Longboat Goodwill officially celebrates grand opening

Donn Githens, president and CEO of Goodwill Manasota, said curious onlookers have been trying to catch a glimpse of the new Longboat Key bookstore and donation center over the past few weeks. Staff were able to proudly fling the doors open the morning of Dec. 18 at the ribbon-cutting ceremony.

From idea to opening day, the project was about a year in the making, Githens said, adding that he was grateful to the community members who helped planners reach this point.

He said the donation process should be streamlined for those stopping by.

"We have two parking spots in the back by the automatic door, and when they pull in, our team is trained to get out within 10 seconds to collect donations, offer a gift receipt and, of course, say thank you," he said. "We couldn't do what we do without the support of the donors, shoppers and community members."

He noted that the bookstore brought seven new jobs to Longboat Key.

The location currently has about 13,000 books in stock and room to grow, according to Keera Herbst, regional director of donated goods retail.

"We have everything from rare collectables to children's books and comics, along with records and other media," she said.

She credited the Manasota team for its dedication to getting the store up and running.

"It turned out better than I even could have hoped," she said of the Longboat facility. "If you are a book enthusiast, they definitely have a wide variety in there for you."

Githens said the store aims to be highly involved in community activities and development. From day one, they welcomed local Sarasota author Beth Rice to the grand opening.

Rice said she has been a longtime patron of the Goodwill Manasota Tara Bookstore, and she was glad to give back at the Longboat Key opening with copies of her self-published book, "Behind the Receptionist's Desk."

"The Tara shop is such a feel-good bookstore, and you find such good deals," she said. "It has such a strong place in my heart."

Of the Longboat location, she said, "I think it will be a great addition to the community, where people can come into a physical location and find a variety of books."

Githens noted the site is a full-service donation center, and his team is excited to offer those services on the island.

"Going forward, we're looking to connect with the other nonprofits on the island and other agencies on how we can leverage our footprint in these local communities to help others," he said.