O’Connor Daniel | Reporter
Walk into the Heart of Texas Goodwill on La Salle Avenue and you won’t need to look for customer service — it’ll find you first.
“Angela, Angela — you are her; they say you are so kind,” one Baylor student exclaimed, pointing at the name badge of Angela Long.
Upon stepping through the store’s threshold, one might catch Angela Long belting along to the store’s soundtrack, tossing a football down the aisle to a group of laughing Baylor guys or greeting a customer with a heartfelt compliment. Regulars know her as “The Angel of Goodwill” — a Waco native with a talent for turning an ordinary thrift store run into something memorable.
Long grew up in a military family and was born and raised in Waco. She’s worked at the La Salle location for several years and said her heart has always been in customer service.
“I love being around people,” she said. “Greeting others to make their day a little bit brighter is what I like to do.”
Long said she views her job as a way to meet people where they are — especially those in need.
“You’re always going to meet someone who needs that first interview outfit and they don’t quite have all the funds for it,” she said. “I’m their little angel in disguise that creeps up and says, ‘Come on, I got you. I’m going to meet you halfway.’”
Long paused when asked to share her most meaningful experience at Goodwill.
“I’ll try not to tear up on this one,” she said.
Last year, Long’s mother passed away. She and her siblings couldn’t afford the cost of her ashes. That’s when her coworkers at Goodwill stepped in to help cover the expenses.
“It takes a humble and compassionate heart and spirit to do what my Goodwill family team did for me at the store,” she said. “That would be the most amazing thing anyone on this earth can do for someone they truly hardly don’t know. … You can work with anyone, but how often can you truly know their character, their spirit and what they hold within their heart?”
For many Baylor students, the La Salle Goodwill isn’t just a thrift store — it’s a weekly ritual, a study break and sometimes even a sanctuary.
“I probably visit the La Salle location once a week,” Torrance, Calif., senior Eva Brandt said. “Walking into the La Salle Goodwill when it’s not busy feels like a relief. It is my escape from school, from society, from stress. It is my place of creativity and exploration. It’s probably one of my favorite places in Waco.”
Brandt, like many students, has grown especially fond of one familiar face.
“Ms. Angela is the kindest Goodwill employee I have encountered, and I’ve been to many Goodwills,” Brandt said. “She always takes the time to make meaningful conversation and gives the most genuine compliments.”
From sorority girls donating dresses to elderly regulars stopping by for conversation, Long said she greets everyone with the same quality interaction.
“There’s one older lady who only comes in on Fridays,” Long said. “She always looks straight for me and gives me the biggest hug.”
For Long, it’s those familiar faces — the customers who remember her name, voice and presence — that make each shift memorable.
“It’s certain things your elders do that really do make your day brighter,” she said.
And while Long’s job is filled with joy, she doesn’t sugarcoat the reality that retail work has its challenges.
“There are moments that get a little strange,” she said.
She’s seen customers steal items from others’ carts, walk in under the influence or become aggressive with staff. In those moments, she said, safety becomes the priority.
“If someone walks in and they are either drunk or on other things, they can be very aggressive,” Long said. “Those are the moments we don’t like y’all to see as our customers.”
She always alerts a manager when a situation feels unsafe.
“The manager gets there right on time as soon as I make the call,” she said.
When asked whether she takes pride in her work, Long didn’t hesitate to answer.
“Pride is not one of my words; it comes straight from the seven deadly sins,” Long said. “You can’t have too much pride in this lifetime. I’d rather consider myself more humble and compassionate.”
Even in a job that some might overlook, Long said there is deep meaning to be found — if you’re willing to lead with kindness.
“Don’t ever think about showing people humility just to show them,” she said. “If you speak humble and compassionate and love to others, that’s what’s going to reflect back — and that’s what the customer will always remember. That way, they will always return.”
