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    Narrative

    4.5 (34 reviews)
    Open 11:00 am - 7:00 pm

    Narrative Photos

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    Showroom floor
    Lisa G.

    I recently checked out the new Narrator store. It's basically the same location, but bigger than ever and the new space lends itself so well to the fun and eclectic vibe of this shop. I'm not a huge vintage collector, but I wanted to find a vase with some character and they did not disappoint. There were fun vases and more. I think strolling through to see what they have could be a new favorite Jack London square activity because it could take an hour or more to take a look at all the different sections.

    Big D.

    Great selection on valued vintage items, courteous welcoming staff, beautifully displayed in a voluminous interior space.

    Mario D.

    Today's outing brought a huge "new to me" surprise to my eyes for those art furniture seekers who love to look at the re-sale of collections from other collectors, individuals and art preservationists for the next generation to seize, honor and admire. I happened upon Narrative, a "Premier Vintage Design collective" in the former space of Bed Bath and Beyond in the Jack London Square neighborhood. The space is massive and has a lot of natural light and open air ceiling with hardwood floors. The owners really did a fine job on renovating the space to make it comfortable for all. Staff shared that a small cafe will be forthcoming, too! What a surprise and to see how expansive it is inside. Lots of great pieces that are curated and edited by staff/vendors to delight the consumer. If you do not have a design esthetic, pay attention to how each group is edited and you will find your design groove or at least embellish what you have in the making. This is not a muted store with no colors, there are lots of colors popping everywhere. You know that thought, if you wait and go back days later thinking the piece you had your eye on will still be there, think again, it may not. If you really like it, buy it before someone else does. I was like a kid in the biggest art gallery store and then it kept getting bigger and bigger and better with more items to look at. I left with 3 pieces and a small painting. There is plenty of street parking. Narrative is open daily from 11 am to 7 pm. The staff is courteous and attentive and open to helping you put pieces aside that you want while you continue shopping. I will say no more as Narrative is a must see for collectors of all walks of life. They also have a monthly free admission, pet friendly Oakland Vintage Market each first Saturday from 10 am to 3 pm with at least 50 vendors at 222 Jefferson street.

    M F.

    the shop has great pieces, but beware as they do not disclose the actual condition of the pieces. i spent 15k there and bought amongst many things a sofa. the piece was staged against others and the back wasn't exposed. once it was delivered to its destination we realized the whole back of the sofa was sun damaged. a fact that was not apparent at the store since the back was not exposed and it seems the booth owners had not inspected the piece either. it took forever for them to get back to me and they blamed me for the problem instead of acknowledging they played a part on the issue at hand. the owner of narrative told me she is not a "flea market" but she certainly presents as one. she was completely condescending. i have worked in home furnishing for almost a decade and when something like this happens, you usually offer at least a discount. this was their oversight as much as it was mine. but i guess they do not need my business. most vintage sellers are forth coming about flaws. they were not and were extremely unhelpful and rude about it. they will never see my money again and i will let my circle (which is pretty wide) know what to expect from them as a business. p.s. just some facts: furniture was purchase on mid july , between the 13th-16th, and greg was contacted on the 27th. business was informed in a timely manner, so the timeline excuse is another example of poor business savvy.

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    2 years ago

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    1 year ago

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    9 months ago

    Nice stuff and I want everything! It's so hard to be selective and decorate my place without cluttering the place.

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    1 year ago

    Love love love love love love this store. Such amazing stuff, beautifully curated. Great people. My favorite store in Oakland.

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    2 years ago

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    2 years ago

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    Vanessa M.

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    5 years ago

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    4 years ago

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    7 years ago

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    9 years ago

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    9 years ago

    Kilims, funky aluminum signs, deco and mid century pieces. The real find is the artist studios in back (studio 11).

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    7 years ago

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    Ask the Community - Narrative

    Review Highlights - Narrative

    Do yourself a favor a skip the price gouging of the Alameda Flea and check out Narrative.

    Mentioned in 2 reviews

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    west elm - Fun mirror

    west elm

    (713 reviews)

    $$$

    I have only ordered online and maybe went to a brick and mortar once? I need things delivered -…read moresmall car problems. White glove service has been fantastic and my furniture still has stood the test of time - over 7 years! Quality, not overly trendy and still looks like it belongs in 2025. Not perfect or THE BEST, but quite good. Just replaced a console and it was just delivery - simple, free shipping and easy to assemble - feels sturdy, functional and looks stylish. I have only purchased hard furniture - i would go to a seating specialist for upholstered items. Prices are reasonable for what you are paying for - timeless and solid quality. Good for this type of store - accessible and fits most aesthetics.

    Had an in home consultation today at 5pm. I came home early…read morefrom work to be ready. I waited 20 mins and nothing. I called to store to ask what happened. They placed me on hold. When someone came back to the phone, they just said how can I help you, after I had explained what happened to the person before. The person on the phone was the designer that was supposed to show up. No apologies or acknowledgment for wasting my time, just excuses about how the appointment notification came in on her day off. This appointment was booked a week in advance. Extremely unprofessional and terrible customer service. I liked some of the pieces and wanted help deciding which to buy. Thank you for helping me decide I should buy from a different retailer.

    Urban Ore - So much to dig through, lots outside and inside

    Urban Ore

    (623 reviews)

    $$

    West Berkeley

    Came by this past weekend, and I was amazed by this place from the moment I stepped inside. It's a…read moregiant warehouse space organized into nicely labeled sections, and there's a massive yard out back with even more secondhand products for sale. The diverse offerings include bicycles and bike parts, furniture (sofas, tables, and more), lots of chairs, rugs, luggage, tools, electronics, speakers, musical instruments, CD's and records, remote controls, items that make you feel like you've gone back in time (like cassette tapes, vhs tapes, and floppy disks), books, toys, model trains, light fixtures, baskets, kitchenware/appliances, board games, crutches, building materials, doors, windows, bathtubs, toilets, garden sculptures, mirrors, cabinets and shelves, decorative items, artworks, plumbing hardware, door knobs, plastic cups and bottles, hats, shoes, and clothing. They even have scrap glass for mosaic or stained glass projects. We ended up purchasing some drum rings, as well as an awesome tote bag for just five bucks. The line at the front counter gets long at times, but it moves quickly with helpful workers making sure everything goes smoothly. You can even cut the line if you're paying with cash. No returns are allowed on items such as electronics and clothing. Dogs are welcome inside, with countless signs posted noting that it's not a poop and pee zone. There's also a sign near the toy section stating "unattended children will be given candy and a free puppy."

    Very recently I witnessed Urban Ore stop staff placing thousands of CDs into the trash. I asked…read more"why"? and was told "the cases were cracked or the discs were scratched". I went to the front and offered to take the CDs they were sending to the landfill. I stated I had boxes with me - the staff seemed amenable however when the manage Claudio was asked he overruled them and stated "no" - the CDs are now on the landfill - I have a machine to resurface discs, a press to flatten creased artwork and thousands of cases - however a company who's catch phrase is "zero waste" dumped" thousands of perfectly salvageable items. I contacted Urban Ore via email, via messaging and tagged them in social media as well as posting on their own FB page - no response. People donate items to Urban Ore thinking they think they are keeping them out of the landfill - the behavior of Claudio shows that this is a lie and Urban Ore appears to be a scam.

    Narrative - antiques - Updated May 2026

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