2 stars for the great finds that pop up here. Thats it though. Staff is inconsistent except when it comes to being rude. Volunteers or not, get it together and stop treating people like children read more

I have only had absolutely positive experiences every time I go to Grey Bears. They always present their thrift items in a near and tidy way. The staff are happy and friendly. I have also received their bag of food weekly and they always made me feel welcome and treated me with respect. I highly encourage anyone to visit their place they have multiple buildings to make sure to walk around. There is a building for clothes another for household another for medical, one for electronics and for books. They sell compost also. I typically go there once a week. read more

Oof. Awful people around that place. Don't plan to find what you're looking for. Don't plan to look for signs. Don't plan to get help from somebody wearing a badge. Definitely don't plan to drop off cardboard for recycling. They won't take it and they will be incredibly rude in the process. Gross place. Gross people. read more

Grey Bears Thrift Shop is a fantastic place to find those wanted or needed treasures! The Shop has been expanding and ever changing for the better. Finding what you need has become easier with each room being well organized with different departments. It's a great value and they have 50% off Saturday once a month! The staff at Grey Bears are the nicest and most helpful group around! They raise money to help out local seniors in need as well as contribute to other programs that Seniors benefit from. read more

This review is based on my experience with Grey Bear. . . The folks here really do go above and beyond the call of duty to help you find what you're collecting. If you're into treasure hunting for things -- this store carries more eclectic items than most. If you're trying to save money, on frames and art -- shop here! If you're looking for some weird obsolete computer wire -- this is the place to go! read more

V weird place. Smells awful. Just a collection of houses (one looks like it and it's contents were set on fire?) filled with junk. Also the employees take their jobs VERY seriously. Do not recommend going here unless you are desperate to seem some weird weird stuff. read more

I truly despise this place, so much so that I'm finally writing a review and never going back, which is unfortunate. Every time I've attempted to purchase something OR donate something here, I've been met with bad attitudes and difficult employees. If you are looking to get help while purchasing, either the employees disappear or get rude with you. If you donate, you get the same thing, and employees pick through your items and only pick out the best things to take. Now I don't need a thrift store employee to kiss my butt nor am I unreasonable and donate things that belong in the trash. However, I do expect employees to at minimum be helpful and courteous, and not be completely absent or rude. Last time I went to donate, I ended up taking every single thing to Goodwill instead, including the stuff the Grey Bears wanted because I'm not dealing with multiple receipts. Goodwill was happy to receive it and they were very nice there. read more

THE REALITY: 1) they take pretty much anything for donation - electronics and appliance and scrap 2) donations are tax-deductible. Repeat: tax-deductible 3) other tax-deductible donation places (Goodwill, Salvation Army, CARE, HOPE, CASA, etc) do not take most of that stuff - and the small appliances/electronics they DO allow must be in perfect working condition and sellable, or they have to pay to transport and dispose of that broken radio and computer you just donated 4) the people at Grey Bears do indeed act like they're doing YOU the favor, but in a way they are actually doing just that for 95% of the people who pull up. What do you expect: you're dealing in junk and they're minimum-wage earners or performing court-ordered community service. Get over your ego, ask for your donation receipt and get on with your life So, if you've got great, perfectly working, clean small appliances and electronics that you know can be resold, use Goodwill or SA or someone other org (I agree the people at those places are much more helpful and friendly re: donations). But if it isn't perfect, this is the best place to get your tax-deductible receipt, where your junk may find its way to someone else, or at least where it will be properly recycled and still benefit an organization doing good for the local community. read more

BEWARE GRAY HAIRS!!!!! I went in for the 50% off sale and was dumbfounded that the piece I came in for was raised in price $40. Thats plain illegal! read more

I went to Grey Bears with my son to volunteer on the brown bag line and drop off an old TV to recycle. There must have been 50 others there helping too, plus about the same number of drivers being loaded up who deliver the bags of mostly fresh produce to seniors. There were young volunteers from a Quaker Camp helping too, so it was multi-generational. Afterward, we wandered the facilities. A chair yoga class was being offered right after the bagging, so I made my son take it with me until their thrift stores opened. It was lovely and actually a bit challenging, taught by an engaging female teacher. Afterward, we shopped a bit in the thrift store before leaving. My son was interested in the computer/electronics store, which had apparently just moved into a new building, and was being run by a nice youngish man and an older woman. The thrift store was packed full of very nice things. I found a beautiful glass bowel that will make a great wedding gift for a friend's daughter's upcoming wedding, and pants and a shirt for my son. I was surprised by some of these reviews because everyone we met was welcoming and friendly. Thanks Grey Bears for a fun summer diversion! read more

The people that work the thrift store donation station are down right rude. They don't even acknowledge you, act put out when you try to get their attention, and are completely unhelpful. Someone should remind them that Grey Bears is a community organization and what it is to be civil. read more

Re: computer store. Don't expect any politeness from these guys. Grumpy old men at their best. I've been here a few times and they are totally unhelpful and rude. Usually they are sitting behind the counter talking to their friends. One lady seemed like she didn't even want me in the store. like I was gonna steal some of their inexpensive computer parts or something. I would expect a bit more customer service from guys who sit around and tinker on computers all day. read more

Grumpy and unappreciative! When I asked an employee about donating a piece of furniture he said he'd have to check with someone to see if it was ok. He asked a couple of people who said to ask the manager who he could not locate. Employee accepted it then we came across the manager who glanced it over and without acknowledging me said they don't accept anything with tears or stains. Because the employee said yes to me she begrudgingly went along with it. She was grumpy and rude in my opinion. She could have been more polite about not accepting my donation. I'd have gladly taken it somewhere else. No one said thank you for the donation or offered me a tax deductable receipt. BTW - while perusing the furniture there were plenty of pieces that were damaged or stained or both! Next time I will take my donation somewhere else where it is appreciated!! read more

Bad experience again!! This time at check out!! The new lady refused to give discounts on a blouse because it was not a shirt when in the past I've always received the sale price for a blouse even though it says shirts!! One employee even said that it was on sale and when I checked out the new lady said "No!" Then she refused to honor the sale price on the shoes because she couldn't believe how cheap they were already!!! read more

Great place to drop off unwanted stuff. Thrift shop is hit or miss, as can be interactions with the volunteers. Warning: prepare for some of the worst driving you've ever seen outside, and watch out for the jerks in the recycling trucks! read more

Well, they offer "NO SENIOR DISCOUNT" , which is just not right. The electronic gear is over priced. This Foundation has a million in the bank owns the property it is on and the fitness center too. Most of the help is paid........but food distribution is donated. The concept is good but Greed is not good. They now are asking for donations to rebuild a a lost Store............and they have raise the price of there brown bag program. Poorly Managed in my opinion. Great Concept...........low energy management. They could do more read more

Wonderful one of a kind items. Reasonable prices. The manager, Robin is so friendly, informative and flexible. You are treated as a human, not a machine, when you are here. I love this place. The majority of the staff volunteer their time. All proceeds support this charity that feeds over 4600 senior citizens a week. read more

I'm writing as many reviews are so out of date, I've volunteered for nearly 5 years after moving here, watched it evolve so much. First, customers have to realize it is not a regular for profit business, many of the people working are volunteers so be patient or ask to speak to the manager. If the hours open do not work for you, they are open 7 days a week, 10:00 - 3:00. Office Monday-Friday, donation drop off to 3:30 Even the pricing is done by volunteers, so if you're looking for that great bargain, shop early the 2nd Sat. of each month plus daily specials. The storage for donations is limited so anything not sold or recyclable goes to the landfill which they pay to do, same as anyone else. As the mission is to raise money for the Senior food program, it's counter productive to accept what there's no room for or won't sell. It's a wonderful program and volunteer opportunity. The rest of the world no longer wants our garage so look for used rather than consuming more new. Our planet is at risk. read more

Awesome. The book store is so cheap with great selection. Not all romance and sci-fi like so many used book stores tend to be. Also great for furniture, household supplies and electronics. Not good for clothing or soft goods. They do have a good amount of craft supplies though! read more

I love going to Greay Bears, they have really neat things at such great prices! I got all the reading material for my literature class for $3.25! I also got really comfy blankets and pillows once. Plus all the staff are really friendly, they actually like working here! read more

Grey Bears now has a $5 minimum on debit/credit purchases. It would have been nice to know this before hand, in order to avoid arguing with the cashier, who insisted this policy has been in effect "for quite some time" far from it. I have bought many items from Grey Bears, all under $5, with debit. If an organization wants to change it's policies, at least notify the customer, i.e, signage at the counter explaining the purchase minimum. If you only want/need to buy one item for under $5, and you don't have cash, you can't. Great policy Grey Bears. Former Customer read more

This place used to be wonderful place to find special treasures, but they jacked their prices up so much, you won't find any bargains here. The money they raise is for a good cause, but it is no longer a fun place to shop for folks who are lower income. Today I saw a vintage fur shrug that was badly torn with an "as is" price tag asking for $50. Very disappointed with the direction they've taken... read more

Over the years I have given used computers and printers; never a thank you. Most recently I donated an antique bookcase and tall back office chair and other things. I was greeted by a gruff older lady; telling me why some of the stuff was unacceptable. I gave a few bags of clothes which my wife put together and was offended by their sign, listing what clothes were acceptable. I am 72 yrs old and we are down sizing; we carefully picked clean, little worn clothes for donation. Bottom line: A cold, unfriendly experience. Not what you would expect from an organization representing the "Grey" community. In the future my things will go to Caroline's in Aptos. read more

they have no customer services. I was told by one side to go to the other 4 times and it seams not one person on the lot could give a dam. GOOD WILL FROM NOW ON... read more

It is unfortunate how many angry employees seem to be working (not volunteers) for Grey Bears. I love what they are attempting as an organization but the employees definitely need more people-skill training. The dark-haired lady (maybe new?) working at the clothing donation area seethes with anger. An elderly gentleman pulled up to upload his donation and she went off about parking in the wrong area. It wasn't marked as no parking. Another woman who seems to be in charge of the electronics area likes to order people around and tell them what they are doing wrong. Instead of being helpful, she is like a Nazi looking for trouble. The problem with these negative attitudes is that people will not want to come back and donate. They really do give Grey Bears a bad name. Luis in the electronics area is great and treats people with respect. Too bad more of the employees are not like him. read more

Love the Grey Bears thrift store!!! I travel up and down the west and east coasts stopping in Thrift stores along the way. I have never stopped at Grey Bears and not bought something. Their prices are good and selection is fantastic. I found a vintage McCoy vase for 7.5 (half price Saturday). The store has reorganized in the last year. I live almost 40 miles away and always stop on my way down to visit my parents. The store is very clean. Barbara has helped me many times and is very nice and knowledgeable. Joann Moon tends to the garden areas. I have never seen a thrift store that has such fabulous curb appeal. Everyday there are items that are 50% off. Stop here and you will not be disappointed. read more

I've been shopping at Grey Bears for over six years. Of all the shops I visit, this is by far one of the best. They always have great variety, the staff is wonderfully knowledgeable and helpful. I truly enjoy coming down to Santa Cruz and spending time browsing around the shop. I always leave with something I must have! read more

It's a treasure hunt. used shit and volunteers. it's not Nordstroms, but if your a thrift store person this is a good one.

I have been going to Grey Bears for years and even volunteered there in 2005-06. It was a great place and everyone enjoyed working with everyone else. The prices were great and priced to sell so that the inventory was always moving and the new items were always able to be rotated in. I went in the other day and boy have things changed. They still have half price daily on some items, but book prices have doubled and I noticed that they are trying to get almost retail prices for used picture frames! I went into my favorite section - crafts - and was surprised to see that they had some yarn packaged in 3 or 6 skein bundles for $15 to $30!!! I was in the back area and complained to the lady behind the counter that the prices were outrageous and mentioned the yarn prices. She said that the yarn was priced at $5 a skein in retail stores and I mentioned that last time I looked, they were a thrift store selling used items, not a retail store selling new goods. With this kind of attitude, they will definitely be losing me as a customer. I can imagine that they will be losing a lot more customers as well. read more

I love shopping here. It is best to go with no set ideas of what you want, there are always interesting items. Some times I leave empty handed, but that's how it goes.. read more

I have been a volunteer at Grey Bears since I first discovered it in 2012. It has been an incredible journey, which will continue as long as I do! The volunteers are not paid, and the minimal staff are devoted to the cause. Grey Bears distributes 4,500 brown bags of groceries, mostly healthy produce, to seniors 48 weeks a year. They support this effort by the profits from the thrift, electronics, book, furniture, compost, medical equipment stores. and the massive recycling sales. Nothing goes to waste here. They do this EVERY day of the week. From 10 to 3 pm. The place buzzes like a bee hive with all of the activity. Yes, the Grey Bears campus shifts the cluster of buildings around based on use and needs. The fire two years ago was a downer, but like a Phoenix rising from the ashes, there is a HUGE new building going up and expected to be up and running by this summer. Then Grey Bears will be able to function more smoothly, with more room for donated items, which are tax deductible. Grey Bears also offers activities for Seniors. Chair Yoga classes, computer classes, annual picnics and a Holiday Dinner keep the energy going. The thrift shop and furniture stores always lure me in on the day that I volunteer. I have found some amazing things there. So go on down to Grey Bears, located at 2710 Chanticleer, past the Sutter Hospital on Soquel. Shop, volunteer, or join if you are a Senior over 55 and a resident of Santa Cruz county. You won't regret it! read more

Awesome thrift store! They have a large inventory and it's a fun place to treasure hunt. My favorite section is the book room. Really low prices and good customer service. read more

From what I understand, the management changes were revolutionary. The manager is awesome and the staff seems to have a lot of fun when I see them on the floor, stocking and straightening. They just expanded the whole store and I can't believe the amount of cool clothing they have and the awesome dishes they have room for now. They have 50% off on a few different categories everyday too. I am a convert and addicted to the thrift shop. I went in one day and got 5 blouses of casual business wear (Ann Taylor, Jones, Banana Republic, Chico's) for $10 since they were all 50% off... It's like Christmas in there...just one big gift box, waiting to be opened! And it supports local seniors. Someday I'll be 65 and I hope they're still around to help me too if I need it. I love shopping there. read more

We recycled several items with Grey Bears and they were great. It was easy to coordinate and they came and picked everything up. A great place to help you with your spring cleaning! read more

Oh, WOW.....Grey Bears...Great Organization. ORGANIZATION. There is no one "Owner"...(For the person who stated something to the effect of: "The proceeds from the sale of donated items goes to line the owner"s pockets") NO.... This is NOT the case...Proceeds from items being sold funds the operation; allowing Grey Bears to GIVE AWAY (And deliver) FOOD to the needy, professionally refurbished computer systems to DISABLED PERSONS, recycling of (At no cost to the public) e-waste......Along with a long list of additional community services......All those things that require expensive energy and fuel consuming vehicles and equipment, along with qualified and licensed persons to operate them. Employees? NOT! 90% plus of those persons working for Grey Bears are UNPAID VOLUNTEERS....Some of whom are doing so as a means of repaying society for some misdemeanor they've commited, but MOST are volunteering because they just WANT TO! Nobody is perfect;Grey Bears is a REALLY BUSY PLACE....The public can be demanding, unappreciative, and unfortunately, downright asinine... I daresay that any ONE of those senior citizen volunteers at Grey Bears knows more about courtesy, social grace, and plain CIVILITY than 10 of the customers! JEEZ! really, people? "Old" and "young"are just relative terms....Terms that are truly MEANINGLESS in the big picture.....Grey Bears ain't Niemann frickin' Marcus! Occasionally, one of the volunteers will get a little pissy....Strangely, in the 35 years or so that I've patronized, or been served by Grey Bears, NO one has acted badly towards me.... Wonder what exactly THAT means?? ANYWAY...Blah, Blah,Blah....I've found a lotta of cool stuff over the years at Grey Bears, especially computer and electronics goodies that I couldn't get anywhere else. (Only place I know of that you can get a PC sound card for less than 4 bucks, or a router for $10, a VGA cable for $5......The list goes on) Yes, sometimes the volunteers may not be "experts" on the items they are selling.....If you require in-depth knowledge and "fixes" for your computer problems, this may not be the place for you....(Although, there are a few volunteers who ARE very knowledgeable.....Retired engineers, even!) GO TO GREY BEARS, YOU'LL FIND COOL STUFF.....iF YOU'RE HAVING A CRAPPY DAY, YOU'LL PROBABLY HAVE A CRAPPY TIME THERE....iF YOU'RE COURTEOUS AND PATIENT, YOU'LL GET A TON OF REWARDS FOR YOUR VISIT. read more

waaaayyy to expensive, they had a dish i found the exact same one for one dollar, at this place, $10. they have a whole room for dishes but they are all pricy and marked VINTAGE. the books are of poor selection, shoes are pricy, all dishes seem to marked with vintage or collectible. i will not go here, if it is for a good cause. they should not rip you off like that. read more