Community Forklift

Great idea, just not a great execution. I found the employees kinda rude and very unhelpful, maybe it was an off day for them. The prices are like they spin a wheel to get, I found them very arbitrary, some fantastic and some so outrageously high, will make you laugh. Found the door knob I needed on Ebay for a 10% of their very high prices.

I did receive a nice message from the owner promising to «look into» what happened.

Deep pockets?
No sense of the value of a dollar?
Then this is the place for you.
Never heard of this place before this mornings Washington Post.
Came in to help kill time before today’s game. It’s big and they have
a lot to go through,(thus the 3 stars) so set aside some time.
The prices are unrealistic.
Am in the parking lot right now. I was just reading other Unilocal reviews and had to add my own. I found a stove I was interested in, stopped a passing employee to ask about the price and was told
«All items are tagged with a price and all sales are final»
To which I replied «Drop it by five bucks so I fell like I’m getting a deal»
After a brief stare the person spun around and walked away.
Donated antiques you can’t haggle over?
Guess it’s time to go tailgating.

Large and awesome selection. Got an old door for $ 1. Some of the coolest stuff was pretty pricey though but that comes with antiques.

Agree with the others that this place was better before they started attempting to maximize profit. A lot of the prices are totally ridiculous – the last 4 – 5 times I’ve come here I’ve left empty handed and annoyed. I don’t get how this can possibly help them, since in many areas there are piles and piles of junk that looks like it’s barely been touched (totally covered in dust). Perhaps if they lowered their prices they could move merchandise faster.
Prefer to go to Habitat’s ReStore – now there’s some deals!

I can’t tell you how happy I was to find an architectural salvage place closer than Baltimore. And with prices, in my opinion, slightly better too! I wasn’t to off-​put with some of the things I was looking at, although there were certainly prices on others that were high. However, by the looks of the dates on the price tags, you could probably haggle a better deal because I’m sure the staff want to get rid of stuff as fast as they can.
I so much fun wandering around this past Saturday, and I came away not only with a couple of things I was actually looking for but also with some new project materials. Plus the fact that they gave me some of those materials for free! The staff were super friendly and courteous.
I have to say be prepared to be overwhelmed, but in a good way! I saw so many other things that inspired me to think about other projects. If only I had the storage space!
Places like Community Forklift will always get my support, because I feel very strongly about people needlessly throwing things out to collect in landfills. A place such as this provides such a needed outlet for unwanted items, scraps and materials to be given a new life.
The Forklife also hosts fun events and informative workshops. Tanglewood, the boutique next door, sells upcycled items from Forklift salvage. They had some really cute stuff in there.

If you’re looking for materials to restore or repair an old house, there’s nowhere better than Community Forklift. I have no idea where you could find more vintage radiators in one place, or where else you could buy a vintage glass doorknob that perfectly matches my 1925 bungalow.
It isn’t dirt cheap, but you can get a good value for your money, items are generally in pretty ok condition (and priced better if they aren’t), and given the nature of the business, the warehouse is AMAZINGLY well organized and navigable.
They generally have a great selection of appliances at very reasonable prices, which I wish I could take advantage of, but unfortunately they don’t test them beforehand (except to confirm that they turn on), and it is just too much risk and expense to hire someone to pick up and deliver a new (used) oven, only to find it doesn’t work and now I have to hire someone to take it back to return it. If I were stronger (and therefore able to move my own appliances) I’d be all over these appliances tho.
Pro tip: if you are going in the fall or winter, bring a warm coat. If you’re going in the summer, be prepared to sweat! This is an actual warehouse so it is pretty much the temperature of the outdoors, sometimes worse.

This place is awesome! I snagged a TV stand and coffee table for under $ 30 total. My only recommendation is to take zyrtec before going as it’s quite dusty in there.

2.5 stars
Whether you’re looking for a little junk in your trunk, vintage for your veranda, antiques for your area, or a clawfoot tub for your tootsies, this place has potential… for a price.
Maybe shows like American Pickers, Flea Market Flip or Antiques Roadshow are the reason you’ll be forking over a few Benjamins at this Forklift. But would Frank and Mike from American Pickers pay $ 16 for a Mrs. Butterworths maple syrup container in poor condition? Heck no.
Sure, there was some roadside signage proclaiming a 20-​something percent discount, but it still couldn’t justify some of the prices.
The atmosphere:
Imagine what would happen if Habitat for Humanity stores had a baby with a contractor’s dumpster, the dent and ding section from Home Depot, Adams Morgan’s Brass Knob, your Grandpappy’s attic, a hillbilly’s front yard and a neighborhood yard sale. It’s dusty, dark and dingy like a hardware store living on the island of Misfit Toys.
Cheers:
Places like this are great for the tactile inclined. I touch everything. There are plenty of doodads, trinkets and junk that begs to be handled. There’s a variety of stuff (I.e. appliances, wood, tiles, toilets, light fixtures, tubs, paint, tools, door knobs, tables, desks, art, dressers, neon signs)
Jeers:
The three D’s (Dusty, dark and dingy) usually mean that its a buyers market. I think that ship has sailed– at least for everything I put my hands on. Sure, there was a Herman Miller desk. Sure, I saw an Eames chair and some teak furniture that could possibly make Don Draper salivate. Pristine condition? No. Dents and dings? Yes. Needs refurbishing? Yes. Overpriced for all of the above. Yes.
Verdict: May be fun to play, think twice before you pay

Love this place!!! Got a lot of stuff for my house! Very unique pieces! Brought my dining room chairs from here and I get a lot of compliments on them!!!

Prices are quite high here if you’re looking to repurpose. Many things are close to retail for a new item… before you repurpose. They have a good selection, but you really have to search for decent deals. They are selling reclaimed windows (not refurbished just ratty old single pane windows) for ~$ 100/​each. Beat up vintage rakes and garden tools that are vintage but not antique go for almost twice the price of new ones at Lowe’s. I’m obviously in the wrong line of work.
I’m not sure what the proceeds go to, but I’m sure the people that own and run it are paid very well since they get everything they sell through donations. Second Chance in Baltimore is equally as high, and they get everything for free too.
If they truly cared about saving things from the landfill and raising money, they would price things lower for higher inventory turnover… they’d sell a lot more items for sure.
The bright side is the staff is pretty friendly.
Also, you need to visit the two small shops out front. They have reclaimed items that have been repurposed or refurbished. Charlie at Decorative DeZign Interiors makes amazing black walnut desks and tables and has a great selection of vintage and antique furniture at excellent prices.

This place IS as good as it gets. This is for those who have an idea, vision and can work on repairing classic antiques or want a new challenge or accent in their home. It’s very well organized even if you have to dig through some sections. The displays and amount of people coming in and out of the space is a lot, less than IKEA, but it can still be a bit overwhelming even in such a huge warehouse. It’s a bit tricky to find since it’s off the beaten path & train tracks, but there’s also a really good feel to the property. I can’t wait to come back for more!

I LOVE THIS PLACE!!! As a carpenter/​artist/​recycler this place is amazing! Honestly a few years ago, when they were little less organized, and maybe a little less popular, they were a little bit cheaper and you could get some amazing finds.
This place is still great, and is better organized. Which makes shopping easier, but they tend to ticket a little higher.
Yes, there might be a vintage laminate dinette set from the ‘50s in amazing condition for $ 300, but you can also get a used closet door for $ 3.
They run specials a lot. Do yourself a favor and try to avoid going on the weekends, it’s a mad house.

I used to go here all the time. I’m all about salvage renovation. As a matter of fact my husband and I were the featured article in the Washington Post a little over a year ago about our salvage renovation projects, and we’ve been invited and have participated in many sustainable home and garden shows.
Over the last year we have given so much credit to Community Forklift for their salvage/​green concept, but sadly we can’t do that anymore. This place used to be a diamond in the rough, but it has turned into an antique priced warehouse. Community Forklift receives donations for free from the community (because those who donate want to make sure their stuff stays out of landfills and they hope their things will find new happy homes with like minded people) unfortunately now Community Forklift sells every donation they receive at a competitive premium antique dealer price. For example a little over a year ago we built a garden retreat out of old wavy glass windows which cost us an average of $ 20 -$ 25 each… todays price at Community Forklift (one year later) and those same windows are priced at $ 108. each, YES, I said ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHT DOLLARS each. And in my opinion no used heavily worn door that is made of just wood should cost a whopping $ 500.00, even if it is barn door size and especially because the door was donated to them.
I’m fair minded, so I spoke with one of their managers and apparently there are people in NYC willing to pay these prices, so thats why they do it. Community Forklift now sells items on ebay and etsy for a huge profit, remember they don’t buy these item, all the items are donated in hope they find new happy homes with salvage minded people… Community Forklift somewhere over the last year has lost their way and is no longer the salvage renovation /​green store (unless you’re talking green as in Benjamin’s) they once were. Unfortunately Community Forklift is now an «antique» or «vintage dealer» where you can find very few deals. Im so saddened by their change of heart.
Bottom Line:
Donated items resold at high Antique prices, and NOT at the thrift store prices that they once were known for…

Cool place to get odds and ends for your DIY Pinterest projects! Some of the stuff is super cheap. But some stuff is overpriced. Overall though you can get some great deals and finds. A little dusty and rustic — so bring some hand sanitizer if you don’t like rummaging.

They have a lot of good old stuff – though also a lot of junk. It’s the kind of place you have to go frequently if you’re looking for a specific thing.
Unfortunately the prices on a lot are just too high. They get everything donated – including from us! – and yet still they seem overpriced. I think it should be more of a community turnover bin, but instead it seems like they’re just price gauging DC folks.
On top of all that the staff is often rude or at the least can’t be bothered.

This place is great.
A DIYers dream!
If you are looking for antiques or vintage furniture that is ready to go and be displayed in your home immediately, then this place might not be for you.
If you like vintage furniture and other unique home items that might need a little (or a lot) of TLC, then this place is totes the place to go.
Even if you don’t buy anything, this place has the most diverse collection of old American stuff outside of the Smithsonian. It’s fun to just go and look and imagine the stories behind all the stuff.
The only negative thing I have to say is that their pricing can be all over the place. I’d be curious to know where they come up with their prices from.
A positive is that its all for great causes, they keep perfectly good stuff out of landfills, and some community assistance programs.

The selection of household items is very impressive. However, I feel $ 825 for pink toilet, sink, and tub is ridiculously overpriced. I know, the Mad Men trend is hot now, but my mom was told that if she wanted to sell her 60s era home she’d have to update her main bathroom. Goodbye pink. Hello white!
I know, I know. They are an incredibly green business, which I applaud. They save the landfills from overflowing. That’s a good thing. I often donate items I don’t need through
. It’s just that many of the items that have been removed from homes being revamped or demolished were not carefully removed, like the corner cabinet I looked at. It had gashes in the side and exposed nails still intact. Plus, everything is dirty; no curb appeal. Renovators could probably find items here to restore historic homes.
That have rows of dishwasher and ovens; many priced only slightly lower than some independent stores I have been to. And there are antiques — priced like you’d find at an antique store. They had the exact same framed print on the wall that I bought at a yard sale. Their price: $ 28. My price: $ 3. And my frame is nicer. Isn’t the point to move the stuff out?
The one thing I would buy here is the builder surplus items. I saw some sweet slabs of marble for $ 75 each. Those had ‘Sold’ signs stuck to them.
Community Forklift does wonderful things such as fixing up homes for the elderly or disadvantaged. It’s nice that they are here, and I applaud their efforts to make our world a better place.

Wow! What an amazing place! I feel so inspired after perusing the current stock. This was our first visit and after reading the Unilocal reviews, we weren’t disappointed. For a Pinterest addict like myself, it’s a treasure trove of craft and DIY projects just waiting to be found.
A couple tips: Bring gloves in the winter and bundle up. It’s COLD in there! If you have little ones, skip the stroller and either wear your baby or utilize one of the shopping carts. It is definitely not a place you want your children to explore.
Happy treasure hunting!

Honestly, I don’t know how to rate this place. It’s a warehouse full of organized junk, and I mean that in the nicest possible way because what’s junk to one man is treasure to another. So you might want to think of this as a treasure trove! They have all sorts of unique things for an eclectic home remodel or refit and it is very well organized. On the down side, it’s really dusty and yucky, and some of the things seem a bit picked over. But I’m rating it as a 5-​star because I don’t know where else you could find such an array of parts for a house. It’s pretty impressive!
The warehouse is located on the edge of town. There is ample parking. It’s sort of set back across some train tracks in an industrial area. The other patrons are pretty cool and when I was there they consisted of hipsters trying to find a good deal, yuppies trying to do a cool home remodel, and us (I was looking for parts for a desk). The people working there are, I think, volunteers, and they must works their butts off. They are super cool and fun to talk to, if you can get one of them (there aren’t a ton). This is truly a labor of love for them.
This place has just about everything: from small screws to bathtubs, to random assortments of boards, to chemistry glassware, to furniture. It’s a wealth of home building materials. Sure, you have to get a bit lucky or spend a lot of time monitoring their social media posts. But if you are playing the remodel game or just want to get some interesting pieces you can refinish, unique parts that they just don’t make anymore, or maybe find a great deal on a clawfoot bathtub, this is your place!