-friendly staff -let you use their private bathroom if you're nice -staff running around working hard -clean dressing rooms cuz staff running around working hard -nicely organized -not target reject infested -still sneezes -score! $1.99 on an emporio armani blouse new with tags retail for $378 =WILL COME BACK read more

If you have donations to make don't bother going to this Goodwill. We donate items several times a year and I've repeatedly had poor experiences here. Case in point, I tried making some donations today and as I was pulling items out of my car a worker came out and literally wagged his finger at me and said "no, no, no." He and another worker proceeded to debate what items they would be willing to take or not take, and ultimately he told me I should try taking most of my items to the Oakland Goodwill because they would probably want them at that location but they did not want most of my items at the Alameda location. Total waste of my time. Not to mention insulting behavior from the staff. read more

My place to donate shirts, pants and jackets that are in good shape. The Goodwill store is well organize and they have the collection area set-up to take all of the donated items. Hopefully some of my Hawaiian shirts I donate go to a person who wants to feel the "Aloha Spirit" on the island of Alameda. Inside the store they always have some interesting kitchens items and books. There have been some interesting men's suits donated, wool suits from the 60"s. I wonder who donated that stack of Playboy magazines that now resides in my Man Cave. Just kidding.... read more

Being an experienced thrifter, I can tell you that this is the most overpriced Goodwill in the Bay Area! For example: I bought a fabulous Nine West leather coat at the San Leandro Thrift Town for $4.99. This Goodwill had a fabulous no name leather coat for $59. Black Chico's skirt at SF Goodwill boutique (West Portal) was $5.99. Nearly identical Chico's skirt at the Alameda Goodwill was $13.99!! Whazz up?! I f you think this place is a deal, do yourself a favor and hop on BART to the Civic Center exit in SF and check out the big a** Goodwill on Van Ness & Mission. See you there : ) read more

Geneva, the store manager, has a thing or two to learn about customer service. I was about to buy hundreds of dollars worth of items and she had the audacity to tell me to hurry up because I was taking up too much counter space. Can you believe that!? What an idiot! I did not get infignant but I did feel some type of way. I left the majority of the mammoth pile of clothing sitting right there. I love thrifting but will most def NOT go back to this location! read more

Hay Goodwill! In a more urban area, going to thrift stores does not always yield the hip gems that everyone seems to fantasize about since that song came out-- or the 90s happened (or both, depending on who you are). Usually Goodwills/salvation army's/etc are pretty "picked-through" in more metropolitan areas where people of all walks of life have at least a slight sense of fashion or appearance that comes from being around other human beings. Of all the stores and Goodwills in the SF Bay area, the Alameda location, while very small, is one of the best. Because it's removed on the "Island" (of floating garbage), nowhere near a BART, only a certain number of people will have "picked-through" this store at any given time. Also, because it's in Alameda, there are oftentimes some very nice, quality housewares that people drop off after an estate sales at one of the many many nice, turn-of-the-century homes. A good spot to check for records (sometimes a lot, sometimes none), matching-sets of dishes and whatnot, strange kitchen appliances, and random work-shirts. Their leather section is overpriced, they never seem to have many shoes (or maybe people just jump on those), and I don't think I've ever seen non-denim pants on the racks ever. It may not be the best Goodwill EVER, but considering its location, and how crappy a lot of the other local stores are, it's a must-hit. Whether you're actually a little broke and need some affordable stuff for life, or you're just there to tell a story about how you got this cool [thing] at Goodwill, you stand to save a lot of money here--and who doesn't love THAT?? My purchase: Antique marble rolling pin, matching parsley/garlic salt table-shakers, much needed light-grey Arrow dress shirt, and a psychotic Argyle/Plaid/Paisley nightmare of a button-down. Final Price: $20 If it sucks, come back! It's Goodwill, and they restock all the time! read more

I love when the Alameda Goodwill store has their 50% off apparel sale! There are a lot of hidden gems there. I just spent $20 and got two pairs of designer pants, a tank top, a NWT top, a pair of like new heels and 2 pairs of new socks. Sure beats spending $$$ on new items. Sure parking is limited but its on an island so you can bike, walk or ride the bus there if you are a local. BTW there is only one dressing room not two like the review above says. Customer service is a gamble, sometimes they joke and smile while other times I feel like I just made them miss their break time by coming up to the register. Overall I enjoy coming to this store and will keep coming back! read more

I have found so many treasures here! From louis vuitton purses as well as marc jacobs bags, amazing wine glasses, plates, clothing... you name it I have found it here. This is where the rich people in Alameda donate their stuff to be re-sold. I donate here all the time and the people are amazing. SUPER CHEAP ! I actually got all my wine glasses and shot glasses here brand new never opened. CHECK IT OUT IF YOU LIKE TO THRIFT read more

goods look neatly stacked here. (maybe for ages) glassware looked faded. there wasn't much selection n the book section. most had no pricing. hardcovers seem to be 2.99, 3.99, softcover: 1.49, 2,.99..... read: "how to write funny'-add humor to every kind of writing" (2.99) -maybe i can get more "funny" votes from the adivice within. shopping notes: -store looked clean -clerks ok -small parking lot full. -books pricey compared to other thrifts. - read more

More of a suggestion than a review... though I regularly drop by during special event days for half off shirts! This store sorts their t-shirts by color rather than by size. I understand this looks better on the rack and easier for the employees to sort, but if they were sorted by size I honestly would buy more and more often not having to sort through them all to find my size. Just saying. read more

My favorite spot to donate random unwanted items. Super nice people working here too!

I am a bargain hunter so I love thrift stores.This store very busy and has lots of stuff.

Compared with the Goodwill stores in the suburbs (Pleasant Hill, Concord) and in San Francisco (especially the one on Haight and Cole), this Goodwill is lousy. I have been here many times, and have never once found a thing I wanted to buy. That could be partly because I am too big for tiny clothes and too small for the big clothes, both of which seem to dominate the collection here. But it's also because the clothing is so dated and bland. Maybe I am spoiled by the wonderful thrift stores on the other side of the tunnel, but the Alameda stores rarely have anything I want. read more

When I feel like shopping but don't have the budget to spend a lot of $$$, I head to the Alameda Goodwill. Is the store so amazing that I would seek it out if I lived in another city? Probably not, but for killing some time on the island and satisfying my shopping urges, a solid yes. Plus, my new favorite TV show is "What Not To Wear" and thrift store shopping is an inexpensive way to experiment with new styles. I typically check everything out while I'm there: tops, coats, skirts, pants, purses, belts, etc. As for specifics, my current favorite purse ($7.99) that I'm toting around town came from the Alameda Goodwill, as well my favorite Guess jeans ($8.99) that I live in. Other recent faves: adorable H&M jacket, INC blazer, and quite a few $1.99 layering tanks for the summer. Parking: plentiful Staff: pretty nice Restrooms: private, but you can usually weasel your way in if you are nice/persistent Dressing rooms: clean and great to have (I usually come during the week and they are pretty empty) Prices: fair, great 50% off sales from time to time Hours: open surprising late (until 8:00 pm most nights, I believe) read more

Not a very big selection here. The store is also not sorted by size so it is very difficult to find what you want.

I scored a Lane Cedar Chest here for $24!! What a deal! Its a really small location, I didn't get past the registers, since I saw the chest as soon as I walked in. Paid for it and was outta there! It was in perfect condition! read more

Condescending staff that won't take perfectly good stuff. I carried a suitcase full of closet storage items on foot to the donation center and they didn't take a single item. Nothing was broken, everything was complete and clean, but I was told my things were "too dirty" and therefore they couldn't accept them. Yeah there was some lint on the stuff because until about a half hour before my clothes were on them, but that was it. WTH?? I didn't appreciate having to unpack and pull out everything in said suitcase in the parking lot while it was raining and be told no, no, no, no, no, no. It's the freaking Goodwill just take the damn stuff why else do you exist? Since I don't have a car I have to pay a taskrabbit now to take it to different donation center, when this one is around the corner from my house. Not going to be shopping here that's for sure. read more

Alright. You guys are getting better!! Even though it's not the best... at least the staff is a little more pleasant this time around. I actually found some good deals in the past week, which is a pleasant surprise. Still not my favorite, but a baby step in the right direction! read more

I'm not a fan of goodwill so imagine my surprise when I found a location that was easy to find, clean, well organized, as well as staff that was very pleasant. I'm only giving this review four stars due to the fact that I had to park at a nearby laundromat that had warning signs to not park in their facility unless I was using their services. I would assume that next time around their lot would be open but If it's not that just goes to show that many people are interested in the treasures they will find at this goodwill. I'm not patient enough to dig through thrift stores to find clothing but on my way out I took a quick glance and everything was organized very neatly by color and style which If I was looking for clothes would have found incredibly sweet. The store wasn't huge but they had a fair share of housewares. I was searching for frames and art and was very impressed. I've never found so many pieces of art in a thrift shop that made my jaw drop. It must have been my lucky day! By the time I was ready to walk out I found three beautiful items and my experience was better than shopping at the dollar tree when my grand total came to $2.97. I have discovered a gem and will continue to search the treasures of this shop. read more

Decent small thrift store, fair prices. Bought a sweater for good price and didn't have any bad customer service as I just bought one item and didn't do much else. read more

This review is about the donation side. Several times already we had to deal with rude workers when we brought our stuff there to give. We do not understand why we have to deal with their nasty attitude when we donate our items (useful, in good condition). We think the management should train their workers regarding common courtesy and basic politeness. Next time we will bring our goods to the Salvation Army on the other side of Webster tunnel. read more

When your business model relies on the solicitation of charitable donations, it doesn't make a lot of sense to threaten people with tickets for attempting to leave a bag of legitimate items to an already existing pile outside the store (there's no drop box) because you're closed for another 10 minutes. In fact, call me crazy, but a better approach might be to instead say, "I'm sorry- we're not open yet, but since I'm already standing here not doing anything other than threatening you, let me just take that for you and have a nice day!" Ironic that your company is called Goodwill, when that's a virtue that your employees are clearly lacking. read more

The donation area isn't very organized. There isn't a clear place to place donations. Instead you have to stand there balancing awkwardly with your donations in arms, until one of the unenthusiastic workers points to a place. I had a bunch of fragile glass items and the worker was telling me to pile them on to an unstable pile. I much prefer going to Salvation Army where I can drive my car right up to the area, and multiple helpful and enthusiastic people come sprinting over to help me unload. read more

Zero, zilch, goose egg, nada. That is my rating for this UnGoodwill. I've read the other reviews and it seems there is a theme here: crappy selection and rude staff. I can't understand the crappy selection part, since I have donated plenty of good quality and brand-new stuff, from clothing to kitchenware, to records, CDs and books. I wonder if the grumpy a-hole at the donation station picks over the stuff first. Now, I understand that many people use Goodwill as their own personal dump and drop off unsellable crap. I do not. I pick over my donations, insuring there are no holes or stains on the clothes, wash things, and fold them neatly. I also make sure books are in good shape, kitchware functions, etc. In essence, I am cheating myself out of a damn profitable garage sale by giving them my things. Giving them my things. Yes, I said GIVING them my things, for zero, zilch, goose egg, nada in exchange. And for that I get a) ignored b) told to dump all my items in a pile by the gate, then told to move them because I put them in the wrong place c) told "I'll get to you in a MINUTE" when I politely ask for a receipt and am the only person there and d) rolled eyes when I say thank you for the same. It's Oakland Freecycle from now on baby. In the immortal (edited) words of Cee Lo Green, forget you and your Ungoodwill. read more

I am 13 and I was with my friend and we bought a dress an a pair of shoes. Then, when we came pack, we tried to buy a pair of shoes and they said that they could not sell us anything unless we had an adult even though they already sold us something before without an adult. Usually trips to the thrift store is fun but this was a disappointment for me and my friend. read more

On just about every holiday that falls on a Monday, the store will have a 50% off sale. Being in Alameda, there seems to be well to do donors. I went on President's day and found numerous Nordstrom Boat shirts fresh with tags from the cleaners, Ralph Lauren Polos, Brooks Brothers, Hugo Boss shirts. I must have spent a total of $50 and came out with about $700 of gently used merchandise in great condition. If you know quality, you will "come up" on excellent deals here!! read more

I actually like this good will a fair bit more than the salvation army down the street. Unlike the salvation army, this good will is clean and its easy to find items. The clothes are generally in better condition too! read more

I had a pretty good experience here since my last visit. Lots of clothing here. They even have a rack full of leather jackets in every color. I was able to find some quality items and tried to not go crazy and buy everything I see. They have two clean dressing rooms. They also have a mirror on the outside as well. Books and glassware in the back. The parking lot is tiny and an accident hazard so maybe park on the street. Other than that, the service was very friendly and there's lots of great finds here. read more

One of the worst goodwills in the Bay Area. I've been here a handful of times and have yet to find anything. Last time I was there someone pooped in the dressing room. read more

Meh selection, mostly clothes, and the people who staff the donation side aren't grateful at all for your stuff no matter what you bring. They won't help you unload and barely speak to you if you ask where they'd like you to put donations or let them know when a box contains breakables as you watch them heave other boxes into bins without a care. If there were an alternative place to take my things on the island I would. The Goodwill I used to frequent back in Aurora, IL was amazing!!! I don't know what the deal is with this place. read more

Lazy and incompetent employees, They will refuse almost everything you want to donate because they are too lazy to work. They just want to sit on their a$$ and do nothing. Stay away go to Oakland Goodwill to donate. read more

I wasn't too impressed with the selection. It's small, and features mostly clothes, plus some small housewares. I think you'd really have to dig or get lucky on timing to find any treasures here. read more

DO not GO THERE !!!! !!! My pregnat woman (7th month) had to carry 4 boxes out of the car because the guys refused to help her. I will never ever donate anything to Goodwill again. I will put it into the garbage before i donate it. read more

Love the selection of stuff, better quality. Cost a little bit more but better selection. They do have some color tag sales at 50 percent off which when you find are worth it cause that's usually a good deal! I like this place! read more

I can't say much about the inside of the store since I don't shop here. I do donate here, and I like that it's no hassle, just quick drop off and go. They always ask me if I want a receipt, which I always do for tax purposes. The let me fill in what I've donated. The Saint Vincent de Paul next door is very picky about what they take as donations, making you stand there while they go through the bags/boxes you've brought. Here it's much more efficient. read more

I stop in here every once in a while. I've never really found any real tresures here... but some odds and ends which have brought me a bit of happiness. Compared to other thrift stores I sometimes find Goodwill stores over priced. The staff isn't top notch with customer service. read more

We regularly donate to this location. The folks at the drop off and in the store are super friendly and helpful. Goodwill does good for our community -- please donate and shop! read more

We had a terrible experience here today when we tried to drop off donations. The staff were rude and condescending to us. They were too busy smoking weed in front of us to do anything other than tell us they would not take our things. I would not recommend giving them any donations or business. read more

Not much to say here. Poor selection. Prices are low but offerings are meager. Only reason to stop here: ReDux (St. Vincent de Paul) is next door and you have extra minutes on the meter. Parking lot is small and limited. read more

Went to go donate some clothes. It's in an alleyway next to the actual store so they can organize? Looks sketch. Didn't really get a response when I asked the guy if this was where to donate. Hopefully the clothes goes to people in need. read more