We took the SMART train for the first time from Windsor to to San Rafael for lunch and shopping. We were prepared to have to walk whatever distance necessary to reach Goodwill, however, we were very pleased to see the Goodwill just steps away from the train station. Inside, we discovered that all yellow tag items were 50% off, something that is unheard of at Sonoma County Goodwill locations. Hot Tip: We learned that he entire Goodwill store is 50% off every other Saturday! read more

Goodwill Store & Donation Center - Your new favorite item just might be inside! - Thrift Stores Near Me - San Rafael, California

This review is for donation drop off only- I think Goodwill San Rafael must have recently changed their drop off hours to include more hours- you can drop off from 9Am- 9Pm now. It is easy and efficient to donate, you pull up to the drop off driveway by turning left off of 3rd street. The friendly staff members there will help you drop off items, and can give you a receipt for your donation for your taxes! That's it! read more

Very overpriced, smelly (u, and full of trash. Unfriendly employees. Unfortunately, it's one of the only thrift shops open consistently, otherwise I'd never go there. read more

Here are the details to need to know about this location: S H O P P I N G - Metered street parking all around, but free all day Sundays and free after 6pm on other days. - Open late, even on Sundays! - Tuesdays are discount days! - Well priced items, and you'll find some name brand items as low as $3.99, and other items up to $18.99, which seem a little high. - There are NO bathrooms, NO dressing rooms, and NO mirrors. - There's a 7-day return policy for most items, but they must still have tags and you'll only receive in-store credit. D O N A T I N G - Enter the donation parking lot from Third Street. In the past bins were labeled, but during my most recent donation visit, the bins had no labels so I just tried to separate my clothing from home goods and toys. I have found Madewell, Lululemon, Ted Baker, Princess Polly, Good American, Oak + Fort ... Spend some time perusing this location! It's clean, well organized, and the staff are generally friendly. Good luck finding some deals! read more

Shockingly bad. What happened to this Goodwill? It used to be beautifully organized and well-laid out and I always found a treasure. So I stopped in yesterday after not visiting for almost a year and was absolutely shocked! Any semblance of order-- gone! Cleanliness-- gone! Quality of items-- gone! Dirty, broken, chipped, useless housewares and dishes were the norm. Furniture in a heap, a homeless man asleep on a sofa. Long racks packed with substandard clothing. Even the shoppers seemed desperate to find anything salvageable. C'mon, Goodwill, you can do better. read more

They have recently rearranged all the clothing racks and shoes etc. There is not a single mirror inside the store, all have been removed! you Doesn't allow you to see how a jacket looks like as it you cant see it. Bizzare. Also have replace all the hangers w these cheap plasic ones; the clothes fall off the minute you touch the hanger! They've made it much more difficult to shop there and i would'nt be surprised if sales are way down. No common sense. read more

To me the best thing they had was the costume jewelry which the young man patiently showed me each tray, which was really fun, and the guy was super nice. I did leave with a little collection of "vintage-like" items. I gave 5 stars not so much for the selection or prices, but because the guy was so nice and they had 3 or 4 fitting rooms prominently available. read more

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I received help carrying a box & that was kind & helpful. The manager assisted me & was very polite.

I was greeted at the door. Very clean with a good selection, especially clothes. The employees are helpful and kind. read more

Goodwill Store & Donation Center - Goodwill San Rafael - Thrift Stores Near Me - San Rafael, California

They take toys, furniture, art and clothes. Great place for your donations in Marin. Taxes a problem get a deductible donation!

I am sending this as a message to corporate or managers...removing mirrors at this location and mirrors and carts at other locations, adds insult to the injury of removing fitting rooms. This is a blatant plot to get POOR people to buy things that don't fit them only to be stuck with store credit only within a week! Ripping off poor people for things you get for free??? Come on be a HUMAN. Taking the boutiques and all decorations so it looks like a college boy's basement/institution takes every bit of soul out. The music is also incredibly bad, like someone picked the worst mainstream nonsense imaginable. STOP Ruining a good thing!!! read more

Busy location! It's also stuffed with a lot of items. It's a smaller sized Goodwill and a little tight in the clothing area to get around. I always enjoy the housewares. Also, there is usually a fun surprise or item that will jar a memory and put a smile on my face. read more

Goodwill Store & Donation Center - Thrift Stores Near Me - San Rafael, California

So well organized, and the people accepting the items so friendly! I've told all of my friends to use them!

Smells like pee. Disorganized. I saw a couple of Anthro pieces not great but proof that if you are into theifting you might find something, but the foul smell and dirty environment made me leave after a couple of min. I'd say it's a pass. read more

Poor customer service... rude manager.... long slow....line at register check out.. store is messy and disorganized.. only star is for the good prices.. read more

Waited in line for 30 minutes just be turned away with our designer couch. Glad they can afford to be so picky, but if you need to drop something off, don't waste your time and get turned away; just go straight to Salvation Army since they'll actually accept things. read more

This place USED TO BE good. Have bought great clothes here B4. OH. Now The fitting rooms are closed (but there's a 7-day return policy). Forget it. Ur wasting my time. I'm gonna buy retail. This place is off the list. Feeling blechhhhh ... read more

Prices are often higher than actual retail price! Collections are good but check hours. Sadly probably used as a dump site. Expect no help unloading! read more

We've been to this Goodwill about half a dozen times but it's still difficult to pin down a rating. My late-teen daughter loves clothes and would give them 4 stars because she always has good luck. I like vintage housewares, but I don't have good luck here. It's hard to blame them, though, because they get what they get. But if vintage kitchen items are your jam you will probably strike out. Their prices are hit or miss. My daughter got a big pile of really nice clothes and accessories - including brands like Banana Republic and LL Bean - for about $50. However, I had to leave behind what could have been a cool vintage tote bag because of a broken zipper and $25 price tag. When considering parking, I would give them 1 star. Again, not their fault. They are where they are. However, it's something you should know about before you drive here. There are a handful of street spots on that block, otherwise you will be circling quite a few times before/if you get lucky. And the circling won't be easy because of one-way and diagonal streets that create quite a detour. I suggest idling in the red zone at the end of the spaces in front and hoping for the best. read more

The facelift at the Goodwill San Rafael is a big improvement over the dilapidated prior store! It includes some very nice upgrades including cleaner fitting rooms, fresh paint, interesting displays, and nice large drop off bay in the back for your donations. Overall, a big improvement for this Goodwill location, making thrifting more fun and accessible for families who like to upcycle in their fashion and homewares purchases. Excellent too for those who like to gift their aging and retired items, and see them go to a good home. Only one frustration: that they might take furniture donations at this location, like their comparable Goodwill locations in Seattle. It shouldn't be so difficult to up-cycle furniture. We had no problem donating with furniture donations to the Goodwill Seattle drop off location. While they would often reject certain furniture at the Seattle drop off, it was understandable for items made of MDF, or with safety or resale issues, but was never a blanket rejection of all furniture. Here, it seems that all furniture donations are a no-go. Considering they sell donated furniture here in the San Rafael store itself, that does seem a little odd. read more

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The industrial west sac store is good. Needs to be better organized, by clothes color helps draw attention to buyers needs. Items on shelves need better organization. read more

I used to thrift here every weekend. Recently the quality of items have taken a nose dive and prices have skyrocketed. $9.99 for a top that you can buy cheaper new. This goodwill used to have a lot of gems and is now filled with overpriced trash. So sad what greed will do! read more

On a Friday afternoon, I street parked like a warrior and entered a fairly busy store - each section had 3-5 customers, some of whom were regulars and at home. I found 8-14 inch diameter terracota planter pots, glass candlesticks of varying heights, and lots of frame photos/paintings. In the clothing department, Banana Republic, Loft, Forever 21 were the predominant brands for women. I walked away with a motley crew of textiles: Esprit dress, Abercrombie shorts, homemade eyelash sweater, Lauren Ralph Lauren espadrilles, terracotta pots, and a framed photo. Next time I'm heading to Marin, I'll stop again and see if the stats for goodies (present score: home and garden to clothing =is 2:1) remains the same. Fortunately the staff are unlike the street metered sparse parking: friendly, efficient, and won't run you over. read more

Crowded and picked over, but as with any Goodwill, there are always treasures to be found if you search hard enough. While the selection isn't the best, especially if you're looking for apparel, this is still a big Goodwill by Bay Area standards. The home section is decent. On my last trip I picked up a nice cast iron pan, a sunglasses case for my Ray Bans (lost the original case) and a few cannisters of brand new alcohol wipes for $0.99, which are always nice to have around. Worth a peak if you're in the neighborhood. read more

Wow what a disaster inside! I was looking for a basket. the only dilapidated one I could find was $6 ..

I use the Goodwill to buy all kinds of things. Always a good selection. In addition I appreciate that I have a place to bring my gently used cloths. read more

This is the very best place to drop off your donations. What a great service! They are well organized and have an employee available to answer any question. The best! read more

The prices are higher than they sell new sometimes. You can't get a refund or return anything in exchange. I've found 1 or 2 items this past year but nothing that great. They work their workers hard without fair pay. When you check out at the register they ask if you would add more money to support some group. It's always a different group. It's a big scam! read more

I found a Patagonia pullover here for $10. I've also found Title Nine, Athleta, Anthropologie etc. I have never found more high end items at any thrift store than I have here. A lot of this stuff is priced at $10+ which is a lot for a thrift store but still much better than paying full price. The cashier who works up front has the most radiant and jovial personality. It is hard not to be in a good mood when talking to her. It makes for a very positive experience. read more

There are so many people in need right now. That's why we need Goodwill now more than ever, folks. I swung by their San Rafael's location recently with my latest batch of clothes/appliances/shoes/etc. Hoping those items can enjoy a second life. I'm always impressed with the work that this non-profit does for the community. Please do your part, if you can. Remember: Goodwill works both ways. read more

Donation center isn't open consistent hours. Often the gate is shut early in the day. Should be a better way to accept donations. Typically, we will drive to the Goodwill Donation Center in Novato, which is much more consistent in their operating hours. read more

I'll keep it simple. Pros: vintage section , well organized, clean , bright, decent selection compared to other locations , lots of household stuff in good condition. Cons: parking is bad, prices are too high I'm still wondering why allowed myself to pay $24.99 for a long wool sweater by a designer I never heard of but ok . read more

This place used to be so great that I never even shared it. Now, it's super busy and over run by regulars. Just today I saw two of them fighting over something (confirmed they were there everyday by the kind worker who had to break it up). I found some vintage hangers which I collect 9 for 3.99$. Which was a good deal. It's also overpriced like most goodwills. I saw the same sweater I just got new on clearance somewhere else for double what I paid. Hahahaaa time to venture onwards ‍ read more

Goodwill Store & Donation Center - Thrift Stores Near Me - San Rafael, California

I have found good stuff here (mostly looking for clothes) but it is much more expensive than other thrift stores. Salvation Army sells most things for half the price. This Goodwill feels more organized though and the items are usually in good condition (seems like they check them pretty well before putting them out). My biggest complaint aside from the prices is that they still have the fitting rooms closed "because of COVID". This is not a relevant excuse anymore and without a return policy it makes it very difficult to buy clothes. I would never be able to buy jeans here until they open the fitting rooms and I have had to awkwardly try things on over my clothes in front of everyone. I will be much more likely to shop here once the fitting rooms are reopened. read more

The address can be confusing as the actual drop off entrance for vehicles is on 2nd Street and not the actual location shown on yelp or elsewhere. The staff are friendly, the bins pretty self-explanatory and the turnaround to drop off items and leave is fairly quick. Some days may be busier than others. read more

I frequent this location and leave happy every time. Items are always priced reasonably. I've been lucky finding some designer items which are also reasonably priced. Employees are really friendly and one of the managers Shells is always super helpful. read more

It's a good way to dispose of things that have useful life left. However, I've never been given a receipt despite bringing three large loads of housewares and clothing. There's zero tax benefit to donating here. read more

Great place for donations. Help a good cause and reduce clutter at the same time. Classic win-win...

Look see I did. not the most organized racks, and seems like the rhyme/reason might have been tossed out with some unsalvageable items. I would come across the women's athletic rack.. then walk past some boys and random things, and then more women's.... but there's the mens... and interspersed there are summore ladies' things... hubba hubba?!! Still, through sheer tenacity, found a cute summer one piece that says a little "Hey" on a day such as this.. sunny and lovely =) read more

They say one mans trash is another mans treasure. At this Goodwill one mans trash is another mans garbage, anything good that gets donated goes to the online auction store, the stuff they think no one will buy online goes into the store. Sure is a curious thing to see a long line of expensive cars donating stuff, yet never gets into the sales floor. They maintain the store for donations only read more