They POSITIVELY need to Double Bag " Beadable Items " !!! I love this li'l THRIFT STORE, and Especially the " Charitable Causes ' they Support ' !!! Have been shopping wiith them since the Mid '90's in SF !!! Also am not too crazy about the Goodwill in El Cerrito which leaves this Store to browse, Re-use & Re-Cycle !!!!!! Luckily the Cashier warned me to be Extra Careful as I exited the Store having bought 2 Ceramic Plates and 2 Bowls... Maybe Taller Grocery type Handled " Paper Bagd would be Ideal.... From what I've been hearing from merchants locally ' Berkeley has Banned PLASTIC Shopping Bags !!! Their Wares and the Selection are Awesome although ' QUITE STEEP PRICES ' on Used Crockery I thought. Selections are Always Quite Charming & I do hope the Store remains in Business !!!!!! Am a Senior with a DISABILITY, and arriving home the Paper Bag Tore Badly even as I went to retrieve it from the Floorboard of My Car !!! Was a Chore tryin' to " Ascend a Flight of about 12 wooden risers and Guarding the Contents !!! He was kind and thoughtful enough to ask if I'd like the " Crockery " wrapped in Newspaper !!! The 10% Senior Discount helps a lot !!!!! Five Stars for "" SELECTION & 3 for Packagong Breakables = 4 STARS !!! Workers are " Always Polite " !!!!!! read more

The best thrift store in a way. Got some important clothes here this decade and they have stuff in my price range. Also it's right by North Berkeley! Check it out if you can. read more

I was in the area and wanted to thrift a bit, I looked up open stores near me and found this spot. We were greeted upon entering which I appreciate and there were several people working around the store available for questions. We got there maybe 20 minutes before closing so I didn't get to explore the way I would like, but I really dug the book section. Hard covers are two dollars and soft covers are one dollar. They're arranged by color which I thought was very visually appealing. It was easier to look through the titles that way. I'll be going back soon to check out the store a bit more and I'll update my review accordingly. I'm totally happy with my book purchases. read more

Out of the Closet - Used, Vintage & Consignment Near Me - Berkeley, California

Beware! We went to drop off some donations with the understanding that all of our things might not be accepted. The woman working the donation area was terrible. She started trying the shoes we were donating on and told us we would have to buy new shoelaces for a pair of Keds. FYI, these were practically a new pair of animal print Keds. She was commenting that some of the items weren't her taste. What?? We truly think she was going to pocket the items she wanted and not let the store know. That's stealing! We will never donate to this store again. By the way, we stopped her and took the remaining items to Goodwill without any issues. read more

I frequent this place when I'm running errands. I like they have a reasonable sized Thrift store. They have a lot of shoes and housewares and books amongst Clothes and knick knacks. They had a a few discounted tag sales when I went the other day. The only down side is that they do not have fitting rooms but plus side lots of parking in back and street parking. The staff is friendly and helpful with holding items while you peruse store. They have a lot of things and even lots of unique finds. Definitely a different experience every time I go grab some deals. read more

I want to support a good cause, but the price gouging is unforgivable. You can find items for HALF the price online, they are up charging like crazy and one google will show that. On top of that, there aren't any fitting rooms and zero return policy so they charge $60 for a dress you have to guess if it'll fit. They get everything for free and then turn it over for a huge mark up. Unfair to everyone all around, and shame on them for "being for a good cause" and making it unaffordable for those who want to support them. Used to love this location especially, but have to give it up since I can get everything for SO much cheaper anywhere else. Do better, you're for charity, don't forget your roots. read more

Went in to find some beach clothes and some necklaces and bracelets that wouldn't work or melt in a very hot country near the equator. Staff were very knowledgeable and helpful. A friendly , chill atmosphere. It should also be noted they donate money to very good causes providing care to people with AIDS, which is an added bonus. read more

They accept useful household items and have a good selection inside the store. I have donated so many times and they help you with everything. read more

Great selection! Helpful staff! Fun creative, engaging customers! This tight store has great energy! Picked up some vintage Tupperware and a teak basket crossbody bag. Will return soon! read more

I e donated things here several times over the years and have had the most welcoming experiences. But yesterday, Kyle went above and beyond. After making a donation drop, I realized I lost my garage door opener. Kyle retrieved it from the street where it had since been run over, and had it waiting for me upon my return. He is the sweetest man. He was so gracious and kind. His energy made me feel calm immediately. Thank you, Kyle and Out Of The Closet. I wish you all years of success in your public and private adventures. (And BTW, the garage door opener still works.) read more

I donated many many boxes of stuff to them after my friend died. They were always helpful and friendly. Unlike some donation places, they took everything I brought, which was such a relief for me in this stressful time. read more

First time here came from San Diego first I thought it's all expensive but wow the Columbia it's like a new jacket was like $15 only Abercrombie and Fitch coat only $12 plus more . I bought a lot and almost can't fit to our car back home Love the 2 beautiful cashiers There're so nice and welcoming Love this thrift store read more

Out of the Closet - Used, Vintage & Consignment Near Me - Berkeley, California

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How can I shop for pants if they aren't sorted by size, and there's no dressing room? I was told to just stand by the mirror and try them on over my clothes. They were also overpriced. read more

Great place. Excellent convenient donation option includes parking and long hours. So important to me. Good selection, low prices. Convenient locations in Oakland and Berkeley. read more

Hit or miss like most thrift stores. Tons of inventory and something for every. Tons of books! Good men's section.

I LOVE OOTC and search for one to shop when I visit any city they are in. Great service- best selection-and I value what they do for our world - so fabulous!! read more

So this is review is for the drop off aspect of Out of the Closet. If you follow my reviews, you know I became massively allergic to something our neighbors brought in. Like, beyond violently allergic. No one else has been impacted by it, but it did end up that we couldn't wash any of our clothes enough to be allergen free. Enter in Out of the Closet. We had about 10+ bags of clothes that needed a new home, and it turns out that they're open for drop offs until 7pm. So after dealing with the 'are they or aren't they open' and 'what's their COVID19 drop off times now' excitement of Goodwill, I loved that we could just come by after work, and drop off the clothes. No fanfare whatsoever. Service at the counter was always helpful and friendly so all in all we will definitely be continuing to drop off our items at Out of the Closet! read more

Generally this store prices their furniture on the high end, so I was disappointed when I went in today and saw a beautiful Henredon secretary desk priced at $55 (but it already had a sold tag on it)! It's not uncommon for a piece of Ikea furniture to be priced within this range at this store, so to see a $2,000 piece priced so reasonably was unbelievable. Deals like this are what keep me thrifting! read more

Out of the Closet - Used, Vintage & Consignment Near Me - Berkeley, California

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I have been here many times over the past decade, most recently 2 days ago. If you are thrift shopping because you need stuff (as opposed to wanting to browse a curated selection of vintage classics), you truly need to make this your first stop. It's really big, fairly well organized, and pricing is decent (plus there's a daily sale color). No fitting rooms at the moment so be prepared to slip things on over your clothes if you need to check fit. Small parking lot off side street. Note to check items for damage and stains as I have seen things that maybe needed to be pulled before going on the racks, but this is not unusual for a high-volume thrift store. No kids sizes. Books are organized by color, I guess for stagers or for Insta; it's kind of a fun look. Checkout lines can be long, so allow time. read more

If you want to donate something to OTC you might as well give up now. They only take requests on Monday each week at 7 AM. I was informed that pick-up slots fill up in 2 hours. When I started calling at 7 AM, I could only get voice mail, but when I tried to leave a msg, it was full. Multiple attempts got the same results. Years ago I tried and gave up in frustration but thought Id try again. I'll not waste my time in the future. read more

It did the trick to give me what I was looking for. A suit and some dress trousers for school. Didn't have a shoe selection compared to other similar businesses. One can find really useful to random junk that randomly got here by people donating. There's plenty of staff members around, so that is always a plus if you need help or some assistance. The clothes sorting seems to be organised by colour, even the books which have some interesting reads. You can find some stuff from high-end retailers if you look hard enough. The place seems to focus more on articles of clothing. The checkout experience was straightforward and not pushy at all. It's easy access to a large road and easy to get by public transportation. If you have a clothes emergency this can be a possibility with hard searching skills and patience. read more

This location is fantastic, they've always had a great selection and a steady flow of new items to look at. I've been going here for years and will continue to support this business. But, like many thrift stores it has fallen victim to overpricing. What used to be a place where regular shoppers had the opportunity to score a great piece of clothing at a fair price has turned into yet another thrift store that uses Google image search to find what they think is 'fair market value' (Really just the first and most expensive listing), and then prices them based on that. Guys- if you see a shirt that's listed for 25 bucks on eBay, that doesn't mean it's worth 25 bucks at a thrift store. That doesn't even mean it will sell for 25 bucks online! What ends up happening is the grossly overpriced items sit until sale days, or just sit behind the counter forever and collect dust until one of the employees decides to reprice it far lower than the original sale price. Look, I understand wanting to maximize profits, but if you try to price gouge instead of price fairly, you'll lose income and the trust your shoppers have in you in the long run. Do better! It's difficult enough trying to survive in this economy, but buying used clothing (that a thrift store receives via donation and makes %100 profit on) shouldn't be as expensive as it's become. read more

I used to like this store when it has a dressing area. Now you have to "guess" if something fits - since you can't return anything. I just bought something today and when I got it home I found it does not fit. I don't want to undress down to my bra to try it on in public. What gives with no dressing area anymore (!) read more

I love this out of the closet. Very well stocked and organized. There is always a line of people at the whistler and they continue to do the color tag sales. Will be back again and again! Also, the employees are patient and kind in answering questions and tinging you up! read more

A fantastic thrift store. I come here for the BOOKS - because I constantly find great tomes - that are like NEW - for $2 (Hardcover) or $1 (Paperbacks). They also have a constantly changing selection of furniture and other knick-knacks if you seek these items. The small parking lot is also nice so you don't have to put money in any meters. read more

I love this location! I came to this one for the first time and was pleasantly surprised at how clean and organized everything was. They have a pretty decent selection with a lot to look through, my friend and I found some cool stuff! Definitely worth checking out f you're in the area. read more

Consistently clean, organized, and friendly workers! Better prices than Goodwill with a higher quality selection in my opinion.

I was in the store yesterday and saw a very warm, very special coat. It was minutes before closing and I did not have enough time to consider it carefully. It was $40 and I don't have money to throw around. I paid for a couple other things, and was literally the last person out of the store. I asked when they open in the morning and said I would be back for the coat. Next morning I was there right at opening. When I came to the rack where the coat had been the night before, there was NOTHING BUT A GAP!! Nobody could have possibly bought it yet! When I asked the man to whom I was directed as being in charge, he was very rude to me, yelled nonsensical stuff at me: like "we can't look for anything for the customers" and "I am busy training a new employee" "things get put back on the racks, I don't know where, look for it yourself!!!" (It had not been taken off the rack!). He was defensive aggressive, and speaking to me me in a manner that I could only interpret as likely covering up for the fact that he had taken the coat for himself or his coworker. it was the same two employees as the night before who had seen me try it on hastily and urged me on to leave (actually 5 min BEFORE 7h.) So they both had cast an eye on this coat. It was a very rare REI coat with a goretex shell and a zipout down inner jacket. (A 3-in -one Parka) and likely to make someone a good amount of money on ebay, or make very good equipment for a trek (which is what I wanted it for). Or clothe someone in need in a foreign wartorn country (which is my best conjecture for the fate of this coat!). But I am very upset about it and I don't think it is OK for employees to snatch extra good things, presumably for free, away, off the sales floor! Even worse, when they know someone is interested enough in it to say they will be back the next morning for it. And this man was very rude about it, which, if he had nothing to do with the coat, there was no good reason for treating me as aggressive and rude as he did. He probably would have been much more willing to be helpful and polite. Unfortunately I could not find access to management on their website. But will still look for other avenues to lodge a complaint. this was just NOT OK. read more

Sometimes I feel like men's clothing is a bit under represented in these kind of stores, but I was happy with their selection! I bought four great shirts (2 brand new), some shorts, and reading glasses for $17.50. What more could I ask for? The store is well-maintained and organized for a thrift store, and I'll be back soon! read more

Such a great collection of vintage and modern finds. No dressing room however which wasn't too much of a problem since I only got a dress and skirts but just an fyi! Lovely customer service as well. Will definitely be coming back on my next trip to the bay! read more

Large affordable book selection! Also lots of cute clothes at affordable prices, with some ticketed items only $1. Most of the proceeds go to charity supporting people with AIDS. Only complaint is that because of COVID, you can't try on clothes so it's a hit/miss if you're bad at picking clothes that will fit. read more

There are several thrift stores along University yet "Out of the Closet" is probably the best. As all thrift stores are forever changing their inventory it seems the clothes here are better overall so less sorting through rubbish for gems. Love that on select items there are colored tags for: green tags for 30 percent off blue tags 50 percent off orange tags for $1 Proceeds go toward prevention, treatment, & finding a cure for HIV. Free prophylactics at check out. As Iggy Pop sang "Search & Destroy" so here you can "Seek & Enjoy" your recycled gems! read more

I had a bunch of clothes that I took to sell at Buffalo exchange but they ended up only buying two items. "Rut to." I felt stuck with all this stuff and no where to go because B. E. Could not keep them. One of their staffers mentioned I could take them to Out of the closet. It was close by so I drove to it. They practiced safety during this challenging time. I went on a weekday so I did not experience lines. I dropped off the bags and left. Super simple, quick and problem solved! There are going to be some very happy people receiving the items I dropped off. It took me a year(or 2) to part with my treasured items. read more

The donation process is super-easy and convenient. Just drive up to the window. I'll be back!

I've been thrifting all year, kinda blows my mind what you find and come out with for the low prices, the saying "1 persons trash is another 1's treasure" is absolutely true when thrifting, you can always find way your looking for, maybe not at this location but definitely if you thrift you know the stores to go to read more

Literally the worst service I've ever experience! I called for an entire week trying to get something that they clearly said they had in stock but the refused to go into storage to get for me. First I was told to call back in the morning so someone could get it. Then when I called back the woman goes to ask the manager, mind you I can hear their entire conversation, the manager tells her that "No we can't get. That's something that Jeff told her he'll do for her so she can call back when he's here." Laughing while she tells her this. The woman then apologize and repeats what her manager say and says, "I'll take your name and number so we can give you a call back." I ask when will Jeff be there and she says Friday...(it's Tuesday). Ok so I call again today Friday and Jeff answers and when I tell him that I'm calling back just like he and his manager instructed me to do, his kind customer service tone immediately changes to an annoyed angry man and tells me "no sorry we can't help you, someone called in sick and maybe you should try somewhere else!" I work in customer service myself and hate that I'm even leaving such a review because we're all human but when you're asking for something for a week it's disappointing. read more

Worst place ever to do business with they constantly push things back just for them to act as if they went through with ther process without communication I strongly suggest the OAKLAND & or sf location these people do not care read more

This is a review is around the experience of donating here. I didn't have the opportunity to check out the store. Next time! It was very easy to donate clothing. The staff were very friendly, the table out on the side entrance was an easy place to hand things over, my hubby could simply wait in the car in front of the store while I quickly dropped everything off. Well organized store, friendly staff. read more

In response to previous reviews: Yes, this place is picky about donations. That means that you get nice things here. Yes, proceeds go to help AIDS/HIV patients, some of whom are gay; if gay people bother you and you are in Berkeley, you're going to have a tough day. Yes, many of the employees are immigrants or people of color, and some of them are shy. This is a second-hand store. It has nice kitchen stuff - over ten years I have upgraded my entire kitchen twice from them. It has fantastic men's clothes. I buy dress and work shirts here, and have had a decent wardrobe for so long now I can wait for things to go to the - wait for it - dollar rack. The furniture can be fantastic - they get estates occasionally. I have no idea why a staff person would refuse to sell something to a 14-year-old. My 10-year-old and his friends go in for T-shirts and such without adults. That was a very odd story. And yeah, OOTC: PLEASE re-shelve the darn books. I am a retired librarian and a lifelong book man, and I don't even bother to browse. Need a volunteer for a complete redo? read more

I visited a few times but today a rude lady at the front misgendered me and grab the container of chains and bracelets i was looking through. Supposedly she was associated them that should have been done somewhere else. Some places may claim to be Lgbtq+ friendly but the staff may not always be. read more