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Goodwill Industries of the Columbia Willamette is expanding its presence in the Columbia River Gorge.

The nonprofit retail chain is planning to build an approximately 22,227-square-foot retail store in The Dalles. It will be the organization’s farthest push east in Oregon – 75 miles from the nearest branch in Gresham.

Subcontractor bids for the project were due on April 25, according to the 91ÊÓƵ Project Center. The general contractor is LCG Pence Construction LLC. Philip Johnson, the project manager, said the company hopes to break ground around June 1, pending permit approval.

Dale Emanuel, a spokeswoman for Goodwill, said the organization has been considering The Dalles area for the past three years. GICW currently has 47 retail and outlet stores – as well as one Internet store – in Northwest Oregon and Southwest Washington, according to its 2012 corporate fact sheet.

GICW’s retail sales per square foot have increased from $56.29 in 1985 to $261.37 in 2012. Last year, the organization’s revenues were $141.2 million.