I absolutely adored the vision that is Bella Vita…read more Walking in, I was taken in by the most amazing collection of barrettes I've ever seen. They had barrettes shaped like animals and fruit and adorable little hair claws shaped like bat wings. Bella Vita also boasted absolutely adorable pastel party decor for the girly girl at heart. The service was friendly and helpful, and I loved their overall selection of fanciful accessories. I will most definitely be back!

My wife and I got my nieces some cute Fairytale Star Double Alice Headbands ($18 each) and my wife…read moregot herself a fun Jenny Lemon's Banana Hair Claw ($24) at this store, Bella Vita, in Rockridge. This is a local boutique shop that's filled with lots of unique, high-quality apparel, accessories, and gifts for women and children. My sister, who lives in the neighborhood, has been a regular for years. She introduced my wife and me to this delightful place during our last trip to Oakland. We visited on an ordinary Monday afternoon. Owner Jennifer was the only one working at the time. She was friendly. She and my sister know each other from my sister's visits. Jennifer was also helping a couple women at the dressing rooms. The store was sizable, clean, and well organized. It had a homey, curated feel to it. I could tell a lot of thought had been put into each and every product, not only by Jennifer, but by the people who made them. If you're having trouble finding a good gift for a woman/girl, Bella Vita has many interesting and novel items to choose from. They also offer online ordering for pickup in-store or shipping to the lower 48 states. At the time of writing this review, you can subscribe to their emails for 10% off your first purchase at https://bellavitahome.com/

I discovered this thrift shop by accident when I found a Kate Spade mini tote bag from their shop…read moreon Etsy. I haven't been to the physical location in Oakland but would like to one day. They did a great job packing and quickly shipping the tote bag. The purchase was kind of funny for a couple reasons. One, I thought it was a vintage bag because I didn't know you could resell newer items on Etsy that are not handmade. It looked vintage to me, so I didn't question it, but it turned out the bag is from a few years ago. No big deal. Second, I didn't pay attention to the bag's measurements or the word "mini" in the title. I had to laugh when I took it out of the box. It's so tiny. It looks like it will maybe fit my phone, wallet, keys, and that's about it. I was expecting it to be much bigger, but that's totally my fault for not paying attention. The tote bag is in excellent new condition with the tag still attached. It also came with a detachable long strap. I'm not sure what I will do with it because its teeny size feels too small for me, but it's an awfully cute bag.

Cute thrift shop with a wide variety of clothing and home goods. Some nice vintage items and period…read morepieces. It's run by very nice volunteers for a good cause. They have a cute Halloween display up if you want to go and find items to do some decorating or find a costume.

Leave your food and drinks by the door - they have a little table you can place these items at…read morewhile you wander about the store. Here, you'll find women's clothing, jewelry, handbags, hats, accessories, home, beauty, wellness, decor, and lifestyle items. You'll spend time perusing through every inch of the merchandised space. I found that they carry Clare V. handbags - they currently have the ones that are made from real leather, the kind that is buttery soft to the touch! (oooh). I found a book I was first introduced to via social media and when I had recognized it on their shelf, I knew it was meant to find me. There were a few eye-catching prints and colors apparel brands - on the higher-end price point, but looked to be well-made pieces. Good place to try to find a gift for someone or for yourself. Its connected to the kids shop next door and is under the same ownership.

Great clothes. Unique pieces. Timeless and trendy. Nice staff and owner. Thank you all for the…read morelovely clothes!

If you love buying local, Valentine's on Piedmont is the place for all your baby and kid clothing,…read moreshoe, and accessory needs. I've been a secondhand mama since before my daughter was born; my version of nesting was collecting gently used everything for her arrival. I've been selling my her clothes at Valentine's for the past couple years and find the process (text for a time, schedule a drop off, hear back by text about store credit/when you can come back and pick up) easy. The owner has a great eye. I never leave Valentine's empty handed. It's tiny and packed to the gills with amazingness, both new and used.

You HAVE to come here if you're looking for gifts for little ones - we stopped in to buy a gift on…read morethe way to a 1 year olds party and found the perfect thing + a card. They even wrapped it up in gift wrapping free of charge. Small business like this make all the difference.

We had the best experience shopping here for a baby gift!!! Tati Wade was so patience and helpful…read moreas we were having a difficult time deciding what outfit to buy for a friends' new grandchild. There were SO many beautiful things to choose from this artistically curated shop. Intimate and inviting, I recommend it without hesitation or reservations... NOTE: Dimples is located at 1442 Walnut Street in Berkeley! We, too, went to the original address (See Kasey L.'s review) and just by luck found the new location. What's up with that GOOGLE?

I like the selection of toys and clothing. I enjoy the atmosphere and customer service.read more

Fabulous neighborhood GEM as another reviewer mentioned. The shop has a wide variety of treasures…read morelow and high end prices. I find the staff to be friendly and helpful but they don't breathe down your neck, nor are they over the top with bothering you if you just want to browse. Definitely pop in when you're nearby it will bring a smile to your face.

I've worked in retail and customer service. I know things go wrong. Stores aren't made by being…read moreperfect, they're made by how they respond when things aren't. I ordered two Kickee Pants fitted sheets that arrived rolled in an envelope, smelling like mildew and stiff to the touch. The owner's response was that they disclose the no-packaging policy on their website ... fair, but that doesn't explain mildew. And it's worth noting that shipping without packaging saves the store money, not the customer. When I asked for a prepaid return label given the condition, I was told that's never their policy. When I pushed back, the woman replied screenshots attached, that my "life is laughably small" if I consider $100 a premium purchase and that I "wasn't worth the time." I don't know who thinks it's acceptable in this economy to say that to a customer spending $100 on toddler sheets. But apparently Denise doesn't need your money, because $100 means nothing to her. Spend your money somewhere that treats you like a person.

First time here I kinda stumbled on this spot their 1$ rack…read moreof clothes lured me in Inside is well stocked and organized There are both new and gently used items for sale Customer service is friendly I swooped up an adidas jacket jacket for $9 If I'm in the area I would definitely stop by again Parking can be hard to find Street parking only

This place is incredible. It's a tiny shop with a huge selection of high quality kids' clothing and…read moretoys. It's hard browse without having to get something! And the store owner and her team are all super friendly! Love this local business!

after having brunch at kitchen story, my friends and I went to atomic garden. My friends don't live…read morein Oakland and wanted to check out the store. My friends and I are all women of color - black, India and Chinese. We were followed around the store by a long haired, white female presenting person. It felt terrible to be watched and never asked how we were doing or if there was anything we were looking for. I won't be going back to this store.

Atomic Garden is a cute little gift shop with beautiful knitted items and children's toys. They…read morecarry bedding, bath, and clothing items and give off a low-waste plastic-free organic air. That being said, I found the store to be a bit overflowing (almost hodgepodge) and at the end of the day think I prefer fair trade stores laid out a bit more cleanly like Makers Market or Harmony House.

Loved my first buying experience at Tootsie's. I've always seen the store but thought it was…read morelimited to women's shoes, until I spurted some unisex boots I liked. With all the downpour we've been having I needed a strong wellie-style boot, with a cool factor. I showed Liz, the owner, which styles I liked and she immediately started to pull sizes and make recommendations. Liz even checked her system to see when additional colors would be shipped in, and shared the return and exchange policy in conversation. Liz was great, super helpful, very friendly and shared her thoughts on which boot she likes best on me. Quality shoes here, with great prices for what you get. Not a commercial retailer, the stock list here is very special. I'll be coming back for some socks soon. The boots I got? Love em! I did not need to utilize the return or exchange policy, superb. Shout out to Liz. Shopping is about being social, making new friends and knowing what you want while being open to new things. I got all of that with Liz at Tootsie's. I was even able to put the boots on hold for a couple of hours, and came back to purchase. Looking for some kicks? Stop by Tootsie's.

Today I had such a great experience at Tootsies on College Avenue. It was a fantastic experience…read morefrom start to finish. The store had a great atmosphere--clean, well-organized, and the variety of shoes was impressive. I did not expect them to have such a wide variety. Liz, the owner, was amazing. She is so easy to work with and no pressure. She just kept bringing me shoes I was interested in and we worked together to find my size. She is incredibly knowledgeable and has been at this a couple of decades. Another plus was the price range--there were options for every budget. I left with three pairs of shoes and one was even on sale. My shoe selection had suffered in the pandemic and it was time to freshen up my closet. Thanks Liz. Store also owns Crush clothing next store and has purses, wallets and some jewelry for gifts.

This is a store I've been looking for. So many cool Oakland shirts and hats. They even have cute…read morekids t-shirts. The family that owns the store were friendly and helpful in advising me on the size for a 7 month old. The merchandise is displayed neatly and there is a lot to choose from. Very cool unique designs with fair prices. I'll definitely go back.

Love supporting this business and the dope attire they drop. My favorite is my crew neck that says…read moreOakland backwards simple black and white. Met them at the Jack London Sunday market and found out I work on the same street their store is on! I send people there as often as I can because I love their merch! They got something for everybody. We will be back for the next drop!