Finger Lakes region.
Other thrifting outlets in Ithaca include Thrifty Shopper, Salvation Army, Finger Lakes ReUse and Mimi’s Attic. Community leaders and Goodwill officials gathered at 9 a.m. for a ribbon-cutting ceremony, where the store’s branded banners and balloons decorated the entrance. To officially welcome the new store to the Ithaca community, each participant cut a piece of the blue ribbon.
Jennifer Lake, president and CEO of Goodwill of the Finger Lakes, who has been with the organization since 2007, said she was excited for the new store and highlighted the organization’s sustainability initiatives and partnerships in the region.
“Our arrival in Ithaca is timely and exciting as we recognize the sustainable impact of shopping secondhand and our commitment to elevating people, community and the planet,” Lake said.
The Ithaca Goodwill carries gently-used clothing, books, home decor, electronics, sporting equipment and furniture. With men’s, women’s and children’s clothing available at a fraction of retail prices, the location provides shoppers with affordable options to refresh their wardrobes and homes’ sustainably.
First-year student Gerek Tupy said he believes that this new Goodwill location will strengthen Ithaca’s thrift shopping scene by increasing affordable options.
“Thrifting fits perfectly into my college budget,” Tupy said. “Most of the clothes I wear are thrifted from either Ithaca thrift stores or other stores throughout the Tri-County area.”
Beyond offering affordable goods, Goodwill’s presence in Ithaca also supports broader community needs. Proceeds from the store help fund three regional programs: 211/LIFE LINE and 988 hotline services, Goodwill Vision Enterprises and Goodwill Learning Academy. These initiatives provide essential resources to the community such as mental health support, vision rehabilitation and education access.
Anna Kelles,New York Assemblymember, praised Goodwill of the Finger Lakes’ expansion to Ithaca, highlighting the organization’s focus on sustainability.
“By donating or shopping at Goodwill, our neighbors are taking a meaningful step toward reducing that impact — keeping reusable items in circulation and increasing access to affordable essentials for individuals and families,” Kelles said. “Ithaca has long been a leader in waste reduction and reuse, and the addition of Goodwill strengthens that legacy.”
Beyond its community services and career development programs, Goodwill’s retail presence has already begun making an impact on Ithaca’s shopping landscape. The opening generated enthusiasm among local college students who view thrifting as both a fashion statement and a way to discover clothing items that support a more sustainable approach to personal style.
Among the enthusiastic college students is first-year student Marley Migdal. She said she embraced the addition of more affordable shopping options in the city and sees great potential for the new Goodwill. Migdal said she considers thrifting to be a way to support sustainable fashion while providing an alternative to traditional consumer practices.
“It’s always exciting to have a new thrift store, especially one like Goodwill,” Migdal said. “It’s one of those thrifts where there’s still some pretty cool finds without being too expensive, like something you’d get from one of those higher-end stores, which is great as a college student.”
Migdal believes thrift shopping is a fundamental part of the city’s college life and transforms how students approach fashion consumption.
“I think a lot of college students, especially those at Ithaca are very fashionable especially in the thrifted sense, so I think it won’t take long for the new Goodwill to get integrated into the thrifting and fashion scene here,” Migdal said.
Operating seven days a week, the location accepts donations during all business hours, making it easy for community members to contribute items they no longer need.
“We’d like to sincerely thank the Ithaca community for the warm welcome and are excited for the ability to collaborate with other local reuse organizations to aggregate materials for remanufacturing and recycling,” Lake said.