• August 11, 2011

Deemed by its creators to be one of the hot trends in retail, 44 Goodwill Industries stores in Wisconsin and Chicago will use ambient scent to create a more pleasant atmosphere for customers.

While second-hand stores are often associated with musty smells or moth balls, Goodwill is hoping to change that. Following tests in four locations, the retailer will use a signature scent featuring hints of sweet orange and honeysuckle, custom-designed by Milwaukee-based Prolitec to create a clean, crisp atmosphere.

"Scent is a big part of the store environment and the overall shopping experience, but creating a pleasant scent experience in thrift stores can be a bit more challenging than the norm," said Billie Torrentt, vice president of stores at Goodwill. "We put a lot of pride into our stores and strive to make our shopping experience similar to mainstream retail."

By installing Prolitec's ambient scenting services, Goodwill Industries of Southeastern Wisconsin is bringing its in-store environments even closer to the retail mainstream.--Tanya Irwin