Even as a sour economy forces some businesses to shut down, the Golden Goose Thrift Shop in Catalina is on the verge of expansion.
After six years of selling donated merchandise out of leased strip mall space on North Oracle Road, the nonprofit shop today will break ground on a new 13,000-square-foot building.
"That's a little more than double what we have here," store manager Stephanie Urdiales said.
If all goes according to plan, the Goose will be in its new location by October or November, Urdiales said.
"We are so crowded here and we are so inundated," she said. "At the new store we'll have much more space, much more parking, the sales floor will be bigger, we'll have more dressing rooms."
The project will cost about $1.3 million, said Ann Coziahr, treasurer of the Golden Goose's governing board.
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In the long run, the Golden Goose expects to save money by not paying rent as it does now, she said.
The store started out small but ended up growing faster than expected, she said.
"We've expanded to take up the whole end of the building," Coziahr said of the store at 16701 N. Oracle Road.
The Golden Goose will pay for the new building with profits from the store, which depends on donations and is run mostly by volunteers. Proceeds also support various programs through the two nonprofit organizations that established the Golden Goose — Catalina Community Services and SaddleBrooke Community Outreach.
Urdiales credits the store's roughly 300 volunteers for the success of the business. On Saturday, three days after the store's sixth anniversary, volunteers will be treated to an annual appreciation dinner at the Golden Goose.
IF YOU GO
What: Public ground-breaking ceremony for new Golden Goose Thrift Shop.
When: 9 a.m. today.
Where: 15970 N. Oracle Road in Catalina.
