Habitat for Humanity ReStore

I waivered between 1 and 2 stars but I just don’t have the heart to give such a good nonprofit just 1 star.
This place is WAY overpriced — I felt like a good amount of the stuff here would be available in the free section of craigslist. Personally, I’ve had much better luck at the Santa Rosa Restore. I won’t be wasting my time here again.

I worked here as a volunteer to complete an class assignment.
This place is basically like a mini home depot + used furniture store.
As a volunteer, I helped unload tons of items off trucks and vans from businesses and non-​business people.
As I sell furniture on a part time basis and do a lot of work around furniture, I can tell you that A LOT of things in here are over priced. But some things are a steal!
I also had to throw a whole shelf of things away because they weren’t moving and the guy who supervised me didn’t seem to care about recycling.

I love this place, both as a customer and as a volunteer. The people are incredibly nice, and the deals just can’t be beat!
I’ve picked up top quality designer flooring and tile for less than it would cost to buy the regular stuff at Home Depot… but if you want it, get it, because it will be gone by the time you decide to come back. And don’t expect to haggle. Prices come down after 2 weeks, but other wise it is what it is and you are getting a great deal anyway.
Best of both worlds… become a volunteer and get the volunteer discount.

Elizabeth & Eldridge were so helpful yesterday. Love this place– they always have hidden gems– you just needs to search around. Found 200 sq ft of ceramic titles for our new house and a cool light fixture. Decent pricing if you know just a little about construction and remodeling.

Amazing finds! Friendly and helpful staff. I find treasures here every time. Things are priced very reasonably. Large amount of building materials, and home improvement gear. Skip Home Depot! Go here first!!!

Habitat for Humanity Restore looks like a mini home depot with many items an home in need of repair would need: window panes, paints, cabinets, stoves, refrigerators, light switches, etc.
came out of curiosity. not sure about the pricing. everything looked randomly placed, not all items are priced. some items once bought cannot be returned. with this in mind, i would shop carefully before buying anything.
at least at the other place, you can return itmes if you made a mistake in buying, not here.
parking isn’t that great here at times.

Disorganized. No-​one around to help you or answer questions. I did manage to catch some guy walking by who worked there but he was hurried and only pointed me in the right direction. So if you aren’t a handyman or contractor, no one will help you here. Also I was surprised at the prices as they were NOT 50 – 75 percent less. I was looking for a bathroom toilet and they were maybe 10 dollars cheaper than Lowes and Home Depot. Costco beat them out in price and quality. I’ve just learne dthere’s another re-​use store of some kind right next door so I’ll be going to check that out. Hope it’s better!

I bought a solid brand new hardwood exterior door here for $ 65 (would have cost hundreds elsewhere) — it’s either walnut or maple — never mind that it turned out to be the wrong size and I have not used it but whatever — maybe they will let me trade it in for the right size??! Also bought a solid beautiful mahogany door (they had 3) for $ 135, mirrored, which I made into a slider for a bathroom update — my original door opened into the small bathroom, taking up space, so now the room seems larger! I got the slider hardware directly from China for way less than a high end place in Berkeley wanted to charge me. Planning to go back to look at this place or one of the others in the same parking lot for a mantle/​fireplace surround — there were nice ones but they must have come from mansions because they were HUGE.

I have purchased Walnut flooring, vinyl flooring, vinyl windows (priced very low). a couple of great Craftsman light fixtures. This place has a lot of really good deals if you can fit them to your project. I’ve seen Sub Zero freezers, Wolf ranges and a ton of kitchen cabinets that you could tell were very high end. They have boxes full of Simpson Strong tie products. Doors of all kinds new and used. I’ve seen hot tubs (used) for a steal, but you need some one with experience to install them. I’m a retired contractor so I guess I’m kind of biased. I like the staff they are pretty friendly.

They will take FULL cans of paint donations. (I have yet to find a place to donate half used gallons of paint …)
Compared to the Reuse Store next door — this place is totally chaotic and a mess. Lots of things aren’t priced or labeled … but despite a dreary rainy day, I saw a lot of people rummaging around for deals.
Probably not going to be a destination store for me when I have stuff to buy for the house … but I love the mission and more crafty DIY types may find some great treasures here.

Habitat for INhumanity!
BEWARE! You can easily be disappointed here.
I read another Unilocal review about «Mantan Moreland» (1940’s Charlie Chan Driver/​Chaufer?) The guy who works here simply MUST be related. lol
My stories:
So, I grabbed a porcelain sink from the shelf (no price attached) and
schlepped it up to the front counter to query the infamous Mr. Moreland
in a navy baseball cap.
Me: how much for this sink?
Mantan: Err sorry that one is not for sale
Me: What? Why is it on the «for sale» shelf?
Mantan: it needs a pedestal before we can sell it, should be
here in a couple days.
Me: but, WHY is it on the «for sale» shelf?
Mantan: shrugs
Me: Well I can see this place really does live down to its bad Unilocal reviews…
Mantan: …Blank stare.
Go anywhere but here, what joke!
I had another experience last year with a different H4H schmo– 30yrs old
by the initials of «MK» (this is what he put on my receipt)
Yet another smug, careless character– also usually wears a navy baseball cap.
I went up to the desk and asked: «How much for the vinyl clad wooden windows»?
(after further detailed dialogue, I was given a price of $ 7 per square foot of glass)
So I went hunting for a window which I found; a great Andersen Casement
window 2X3 (6 sq ft) exactly as described and discussed 20 mins ago with «MK».
Me: How much for this window? (my hy-​skool math said: 6X7=$ 42.00 ;)
MK: Oh, wow (!) that’s a really nice window!
Me: I thought so… that’s why I chose it… How much?
MK: How about $ 80 dollars?
Me: WTF?! You just told me a few minutes ago it was $ 7 per sq ft???
MK: Yeah but, THAT’S a NICE window!
Yes, there was some dialogue but, it went nowhere so, I paid the $ 80 bucks
it was a good deal! BUT! These guys don’t care about their own written, verbal and POSTED policies. These policies depend on the whim of the person at the desk, whatever they say goes…
Jimmy Carter should take both of these fellows over his knee for some
good old fashioned, southern style, policy/​attitude adjustment! lol

It’s a good resource and store to have around and the quality of the items you can find here, if you will have a us for them is good. I’m a contractor and frequent the store here often to stock up on items that I know I’ll be needing and using in my business. I like supporting them, they’re a non-​profit, the staff is nice and the value is good. After visiting here, my visits to Urban Ore in berkeley are much less.
You can expect to typically pay 40%-70% or retail here depending on the items. Some items are better deals than others, but it’s always fair so I don’t bother them with haggling or offers, it’s already a fair deal, if you know what you’re looking for and what things normally cost. That burden is on you. They recently had a big stainless hood, which was way overpriced, a new nicer one could be had at retail for the same or less. So do your homework folks, bring your iphone and look things up there if you have any doubts about what you’re looking at and pricing.

Awesome! Bathroom! Tiles!

Oakland/​Restore Sucks! (…in the parlance of our time ;)
I have been in/​out of this facility too many times over the past several months due to its close proximity of two rehab projects in my charge.
Were I not in possession of a sizable «store credit», I would have long since been done with these balmy bounders. lol
From what I can see, much of this stuff is junk with a few real jewels sprinkled here and there.
Too many 8ft doors, odd shaped windows/​shutters and funky odd cabinets imo.
I suspect the really good stuff is sold before the truck unloads, if you know what I mean. Perhaps if you can get in good with management you’ll get on the «first call» list. It’s not what you know, it’s who you know?
Their posted policies are very loosely honored; left to the whim of the hapless individual ReStore-​Staff member.
Should one hazard a request for clarification, engage in constructive dialogue or take issue with one of these «moving target» policies, the staff becomes demonstrably surly and combative.
Prices here are all-​over-​the-​map. Some stuff is marked very low, some reasonably priced and others marked ridiculously overpriced i.e. at or above retail/​new prices for well used, demo-​damaged stuff?!
Sadly, much of the stuff on display is unmarked and begs inquiry.
The machinations of ReStore-​Staff laboring in tortured logic to justify «ridiculously overpriced» items is truly a sight to behold.
Here’s a laugh … the most obnoxious character rousing moral indignation daily at ReStore is a dead ringer for Mantan Moreland (1902 – 1973). …Sigh, If only he were as witty, funny or charming. :(
You can do better Oakland/​ReStore, I know you can but somehow I doubt you will…
My advice: Go next door to ReUse/​St. Vincent DePaul.
Better stuff, prices & very friendly staff.
UPDATE: Aug 4^th 2010 = GOD HELP ME!
I often stroll through this place hoping to chip away
at a store credit which has become the bane of my
existence; today I found a $ 45.00 commode.
On the lid was an net-​copy-​print from the kohler
website showing he retail price of $ 700 bucks!
Finally a good deal in this joint I exclaimed!
So, I placed said commode on a dolly, rolled it
to the front desk and said, I want this kohler
and I’m gonna look around ok? No problem.
The next thing I know, Mantan Moreland
(In a blue baseball cap) appears before me
with the the bad news…
Mantan: «er, um, that’s the wrong price»
Me: «the sticker says $ 45 dollars»?
Mantan: Yeah but, someone put a sticker over the top
of the original sticker which shows $ 335 dollars.“
Me: I point to the rack of commodes-«every commode
in this store has a sticker on top of another sticker»
Mantan: Yeah but, this one is wrong“
Me: How do you think that happened”?
Mantan: Probably someone stuck it on there so they
could buy it at that lower price”?
Me: agitated– «That would have to be one very
dumb-​ass-​thief don’t you think»?
Mantan: «huh»?
Me: «Well, If I were a thief, I would remove the $ 335
sticker AND the 8.5X11-net-copy-kohler-print from
the lid then affix only one $ 45 dollar sticker to make
it appear like every other commode in the joint»!!
Mantan: «Yeah well, the price is $ 335, Sorry»
It is futile to reason or further engage at this point,
It gets very ugly, very fast, especially with this character.
It is just a damn shame, that’s all!
Note: There were at least 20 commodes here
ranging in price from $ 25-​$ 55 in various states
of disrepair all requiring a rebuild kit @ $ 30.
and ½ hour to install…
Home Depot sells a lovely new ADA Glacier Bay
commode for $ 98 retail. WTF!!!
I have personally witnessed this sad scenario
play out again and again with me and other
unsuspecting deal-​seekers in this dark comedy
known as Oakland/​Restore.
Do yourself a favor & AVOID like the plague!!!

While looking for a place needing volunteers to help build houses, I came across Habitat for Humanity ReStore in Oakland. Their non-​profit actually needed extra bodies at the store so I decided to give it a shot.
Frank runs the operations with his two compadres. Ty was the AmeriCorp rep at this particular ReStore. They were all awesome to work with. It was interesting to work with them and other volunteers, who have such different stories and backgrounds to share.
Most of the work I did was helping the fellas sort through donations, do some heavy lifting, and respond to customer needs. They’re so undermanned they needed help everywhere. The rest of the volunteers and I also sorted through huge inventories of paint and incoming supplies.
Final Call:
*If this is your sort of thing, you should totally call up Frank or go through the website to sign up as a volunteer. Much of the work is laborious and repetitive; you’re surely to get dirty but you know what? You’re working with good people, will get to share funny stories, and be enlightened afterward.

yeah i went back the other day and found a cool REAL wood table for my workroom for $ 20. yep, $ 20. It has a few scars and scratches er excuse me gouges but hey for $ 20 and for what I need it for that was a steal. You gotta go back weekly or every two weeks… never know what you might find hella cheap! thats it and thats all. Im a BIIIIGGGG FAN!!!

This is always the first place I go when I’m doing a home improvement project. Then I go to the Reuse People next door. Between the two of them I’m usually covered for windows or doors or some other thing I didn’t even realize I needed.
Added note: I recently wanted to buy some window panes for a photo shoot and I found one here for $ 10; a very similar one at Urban Ore was $ 49. Plus, at HfH store, everyone is friendly, professional and helpful. AND almost all of the stuff is stored inside so it doesn’t seem like you’re sorting through someone else’s garbage and then paying too much for it.

Stuff here is really expensive compared to what you’d pay new. We also found it totally annoying that the windows for example don’t have prices. The selection was very limited as well — they had lots of a very small number of things. For instance, I was looking for a heater grate and they didn’t have anything remotely even in the same family.
Go next door to the re-​use people! The prices are much better, the stuff is way more fun, and the selection is awesome in comparison.

Just so you know from the beginning, my husband works here ;) as well as a friend of ours. (I’m really happy he does, because when something nice we need for our apartment comes in, he lets me know right away so we can snap it up!) So here’s a little sorta inside scoop:
The ReStore gets great stuff and you know your money is going to an awesome cause. My hubby tells me how great it feels attending the opening of a new housing project that the ReStore raised the money for. Of course, it’s hit or miss that you’ll find what you need the first time around, since it’s all random donations, but if you keep looking you’ll find some treasures for sure.
Sometimes it can seem expensive, but it’s not for what you get: if a faucet is marked $ 200, it’s because it usually costs $ 1500 (or something like that). So if you see something that’s priced like that, know that you’re getting something über-​fancy. They get the cheap Lowe’s and Home Depot stuff too, which they accordingly sell for very little.
I also happen to know that they’re working out a system to keep it more organized (which is extremely difficult to do for a salvage store that gets random donations all the time. I know, I used to work at Urban Ore).
Keep up the good work, guys!

I go here, and the St. Vincent de Paul behind it and the Reuse People store next door fairly often — three bargain hunting places for the price of driving to one! All three have the potential to give you a good bargain, to keep things out of the landfill, and donate to charity all at once.
This place has lots of used doors, windows, cabinets, paint and various odds and ends for building/​flooring/​plumbing types of projects. Some things they get are new, too.