A new Goodwill store and career center opened in Doraville on Friday, October 16, 2026, and the 43,000-square-foot facility at 5600 Buford Highway NE had already put 36 people to work before a single customer walked through the door. The initial workforce includes 28 retail store employees and eight career services specialists, splitting the operation between thrift retail and job placement services from day one.
The Doraville location marks Goodwill of North Georgia's seventh retail store in DeKalb County, joining existing facilities in Decatur, Flat Shoals, South Hairston, Tucker, Northlake, and Northeast Plaza, according to Georgia CEO. Per WSB-TV, the new site also counts as Goodwill of North Georgia's 72nd store overall. Commercial real estate firm Ackerman Retail represented Goodwill of North Georgia in negotiating the lease for the Buford Highway property, according to a video posted by Ackerman & Co.
Free Training in Phlebotomy, Construction and Supply Chain
Inside the career center, job seekers can access no-cost training programs in supply chain management, construction, and phlebotomy, per WSB-TV's reporting. To help with online applications and digital skills, the career center features 20 computers on its main floor alongside a dedicated 16-computer instructional lab, Georgia CEO reports. The career center operates six days a week: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Wednesday, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Thursday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Friday, and 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday, according to information posted on Goodwill of North Georgia's own site.
The retail side of the new store is also debuting fresh concepts. The location features Goodwill's first GoodBIZ Market, which allows graduates of Goodwill's microenterprise program to sell products from their own small businesses, according to WSB-TV. The store also hosts the nonprofit's second “Seasonal Spot,” a themed, curated retail concept space with a larger footprint than the original version that debuted at the Marietta location in June 2025, per the same Georgia CEO report.
Thrift Sales Fund Job Placement Across the Region
The dual setup, where retail sales help fund career services under one roof, reflects how Goodwill of North Georgia has built its reputation. The organization was ranked the top Goodwill affiliate in the United States for employment connections, placing more than 22,000 job seekers into positions across the region in fiscal year 2024, according to a Goodwill of North Georgia annual report. Over the ten-year period leading up to 2024, the organization placed more than 160,000 individuals into jobs across its 45-county territory, the organization's own data shows.
Founded in 1925, Goodwill of North Georgia maintains its regional headquarters in neighboring Decatur, according to Revelio Labs. The organization's workforce development reach extends beyond DeKalb County; Hoodline previously covered a Lovejoy job fair run in partnership with the Clayton County Library System.
More Growth Planned Across North Georgia
The Doraville opening isn't a one-off. Following recent openings in Commerce and Jasper, Goodwill of North Georgia plans to launch another store and career center in Douglasville in fiscal year 2027, while also searching for an additional site, per Georgia CEO's reporting. For Doraville residents and job seekers along the Buford Highway corridor, the new facility offers both a place to shop and a direct line into the organization's long-running job placement pipeline.
