The new Marshalls store is located in the former Borders store located at 900 State Street at Canon Perdido Street in Santa Barbara. According to Marshalls district manager Karen Brown, remodeling and stocking the new store is on schedule. Ninety-three full and part time jobs have been created at the new store with plans to hire another 15 new employees after the opening.
Brown stated, “When I announced to the employees that we had selected Peoples’ Self-Help Housing as the charity recipient of a $5,000 donation, 20 employees immediately stood up and clapped. Then the entire room of employees stood up with a standing ovation. I think we picked the right charity! I have never seen anything like that in our other store openings–it was thrilling.”
The 38,015 square foot store features three floors with merchandise including men’s and women’s clothing, children’s department, home, and a large department of shoes and handbags. Marshalls currently has 870 stores in 42 states Puerto Rico. The local store manager is Cindy Choumas.
Peoples’ Self-Help Housing is a nonprofit organization with a mission to develop affordable housing and programs leading to self-sufficiency for low income households, seniors and special needs persons on California’s Central Coast. Founded in 1970, Peoples’ has helped 1,150 low income families build and own their first home and has created 1,350 residential units of affordable apartments in Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo and Ventura counties. It also provides free programs in youth after-school education, supportive social services, and financial education, including workshops in foreclosure prevention and first-time home ownership. It operates two single-room occupancy hotels in Santa Barbara and Ventura that provide housing for the formerly homeless.