A donated plot of land is turning into a new Goodwill store in Caledonia

The William Shurlow family donated a parcel of land in Caledonia Township, and Goodwill of Greater Grand Rapids plans to build a brand new retail store on it. Construction is set to begin this fall, with the store expected to open in 2027, the nonprofit announced Thursday.

The new location will sit at 6459 Cherry Meadow Dr. SE, near the intersection of Broadmoor Avenue and 84th Street SE. Goodwill partnered with Pinnacle Construction Group on the planning and development of the project, according to WOODTV.

"We are deeply grateful for the generous donation made by the William Shurlow Family," said Jill Wallace, President and CEO of Goodwill of Greater Grand Rapids. "While this land will allow us to build a store, the impact of this donation will extend far beyond the walls of our building."

How your dollars at Goodwill fund jobs

Goodwill of Greater Grand Rapids says 90 cents of every dollar spent at its retail locations goes directly toward employment programs and services. The organization serves more than 2,150 participants annually through its Goodwill Employment Center, according to WZZM13.

Those programs include:

• Skills assessment
• Training and interview preparation
• Job search and placement assistance
• Employer and community resource connections
• Job retention support

The new Caledonia store is described by Goodwill as a model of improvement for its existing locations, WOODTV reported.

A training room named for the donors

Goodwill is honoring the Shurlow family donation by naming the largest training room at its Goodwill Employment Center after them, according to WZZM13.

"The William Shurlow Family's donation is not just giving us land to open a new store. It's helping us further our mission of providing support services and training to people who face barriers to employment," Wallace said. "Goodwill is a great place to shop, and it's an even better place to improve the trajectory of your life."

The Shurlow family did not respond to requests for comment. Goodwill did not disclose the appraised value of the donated land or the projected construction cost of the new store.

Architectural renderings for the project were provided by Pure Architects, according to WOODTV.