Urban Ore is one of my longtime favorites. I was here several times a week, every week, for over a year during the remodeling of my 1870s cottage in San Francisco. This is the place to go to find authentic. Hardware, furnishings, plates, plumbing, electrical fittings and lamps, and so much more. The ravages of the pandemic have definitely taken their toll on the variety and depth of choices currently available. Don't take me wrong, this is absolutely an essential place to visit, especially with the implosion of Omega Salvage. They also have used books, audio and video equipment, more modern tables and shares and cabinets and even beds. Now that I think about it, I believe they even have a selection of used clothing. It might take you a little bit of time to find it, but there's something wonderful waiting for you here. read more

Urban Ore is well loved by the community, thanks to the hardworking employees who foster a great place to visit. Without them, it just simply isn't Urban Ore. Therefore I proudly support and stand with the union. I kindly call on the owners of Urban Ore to bargain IN GOOD FAITH (: with the Urban Ore workers. I look forward to visiting the wonderful workers there soon! read more

The staff is always helpful and friendly. I love this place. They benefit the environment and promote reuse. They have a great diversity of objects and I rarely leave empty handed. Whether it's shelves, or plates, utensils, glasses or jars. A small side table worthy only of the back yard, or tiles for an art project. Random hardware to repair random things. Cool lamps, fun furniture, they have so many usual and unusual things. They also generously take stuff off my hands so I don't have to put it in the landfill. read more

I haven't been here in a while but I got all my antique light fixtures and antique door knobs from here. They have a good selection but the store smells of cat urine unless they have remodeled it recently read more

And. Mary Lou... The city of Oakland hauled away this very fine toilet for free with the bulky pickup and cost nothing. But, thank you for your reply regarding your $10.00 service charge. Your prices are too high as many others have complained. read more

Urban Ore has been a great resource during the updating of our Victorian. We found period light fixtures. Hardware. Replacement claw feet for our tub. Etc. read more

Urban Ore is fantastic. So many good finds here. Essentially it's a massive warehouse filled with junk. One man's trash is another man's treasure read more

I previously gave urban or a two star review. I am upgrading them to three stars with the expectation that they make an effort to earn the updated rating. I can't think of a business I've been to that consistently has so many unhappy and unfriendly employees. I've even gotten attitude numerous times when bringing in donations but it didn't seem to have as much to do with the quality of the donations Which were graciously accepted elsewhere, as much as the employees maybe not feeling like they were being paid enough to lift anything heavy. I highly recommend Reuse and habitat for humanity on San Leandro Blvd. in Oakland read more

I love urban ore. Workers don't feel the need to unionize if they're truly being treated fairly. Stop union busting. read more

They always have something in stock that I need for my latest home improvement project. It's also interesting to peruse other departments. I've noticed an improvement in their organization, and that needed some help. Keep up the good work. read more

urban ore is a bay area institution, all thanks to the fine folks who keep it running! it is a feast for the eyes, the senses and the curious. it is paradise for the bower birds, heaven for the bottom feeders. it's a great place for a date. it's one of the few spots left in this city to kill time. wingnuts know. so do dads, my elementary school teacher, your wacky neighbor and tinkerers of all kinds. berkeley is not berkeley without urban ore. thank you, urban ore. thank you, urban ore workers! this is why I SUPPORT the URBAN ORE UNION! and kindly call on its owners to stop UNION BUSTING and bargain in good faith. read more

I have been going to Urban Ore for anything and everything for Years and Years. I believe in its concept of reuse. I would love to see them able to Copy their experience and do this same company success to other cities throughout the USA. I too am a baby boomer too with a very successful Business in West Contra Costa County. Its Contra Costa Marketplace Magazine, direct mailed to over 50,000 homes in the area. read more

One of the coolest places in Berkeley hands down! Atmosphere: freezing warehouse. If it's winter bring a coat. What type of place is it? Basically a large thrift store with every possible section you can find. Old large doors, suit cases, trunks, records, dolls, jewelry, clothes, light fixtures, tools, old (really old) electronics, musical instruments, vanities, dishes, windows, kitchen tables, tool boxes and just everything in between! Apparently the owners were activists from the 70's and loved to repurpose the "garbage" or society. They began perfectly good used items and reselling them which resulted in this fine establishment. Weather you are an artist, thrifter, urban explorer, or just want something to go do on a weekend I totally advise taking a stroll through here. I don't advise small children due to the amount out breakable items and sharp nooks and crannies. Feel free to donate here! But obviously not things like mattresses or underwear. Would I return? Definitely! read more

See all

DONT GO!! I wanted to love this store so much! From the racist employee filling me and my cousin around; with our mini bags as if we could even steal.. the Joke is we have more than enough money to buy anything! Got to the cash register and because i didn't see the tag that was concealed by the body of a dress form. Very clearly upset as if we intentionally tried to get over. I would have bought everything if her customer service wasn't so atrocious. I could see her gossiping right behind the register about us to her coworker. Horrible customer service; horrible shopping experience. If you want space to feel safe for black people don't hire people like her. read more

The most amazing place to browse and discover treasures! There are secrets around every corner. We found some perfect supplies for building our home tiki bar including a gorgeous slab for the bar and slightly used 4x4s. And bamboo!! read more

I would have loved this place wholesale. Except that I was given two very different prices on the same item. Was 10 bucks for each side of some dilapidated old shutters. Another guy sized me up when I went to pay and said they were thirty a side. So a forty dollar mark up. Even the uninvolved cashier was like ...eh?? They figured they could rip off a young woman shopping alone with arms laden with other purchases of the day. Hey, they were right--I didn't have the energy or the know-how to give them what-for, except to roll my eyes at 120dcB. Well, that's their business model and their business, I suppose. Take a man with you. When I go to get more I know will have to. Lol what year is it again? read more

All I can say is wow! If you like going to yard sales and/flea markets and finding treasures, this place is for you. If you like fixing things yourself, this place is for you They have everything and stuff you couldn't of imagine them having I have gotten everything from a Halloween costume to an overhead light fixture cover (mine broke they had a match!), to tools, pans, luggage, misc kitchen items. I could keep going. If you like picking or rummaging, block off a few hours and go nuts. That's what I typically do! Place is just shy of absolute perfection. I'd give it 6 stars but alas, yelp just won't allow me to :( CHECK IT OUT!! read more

I've been coming here since forever, I always loved this place. All of my experiences with the crew has been so good except just this one time. I've had a terrible encounter with this one person, I think I've overheard his name is Mark. I felt like I was ripped off when he gave me a higher price when somebody else gave me the actual price and wasn't really that approachable. I've never experienced that before ever here. Wow, never coming back. read more

I love Urban Ore! Sometimes I just go there for no reason if I don't have anything to do. There is always so much cool stuff to find. It's definitely inspired a few art projects over the years. I love that you can donate to this place too, I'be taken advantage of that a number of times. Doing everything we can to not send things to the landfill is so important. read more

Wow! Just wow. This place is packed with stuff and overflows into the outside lot. There are really interesting finds, unique architectural salvage pieces, household items, craft materials, countless building materials and everything else in between. It's an awesome hunting ground to look for doors, windows, sinks and tubs if you're doing a home renovation and don't mind using second hand stuff. I took a shower right away after I got home. It's to be expected after coming from a place like this. What I didn't expect were the high prices of items, especially furniture, since some were already beat up and in bad shape. I saw a lamp that I could've bought at Goodwill for $30 or less selling at Urban Ore for $125!!! It might be worth it to visit thrifty stores before coming here. But if it's a special piece you're looking for and can't live without, it might be worth to pay the price. Overall, it was a really interesting place to visit and I scored some stuff I can use to make hanging lights. If you're in the area, I recommend to stop by! read more

See all

Although I didn't find what I was looking for, I had the best time wandering the property. Lots of good finds if you're looking for something unusual. The pricing seems fair, but really, I needed to bring a sandwich and a drink and sit down halfway through so I could actually look at everything. Even if you don't need anything, it's a great way to spend a few hours. read more

I've been going to Urban Ore for the last 10 years and am now officially giving up on this place. It used to be a place to buy reasonably priced items and full of interesting recycled items. Not anymore. About 2/3 of the items should be thrown in a dumpster! I get that one man's garbage is another man's treasure, but, most of this stuff has no value, is broken beyond repair, etc. Their pricing on stuff is now almost full retail! There are many better places to buy used materials in the East Bay. read more

Quite possibly the greatest thrift store ever imagined. If you like going to garage sales, you will love this place. They have everything ranging from clawfoot bathtubs to old-fashioned toilets to doors to windows to clothes to records to electronics to tools to sporting goods. Prices are fairly reasonable and they have some parking. read more

See all

While you might need to take some time to find what you want because of their extensive inventory, the various departments are clearly labeled, and the rare finds make spending the time worth it. If you have a DIY project, definitely visit here, and keep going back, as more items keep coming in. I am about to go there now in the interest of finding some shelves and something creative to use as pots for a couple of plants. read more

Was able to explore all the sections of this massive warehouse and find a bunch of vintage wooden tennis rackets for only $2-3 a piece! read more

Urban Ore - Vintage tennis rackets and - Home & Garden Near Me - Berkeley, California

I've been a patron of Urban Ore for at least 30 years, from back when they were on 6th & Gilman. It used to be such a fun place to go. Now all the joy is gone. I can't think of a single time in the past decade that I've felt good after buying something there, sad to say. It's a salvage yard and you should be able to get stuff at a great price but it just doesn't happen anymore. Today the guy wanted me to pay $5 for an old handsaw with 4 of the 5 bolts connecting the handle to the saw missing (and thus hanging from the blade) and the blade fully, entirely rusted. I just wanted to try to use the handle for something (which I'm not even sure it will work for), but the guy argued that the blade teeth were still usable "if I cleaned it up". Ffs. I can buy a brand new handsaw at Home Depot for $9. I pulled this saw out of a bucket with 20 other crappy saws that have probably all been there for 3 years. I also wanted to buy a (dented) grab handle which he wanted $10 for. Again, I can get a brand new one at basically the same price. And return it if it doesn't fit what I need it for. I really believe in recycling/reusing and also want to support local businesses, but Urban Ore has turned into such a joyless experience, I rarely go anymore and every time I do, I just feel resentful. Editing to add: The black and white cat looks like it needs medical attention. Truly. Take the cat to the vet, there's no excuse for letting an animal suffer. read more

I bought a piece of furniture here. It was kind of overpriced for the condition it was in (dirty and some nails coming out of it), but fit what I needed. I called their in-house delivery service and they quoted $175 just to deliver it up one flight of stairs, which felt outrageous. So I hired movers to pick up, but Urban Ore took so long to locate and bring out the item out that I ended up having to pay an extra $75 to the movers for their time. And when I called the front desk to inquire about what the status was, the person who answered the phone was incredibly rude and started lecturing me about patience being a virtue. I will never shop at this garbage dump again read more

Done with this place. Obnoxious yard staff, who are either stuck to their phones, or overpricing things you want to buy, or bellowing at you for asking for 2 bucks off their overpriced junk. As one of their longest term customers, I recall when the old owner Dan was picking the hill at the Berkeley dump, and later when the 6th st. store opened, I was there alot. I have dropped thousands of $ at the Murray st location, too. Its hard to ignore how much prices have crept up over the years, but I kept going back. Once in a while there was still a deal to be had. Now, you can expect to pay 2/3 of new price on materials which are beat-up, cut or worn. There seems to be more and more mediocre stuff, and less and less of quality items. In the last few years the prices have gotten more out of control, and the yard staff, while always disinterested, has become obnoxious as well. Who wants to go in, all good intentioned and trying to support a business like this, and get yelled at? I think alot of people want to support the reuse business model, but here it's mostly clapped-out junk, top dollar and surliness. Plenty of other resale around- Habitat for Humanity has better stuff & great prices, they are down in Oakland, This & That Used Building Materials is in Richmond, and there are more. After all these years I am sorry to see Urban Ore go this way because of jackass employees and overpricing, but here it is. Keep yr junk. I will go elsewhere, for better deals and normal staff people. Sorry to have to throw down like this, but The truth had to be told. read more

Fabulous selection of house stuff, books, furnishings, antiques, random stuff begging to be made into art. Pricing is sometimes fair, sometimes a little high, but often a great bargain. There's one employee (tall dude who wears a black fedora, what is it with guys who wear fedoras?) who is kinda off, swearing at customers in front of kids and otherwise seeming unstable and a little scary. Minus one star for him. read more

This place has really gone downhill in the 10 years I've been going there occasionally. Everything is so overpriced. For instance, there are some antique light posts outdoors. I asked a year ago and they wanted $2500 each. They need a lot of repairs, to be totally restored. It seemed like way too much. A year later, they are still sitting there rusting (in worse condition than before). Almost nothing outdoors is even priced. You have to ask and then you get the sense they are making up the pricing as they go. Inside, the smell of mold is so bad, it feels unhealthy to be there. That's okay, not much point in going back. read more

I love recycling and re-using materials to contribute to the environment which is why I go to Urban Ore. I have been buying things there for almost 10 years. Over the last 2 years the prices of windows, doors and building materials has Sky-rocked. Also the people running that department are not very freely and cooperative. A day ago I went to buy a used window I needed for a small project I am working on, the home depot price for that very same window was $275, they quoted me at $270 for the window. When I showed them the online price they said, " You are saving on the delivery time, plus we are better than home depot. Besides you don't have to take it, we have plenty of customers" In a calm way I shared how disappointed and frustrated I felt. It is sad to see a great idea and business model is turning into an arrogant spot. To even think that most of their stuff they get for free from people who also want to recycle and reuse stuff. read more

I went on a Saturday afternoon and it was such a fun time. They had a large array of stuff. A lot of their furniture was in good condition and there were sometimes matching sets. If you're a person with adhd, living with autism, or have sensory issues surrounding noise: consider wearing headphones or loops! The music they were playing was really loud and chaotic. Also sometimes there were employees playing different music than the front so it all sounded like a loud muddled mess. I had a great experience! I only had some sensory issues :) read more

This place was recommended to me by a coworker and he said it "has a nice mixture of stuff." After being in quarantine for 15 months, seeing the sheer amount of "stuff" was extremely overwhelming!!! The grand scale of this neatly organized, thoughtfully categorized Elysian Fields, included a map of the terrain with an outdoor section with a lake made of porcelain toilets. I was not pre- pared! I was not prepared! I meandered, slowly wandering around that dusty and quite magical place. In awe of stuff I wanted, stuff I have no room for and stuff I couldn't pass up. Resisting urge to spend so much money and hours and hours hunting for hidden treasures. Hyperventilating and dizzy with housewares/home goods/accent pieces fatigue, I managed to tear myself from the talons of the Comic Book section and found refuge amongst the LPs. Over 3000 LPs organized by genre, I quickly located the Classical music section and managed to rifle through 500 or so and selected 3. I had to escape before true financial damage would begin. The only thing that spoiled my adventure was during the interaction with the guy ringing up my purchase. I was super excited to be at Urban Ore - it was all quite the rush - and I was eager to strike up a conversation. Nah. The guy was totally disengaged, not trying to be friendly and on the cusp of bad customer service. It was like he didn't care if I were there or not. After being cooped up for 15 months - that experience felt absolutely lonely. *shudder* I am looking forward to returning, with adequate planning, strategy and budget to not enable myself to hoard absolutely. read more

I so appreciate the way this place makes it easy to reuse and recycle. I've brought all sorts of stuff there - left over planks of hardwood and tiles from my remodel, mirrors, doorknobs, even old swim goggles. I love taking it somewhere where people can possibly put to good use, rather than add to the landfill. read more

It's just fun to browse! We are looking for architectural garden items. Can't wait to go back.

I've been meaning to drop by Urban Ore for a while. A thrift version of Home Depot (AND next to Berkeley Bowl, my favorite supermarket in the world - sorry, L'Epicerie de Paris) - what's not to love? As someone who's always looking for ways to repurpose used/vintage items (vintage suitcase? Cat bed! 80's solider trunk? Coffee table! 60's bar cart? ... 2019's bar cart? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯), I was really excited to drop by Urban Ore. My impression? I wish I had some carpentry skills, because Urban Ore kills it in that arena. There are sooo many pieces of vintage furniture just waiting to be refurbished. They have doors, mirrors, and even vintage hardware (that's a first for me) - I have no idea what you'd do with a random door unless you had some mad carpentry skills... but this is Berkeley, so I wouldn't be surprised. I certainly came across some furniture I would've loved to buy (vintage archival drawer? rusted locker? count me in!) but as a tiny-SF-apartment-dweller, I have no room. On the other hand, everything else isn't terribly interesting. I suppose the vintage typewriter for $45 was worth a look, but my apartment square footage wouldn't allow me to buy it. I was hoping to find something to use as a plant stand/cachepot, but nothing caught my eye. Thrift stores often vary in their definition of "vintage" and "junk" - unfortunately, Urban Ore seems to swing more to the "junk" side for me. I did appreciate the small homeware section (need some vintage jello molds?), and the books section, which is conveniently categorized by genre (many thrift stores don't do that). There's a large records section if you're into that too - and a large art section if you're looking for something to decorate a space (or to repurpose the frame, which is what I'd do if I had more wall space). I ultimately didn't buy anything, but I'll be back next time I'm looking to furnish a place. read more

See all

Big warehouse they have a little of everything. From clothing, housewares, furniture, sporting goods, building supplies. They even had screws, nuts, bolts and all the odds an ends you could be searching for. If you are looking for a door this is the place to go. Rows of different kinds of doors. Some very cool. Rows of bathtubs and toilets too!. Reasonable prices and almost all items were marked with a price, which is very helpful and a big time saver. I don't know if there is any room for haggling since I didn't pick up anything on this visit. I really wanted to get in here and check it out. It's a cool place glad I visited. read more

This place has mainly a bunch of junk and is NOT a nonprofit. It is a very much for profit union organization. The housewares department has things like jars instead of glasses. The furniture is outdated and poor quality. The garden department seldom has useable stuff. The tile area doesn't have enough of any one variety to complete even a small project. The clothing and hardware departments are overpriced. There is still a bunch of outdated media like CDs and DVDs. The place stinks and has filthy, unsanitary bathrooms. The employees are also very rude. read more

Four stars for what this place is. This is not Sanford and son's junkyard that's for sure. They have everything organized and you can go online to see the floor plan before you even get in to this large space. Reasonable prices.If you're really looking for something specific, come back every few weeks and maybe you'll find what you need. read more

Urban Ore - I know, I know... When pigs fly. - Home & Garden Near Me - Berkeley, California

There is really never anything I want to buy here. I have sold a few things to this recycle center. I didn't get much money for my stuff, but that was okay. I got things far enough out of the house that they could not find way back. I enjoy photography here. There is always some thing that captures my fancy and the possible subjects change every time I go read more

Urban Ore - Window women - Home & Garden Near Me - Berkeley, California