This location and maybe more are forcing employees to give 2 weeks notice against California state employment law. They are trying to trick employees into some sort of agreement of "implied contract", but the employees and prospective employees are not informed of the terms or the context around them, and so are enforcing illegal and oppressive terms against the law. Ie if you are not informed that you are entering a verbal contract and the consequences then the state law is the law. Employees have states rights that must be respected. Minor details are from a very polite account from a recently past employee and research into state law. Its very matter of fact here, and very shameful facts found. read more

The Mother and I were here recently looking for T-shirts for Dolce at The Goodwill Store. Dolce wears baby sized T-shirts 24 mos. to 3T depending on how it's made. As some of the reviewers have commented, you can find hidden gems and treasures at this Goodwill Store if you really take the time to put in the work and hunt. An independent contractor type told me he has found many deals at this particular Goodwill store and among them, many of his Salvatore Ferragamo shoes. One example that comes to mind is a turkey cake pan made by Nordic Ware for $3.99. When I saw it, I snapped that puppy up immediately as a gift for The Mother. Even the associate who rang my purchase up at the till informed me that was a pretty good deal for a Nordic Ware cake pan. And The Mother herself was quite happy with her gift scored and purchased at The Goodwill Store. About a couple-three years ago, The Goodwill Stores underwent a makeover and renovation in making their stores look more upscale to attract more customers. With the economy and the market being the way it is, even those with money are shopping at The Goodwill Store. We did find one T-shirt for Dolce. A cute mauve pink one which fit her like a glove. And while we were there, we picked up an announcement that they were having a 50% off sale on the Saturday before St. Patrick's Day. If we are in the area, we will stop by. If not, not. Next time we are nearby, we will stop in to see if there are more shirts for Dolce or if any treasures are to be hunted for and found. read more

As with all thrift stores, this is a hit and miss, but I still come back weekly to see what new items I may have missed. I have scored some great things here, like my 100% cashmere baby pink sweater from Banana Republic in perfect shape or the number of BR dress pants scored from here. I also got a beautifully framed print of Lake Tahoe that looks like someone drew it in colored pencils. Then there are times I come out with nothing. Or the exeperience of all experiences, the day that will live in infamy among my family... NOTE TO ALL WOMEN- Before buying/tying on 2nd hand merchandise, look at the crotch inside the pants. As I stood there waiting to try on a really nice pair of wool BR pants, something made me look inside in my routine check for stains, missing buttons, etc and thank God I did. The previous owner of these pants had chose to wear them without panties. Obviously without them and obviously the pants were on the tight side. Resisting my urge to scream and throw the offending garment, I took them to a worker there, politely explained the situation and suggested that they throw them away, (after the employee said she could give me a 50% discount on them!?! I emphasized I wouldnt have taken them if they were FREE!). Overall, with that aside, I am still a regular patron. read more

Alas, old lady clothes priced as old lady clothes should be. As I'm not from the Bay Area, I've often found the sheer audacity of thrift shops to charge double-digits for used clothes to be a huge turn-off. Sometimes I want to go to the register and rudely insist, 'No, sir, this fading, dingy Mickey Mouse shirt is not worth forty-two dollars. I am sure of this.' But, at this down-to-earth Goodwill, I can buy that fading, dingy Mickey Mouse shirt for three dollars like a regular human being. This is a store to dig your heels in as it is full to the brim of all your usual thrift store, um, "needs": old frames, that one book you've been meaning to read since high school, dusty VHS tapes, blenders, oversized sunglasses, cheesy home decor and, of course, way too many clothes. Try to swing by on a 50% off day where you will be able to engage in extreme weather control (i.e. making it rain) and Diddy-esque behavior before you try to drag the three garbage bags of nonsense you scored for twenty bucks back to the bus stop. Hint: make sure you check those CD and cassette tape cases out before you pay for them and leave the store. Last week this little piggy got all the way home before she realized there would be precisely zero luft balons playing on the stereo. You've been warned. read more

The last time I moved I was downsizing, so I got rid of a TON of stuff. I made numerous trips here to drop stuff off, and collect my receipts for my taxes. Parking here is INSANE, so I can't give them more stars. The staff is hit or miss. Some are helpful, some are just watching the world go by in a methadone induced haze. One day, as i pulled up I noticed a cute pair of shoes in the window. After I dropped off my stuff I went and looked at them more closely..... I realized they were my size....because they were the ones I had dropped off a few weeks earlier, and they had made it to the window display!!! read more

Very helpful with bins to organize drop-offs and help to get donations out of the car.

I came here looking for ugly sweaters for the holiday season and was happily disappointed. I was bummed because I couldn't find an ugly enough sweater to win the contest in the office but I was happy because I found that this place has pretty neat things. It's kinda like going to an estate sale that just keeps getting restocked. From gently used to brand new in the box goods, you can find it here. Designer brands hiding in plane sight just waiting to be rediscovered and adopted to a loving new home. It's fun just to pop in and see what they have on stock 15/100 read more

This Goodwill is one of my favorites, not because of the way the store is set up but because of the sizes. It's pretty cramped and difficult to get around, and there's a lot of junk to go through. That said, two words: SMALL.SIZES! Being short makes shopping for clothes kinda like a safari sometimes--oh look, the elusive S or XS on that rack! A lot of tiny people must be donating to this Goodwill because I've had much less trouble finding smaller clothing in here. Even the larger clothes are cheap enough for me to get them and alter them myself. Hooray for the tiny people at the University Goodwill! read more

Picked up some grand-dads clothes. I look incredible.

If you got invited to an ugly sweater party this holiday season and either: 1) don't think you have owned an ugly sweater since your Grandma Bea made you one in 5th grade, or 2) your friends aren't blunt enough with you to tell you which of your sweaters truly is garish and horrifying... You should bring yourself here and rifle through the assortment of oddities and uglies to find the perfect thing. read more

This Goodwill is pretty good! The stars are for the awesome deals, minus one star for being a bit jankety and having a bad clothing collection. I do always have luck in a few areas at this location: coats (5 dollar jean jacket! wool blazer for $6!), records, and books. I have found sooooo many good book deals here, and the collection rotates pretty frequently. Often there are newish best sellers, used paperbacks, or off-beat reference books. The paperbacks are generally 99 cents while the hardcovers are 1.99. Good deal! The staff is very nice and friendly but they always forget to turn off the open sign! For real, it'll be like 11pm and the Goodwill sign is rocking the neon OPEN sign. Waste of energy. read more

I used to shop here often through the years and was able to have a decent wardrobe at reasonable prices. One could find well-made clothing. The clerks at the cash registers were well-trained and competent. Post-pandemic, I decided to do some shopping there and the quality of clothes has gone down substantially and I walked out with no clothes whatsoever. The first time I went back, I was double charged for a sheet and didn't realize it until I got home. Also, the clerk had to come up with a price because it wasn't listed on the wall in their sign. The last time I went back the person who worked the cash register seemed to me not really competent to work the cash register. I had to remind him 2 times to do the senior discount and it is obvious I am a senior. I have gray hair! He even questioned that I am a senior and another woman in line looked at me like "WTF? Why is he questioning your senior status?" Because even she had the capability to tell I am a senior. I mentioned all this to a friend and she told me that Goodwill exploits disabled workers. I hadn't known about this and decided to look into it and sure enough, they do. There was a Newsweek article about it in 2022 where Goodwill was paying labor under $1.00 an hour! Now with other reselling outlets, I'll just shop in those places instead. read more

Meh. I honestly can't write very much about this place, since I just dropped off some clothing. I will say, however, that this Goodwill seemed fairly clean & very well organized. Plus, the donation drop was super fast & easy! Just remember to ask for a receipt before you leave so that you can get those tax deductions! read more

I went to this Goodwill store today to drop off a number of quality items as donations. The staff member I first encountered was shockingly rude and almost insulting in her manner when I asked a simple question. Another staff member seemed to be annoyed that I would ask any questions at all. I'm not used to being treated this rudely by anyone, especially by the staff at a store. From now on, I'll find another place to donate my items. read more

Rather than waste my time and energy having my own yard sale, I prefer to haul all my lovingly cared for clothes and housewares to local charities. Goodwill is often one of my charities of choice and I have made numerous drop offs to this location. I have to say, it's a bit of a pain in the ass to donate to this particular Goodwill -- it is super difficult to find parking so if you have a lot of stuff to drop off, you might want to bring a friend who can circle the block or stay with your illegally parked vehicle. Also, staff is not all that helpful in assisting with receipts, large donated items, etc. As a shopper, I actually like this location quite a bit. Surprisingly good stuff can be found with a little patience and luck. read more

You may call me a Goodwill connoisseur. I have been to Goodwills ALL over, even in other states; so I know what I'm talking about here. I'm gonna list the things I liked about this Goodwill. 1. HUGE. Being from SF, I'm used to tiny, CRAMPED, and rampaged Goodwills. This one is humongous and is FULL of goodies. 2. well organized. Things seemed like they should be where they were. The racks were easily distinguishable i.e. one was tshirts, one was long sleeves, one was dresses, etc. It wasn't a huge mess like some goodwills can be. Some goodwills can be packed to the brim to the point of not being able to sift through clothes --- this one had a couple of racks like that, but not too much. They have a lot of space to prevent that from happening. 3. staff -- the staff seemed to be helpful - i noticed one lady was a hard ass, which is good. I think she was suspicious of some possibly homeless people not checking in their bags/trying to get away with stuff, and she respectfully laid down the law. When we went up to the register, at least 3 people let us know they recognized we were there and to let them know when we were ready. 4. I FOUND 3 AWESOOOOME pieces and my TOTAL was only $9 (memorial day weekend 50% off sale), this includes a beautiful wool coat, jean jacket from American Eagle Outfitters, and a cute knit tank top. AND all of these items seemed pretty new. I was so happy. I was so happy with this Goodwill. My bf came here to shop for records; on that end, I think he didn't find too much of what he wanted. I didn't see the selection myself, so I'm not sure what kind of stuff there was! Also, I scoped out the shoes, and that section was pretty skimpy/ugly. I did appreciate that they separated the men and women's shoes, some Goodwills didn't do that too sufficiently. Also,I normally like to buy dresses, but I didn't find one cute dress. It's kind of hard to find dresses at Goodwills in general though. read more

This Goodwill used to be pretty awesome. The peak was when that Salvation Army opened up down the street and you could go to Goodwill, Out of the Closet, and Salvation Army in a quick afternoon. I was sad to see Salvation Army go, and now it looks like this Goodwill has really changed too. It used to be cheap and disheveled, a little dirty, with that Berkeley charm. Now it's all clean and expensive. $5 for a t-shirt? A lot of these clothes were cheaper when they were new. Plus, the giant sign that says, "It's about putting food on the table with money that's EARNED" just makes me think that their employees used to put food on the table with money FROM SELLING RIPPED-OFF CAR STEREOS. I mean, I guess it's a step up, but it's a little in-your-face. read more

didn't see a lot of people here. checked out the book section and it was pretty sparse. seems they want 3.99 for books. i literally bumped into someone at the book section who smelled like he hasn't showered in ages. looked homeless to me and he was browseing the titles. actually i was walking backwards and stepped on his shoe. should have smelled him earlier but my nose was facing the wrong way. read more

A lot of the merchandise is dirty, especially the kitchen appliances and frypans. $9.99 for a frypan is a bit much, considering there are brand new ones for that price in Target. Some nice clothes, but not organised by size at all so browsing is difficult. read more

I've been to a fair number of thrift stores, and I just don't love this one. The store is a little messy, which is to be expected. The service is okay. But what really bothers me is that the clothing selection is so terrible-- everything here is either horribly outdated or too worn out to use, and the prices are too high for clothing in such poor condition. You may have some luck in the home goods section. If you're looking for plates or glasses, there are some good deals to be had. The occasional used book, though you're better off at the Friends of the Library bookstore. Perhaps some frames and furniture, but even those can be found in better condition at the Creative Refuse Depot in Oakland. All in all, you're probably best off skipping this thrift shop. If you have no other options or need a quick costume, you might do okay. read more

The parking is crazy on that street. No one observes the Yellow Loading Zone out front The staff is HILARIOUS. but cool as all get out! Reconditioned King Size Mattress & Boxsprings in the plastic for $300 PRICELESS read more

There is always a huge selection here! The staff is friendly, and they all clearly work hard - the place is always short staffed, but all the employees take time to check in with their customers. I also love how every month there is a 50% sale. I'd be coming back anyways, so it's nice to plan my trips with the sales :) The only reason it's a 4 star is that the organization could definitely be better. I don't mind taking my time to look around, but I'd definitely appreciate a little more reason to the different racks. read more

I personally find good will challenging to the nose, but my friends swear by this good will for good stuff. Apparently, one has to dig, but it's worth it. I just like that they take my donations in a friendly manner and totally don't hassle me about getting my donations for tax purposes slip. read more

Somebody should edit the "$$" price range note at the top of this listing. I'd say "$" - in general the prices are quite low. There's a lot of crap, but you can also find some treasures - the odd Ann Taylor, Gap, DKNY etc. They could improve the store by not crowding the racks (it's hard to see items when they're packed together tightly) and by winnowing out some of the ugly faded old stuff with stains, etc. And who's going to buy a Kaiser Permanente t-shirt? Also I think some of the staff should be a little more courteous when they come barging through with those big carts & racks. Still, for these prices I'll come back again and again. read more

I don't know what I expected. It's Berkeley, a hippie mecca, so everything here was ratty. I probably would not expect to find well kept clothing here. The clothing was fairly cheap though, and they do run deals where it's 50% off clothing, etc. read more

I was here two days ago with my mom and this woman was very impatiently (and not very kindly) shouting for service while Sharon, the manager was putting some things away. Sharon continued to treat the woman with kindness and respect despite her disrespectful attitude. I was blown away by the outstanding service you hardly receive in high end fashion stores. Also the place was much cleaner and more organized than the last time I was there about 6 months ago! read more

I did find a great pair of steve madden cowboy boots here a while back for only ten bucks!! I love these boots and still wear them today. This goodwill has a lot of dresses. Some of the ones I saw last time I was here were reall pretty. I guess you kind of have to look around, but you can really find some good stuff here when you are lucky. read more

I found 4 nice button up shirts, a burgundy vest, and a navy blue overcoat at this Goodwill for $30 on Sunday. This is the same place I got my real calfskin duster for only $20. The really remarkable thing is that they have so many options for petite women. I'm a size 4, and it can be really hard to find clothing for short, slight women at thrift stores. The Goodwill on University is a real treasure trove! I highly recommend it! read more

Full of clothes. And nothing else really. I went to much better places. This one isn't any good for treasure hunting. read more

I Love thrifting and this store has it all! It is a rare occasion that I leave there empty handed .. and even when that happens I feel good about the experience of the hunt ;) The new store manager Sharon is awesome! She is so personable and really represents the store well . The employees are nice and always make me feel welcome when I am there! Also, a BIG shout out to Antwon! ... he keeps the store packed with all of the awesome donations and is always so friendly and helpful! Definitely worth a visit!!!! read more

Very convenient drop off set up. I was able to double park outside with my blinkers on, run in to drop off a few bags, without needing a receipt and run back out. read more

They ripped me off! After spending way too much time to find any clothes worth buying, I tried to purchase a dress shirt. The teller overcharged by $2. (To give her her due, she did notice the error.) But then she wouldn't give the $2 back! We waited 15 minutes for the manager, who said they couldn't reimburse me, but offered me a $2 voucher good for one week. Seriously??? Waste of time, and mostly garbage to boot. read more

Ivy , the manager, needs to go back in training for customers service . I asked for a pair of shoes from the case she pulled them out and in front of me peeled off the stickers from $19.99 and told me they are $59.99 !!! After that she told me that the dress that obviously was $9.99 is actually $14.99 !!! Her excuse was that she's the manager and she's allowed to change prices !!! I sure this is not allowed by California law !!! Such a awful experience !!! read more

I used to like this place- supported it for years but today the zombie apocalypse started early or maybe I had inadvertently stepped into the twilight zone. Upon arrival I went to wait for service at the locked jewelry display. I was told from a staff member at the checkout counter, "I can help you over here Ma'am. You need to come over here." Rolling of eyes at me. ??? I was bombarded with large carts of donations going by and was told to get out of the way- rolling of eyes and a frown accompanying the command. Allrighty then. Some prices are outrageous and even laughable. There was a cloth clothes hamper with a hole in the bottom and a broken strap. When I questioned the price of $7.99 I was told that "they knew that when they priced it." OK enough is enough. As a senior citizen I do have a few options and one of them is to not return. read more

The new manger Kenneth is such a good worker he has wonderful customer service and always has a smile on his face, that's one of many things that i love about his personality. Goodwill need more workers like him.. read more

I get a big kick out of the employees here -- they walk up and down the aisles yelling: "Thirty percent off! For the next five seconds! On broken records and used ladies' panties!" Totally worth a visit for the circus atmosphere alone. read more

The employees close the store early by about 10 minutes just for their own benefit, which should be reprimanded as they are possibly or more probably incurring a loss for the business which as part of the East Bay franchise which closed several stores only recently leaving hundreds of employees with out jobs should at least concern the corporate bigwigs as that is their main concern. Yet rather than at a time of endless donations due to many staying at home they have crippled their own infrastructure by allowing employees including store managers which should be either let go or re trained with follow up performance evaluations become lazy, rude and overall non contributing team members stay as long as they just show up n leave on time, no look at actual quality, pace, output, attitude, If they meet quota, horrible service providers, and no care for the store appearance/cleanliness( especially cleanliness which is the last thing ever even though of when the world battles a pandemic based on hygiene, sanitation and social distance). Which is not entirely on the employees either as they are not provided with adequate training and education plus a lack of management, assistance, guidance, reward and high turn over rate, nor the assistant managers which are underpaid and overworked leading to them not feeling their effort and time is worth breaking their back for especially without raises or appreciation. Leading to any and all real work being completed by the very few staff members who are natural hard workers who eventually have enough and leave due to being over worked, literally carrying the store on their backs again without praise or acknowledgment or reward. This whole franchise needs to take B a good look at why they are failing and maybe lower the ceo cfo coo and others salaries in order to invest in proper training, raising hourly wage for assistant mangers and letting go of some of the old store managers which have lost all drive and don't contribute or oversee operations and promoting either with in first or finding new qualified persons who will get the job done and a raise in salary as well, because as for store managers go they are extremely underpaid as well read more

Steven and Jerry were a great help to me yesterday dropping off. They were friendly and quick about telling me what they could take and what they could not. They brought me a receipt and got me on my way! read more

a cashier black man in his 40's or 50's discriminated against my disabled friend. they were harassed and assaulted. police were called and a case was filed.use caution while shopping at this location or even other goodwills. some employees do not follow the law regarding civil rights,or thier employer has not trained them on the rights of customers, and can and will discriminate.They can get away with it for a time, because the police dont know the law or dont enforce law. They enforce store policy. pretty messed up so be carefull out there.lawsuits can correct this i think. read more

I just called this Goodwill location to see if in the bay area Goodwill offers furniture donation pickup, as per their website instructs you to do. An older lady picked up and she was SO RUDE!! I barely could get my question out before she rudely says "Hold on hold on hold on" and I hear here put the phone down and give it to another worker saying "you wanna handle this". Like what?!! Handle a simple question. I'm fortunate enough to never have to deal with or have to communicate with this lady ever again but for those who will smh. read more