Goodwill extends store hours across Central Florida to boost jobs

Goodwill Industries of Central Florida announced an expansion of retail hours that took effect Jan. 4, 2026, moving store hours to 9 a.m.-9 p.m., seven days a week at all retail locations except outlets across Orange, Osceola, Brevard, Volusia, Seminole and Lake counties. The organization said the shift is designed to make shopping and donation drop-offs more convenient and to boost the flow of donated goods that fund its employment and training programs.

The extended hours matter locally because donations and store revenue are integral to Goodwill’s workforce services. More than 95 percent of the organization's revenue supports job training and employment services, so incremental increases in retail receipts and donated inventory translate directly into program funding. In 2025 Goodwill diverted more than 25 million pounds of gently used goods from landfills, underscoring both the environmental and fiscal dimensions of its retail operations.

Longer hours are likely to change daily patterns for Seminole County residents who work nontraditional schedules or prefer evening shopping. From a market perspective, extended hours can increase store foot traffic and donation volume during times that were previously closed, smoothing peak-period congestion and potentially reducing pressure on weekday mornings. For Goodwill, the move may require ramped-up staffing or schedule changes, creating near-term demand for retail and logistics roles that feed the very training pipelines the nonprofit supports.

The policy implications are local and practical. Municipal recycling and waste-reduction strategies can benefit when sizable nonprofit partners capture reusable goods before they enter waste streams; Goodwill’s 25 million pound diversion in 2025 contributes to county sustainability goals by lowering disposal volumes. On the workforce front, steady retail revenue helps underwrite apprenticeships, job placement services and skills training, which are central to local economic resilience as Seminole County navigates labor market shifts.

For residents, the change is straightforward: more hours to shop and donate, and a clearer channel for supporting local job-creation programs funded by Goodwill’s retail operations. Expect stores to see heavier evening traffic and for Goodwill to adjust staffing to cover the expanded schedule. Over the longer term, modest increases in donations and sales could translate into more training slots and placement services for people in Seminole County seeking work.