Out of the Closet Thrift Store
Category: Used, Vintage & Consignment [Edit]
Neighborhood: Nob Hill1498 Polk Street
(between California St & Pine St)
San Francisco, CA 94109 (415) 771-1503
- Price Range: $
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Street
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
21 reviews
Neighborhood: SOMA
"Jewelry is the hardest thing to buy for a woman. Every woman is picky no matter what she might say about herself. Therefore, it's no…" read more »
34 Reviews for Out of the Closet Thrift Store
I've never purchased anything here; however, I have donated a lot of old clothes and household goods. Very convenient as it's in my neighborhood, and I can just walk over when I have a bag of stuff to get rid of. It always smells "funny" in there, and I get a bit of a "yicky" feel. I know they sell "old" stuff, but why does it have to smell? Can't they wash the clothes, spray the old stuff w/ febreze and/or burn a scented candle? Or, is this supposedly the charm you experience when shopping vintage? I always go in there to find some unique gem, but I just get sorta skeeved out. So, I just go to donate and leave... I guess I'm missing something?
Looking for some Tod's shoes, cashmere sweater, North Face items, a new suit? Check it out. Why spend $200-$300 when you can get it for $10-$25.
OK - here's why I love this place. It's two-tiered....
Tier 1: It's actually really well organized and it seems like they kind of care about the stuff they put in the store. Their clothes are better than most thrift stores, but they aren't trying to be all "consignment" or whatever (translation - it's still used, but we're going to act like it's fashion and charge you like crazy). And don't even get me started on how I loves me some brick-a-brack - I don't ever buy any though because I don't want my apartment to look like some crazy old woman/gay. But I enjoy my voyages through the brick-a-brack section....it's kinda like being at a museum.
Tier 2: How much do we love how all the Polk Street Gay methheads shop here. Every time I go there there is some sketchy bitch talking about something that can only be considered relevant to a crackhead. I'm not judging - I just think it's fun.
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This is by far my favorite place to go in the entire city.
Since age 14, I've been in love with Thrift shops. When I go to a new city, the first place I look for is the local thrift shop.
"Out of the Closet" is by far the best thrift shop I've ever been to.
It's not huge but it *does* a great selection of good clothes.A surprising amount of Gap, Abercrombie & fitch, Old Navy, NY & Co, Calvin Klein..etc .Along with some great vintage finds. there are books, houseware, bags, cups, plates..
There are different colored tags with different prices. 30% off, 50% off and $1.00.
You're not just going to walk inside, find something great in one minute and stroll out. You have to LOOK for the deals. It takes time, but that's the fun part for me. Music is playing, the staff is always really friendly, cool and helpful. I like shifting through the shirts, jeans, books and finding good deals.
Example from the last time I dropped in...
1 new paperback novel - 50 cents
Long sleeved black shirt - on sale 1.00
Pair of CK faded jeans - on sale 50% - 3.50
Total $5.00
I'd rather spend the afternoon with some friends shopping in "Out of the Closet" than any retail store on Union Street. It's right around the corner from my apartment so I drop by at least twice a week to see what's new or just to pick up a paperback novel to read.
And the best part is: the proceeds from your purchases goes towards helping in the fight against HIV and AIDS. So whatever I spend there, I always feel good about it afterwards.
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I really used to like coming here. But they seem to change management so much and with that comes new policy. There is a guy there who is just rude, RUde, RUDE. It seems like someone went up his crawl space and died.
He's been there for a while now. The first time I had an "experience" with him, he was rude. We parked in their parking lot and were walking up the hill to get to their store. The first thing out of his mouth was are you going to "out of the closet?" because if you're not, you can't park there. Bitch, I've been coming here longer then you've been managing here. Then on another day, we are getting ready to pay and he has to go do something else. Totally ok, we'll wait. But he is like totally mean to this little filipina girlie that has been there longer than him. He tells her to watch the register but not to touch ANYTHING else. Like she's gonna steal something. So we wait til he comes back to ring us up. That's all fine and good, but then he tells her, go watch the floor and look out for shoplifters.
You run a thrift store whose proceeds go to a very charitable cause. Lighten up a little.
On the informative side. They have different colored tags. Every week three colors are on sale. One will be 25% off, one is 50% off and the other tag will be one dollar. So, if you have the time and the patience, you can find something groovy here. But the flip side is , some of their things are really overpriced. They price according to brand name designer. So in other words, an Armani cotton shirt will go for higher than say a GAP cotton shirt.
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I had a few things to do in the greater downtown area today, which I knew would keep me out from around 3 to around 10. It was warm and sunny at 3, but I knew that it would chilly down at around 6:30, so I encountered a minor coat dilemma. Would I prefer three-and-a-half hours of too warm, or three-and-a-half hours of too cold?
Luckily, my schedule permitted me to hit the corner of Polk and California just after six. So I dressed myself up in an outfit that I did not have a good coat for, and made plans to hit Out of the Closet mid-day. I'd had similar success last winter when I found myself needing a coat I could fit under another coat, knowing it would get real cold by the time I got out of my evening show at the Lumiere.
I got to try on a few things. As others have reported, the selection is not great, so I don't know that I could go here hoping to find more than one or two articles of clothing. But today I was able to walk out of there with a black leather jacket (well, leatheresque jacket) that fit perfectly. It was made for women, just like me.
So not only was I able to solve today's coat dilemma, but I've also added the leather-and-corduroy look to my repertoire. That strikes me as fifteen bucks well spent.
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This out of the closet has some decent name brand kind of stuff sometimes, but it seems to be priced a bit higher than some of the other ones in the chain and I'd advise looking at what you're buying very carefully before putting your cash down.
Example, there was a nice London Fog jacket for cheap but a little off white. I figured I could launder it with some laundering tricks and get the off-white back to real white but then noticed it also had black splotches on the shoulders that looked like ink or shoe polish or something that would be pretty hard-to-impossible to get fully out.
Example 2, a blue shirt I bought smells nasty musty (I think I can get the smell out, but I've had better luck with other thrift stores and less musty smells).
Example 3, a tie I bought had a "run" in it and another seems to be permanently wrinkled around the knot area as if someone was strangled with it. Seriously, I've been tying ties a long time and even pulling them tight and I've never seen a perma-wrinkle like this one.
Add more bad juju to that: it was like $10 for 3 ties while some of the other Out of the Closets are selling them for $2 with items that weren't so funky and slightly off.
Even more extreme bad juju: the guy who works there who is a maybe a manager or something is a Queen Bitch. I waited in line like everyone else and he was taking a while ringing the person in front of me up. I was waiting patiently like everyone else. The other woman worker there told me to come to her register and the Q.B. guy says to her "why are you ringing him up, he wasn't first in line" or something even though I WAS and waited my turn like everyone else (for a long time). She insisted I WAS the next customer and he said some shit about kicking customers to the curb if they try to butt in or something. All of this was with me present and he was talking about me like I wasn't there. Then it turned out she was just folding my clothes and de-hangering them to help out so he could ring people up faster since her register wasn't open anymore. She was prepping me to get rung up by him and he jumped on her for not making it ultra clear that was what she was doing and hassled her about it.
Anyway, this store just feels slightly off to me, sorta like sour milk. I've never gotten so many weird (though minor) problems at other thrift stores in one visit, plus with the cherry on top of Q.B.'s attitude.
I'm not rushing to go back and experience this kind of fun again, though they sometimes do have things that are theoretically ok. Just inspect every square milimeter of your purchases very carefully.
like every thrift store out of the closet is hit and miss. i guess i've been lucky cause i've gotten a few really cool things there that seem to make up for the times when i wasnt able to find anything that i liked. personally i think it has alot to do with my frame of mind at the time when i go there, as to whether or not its a good OotC day or not. my first visit there i found a pair of doc martin 10" boots in my size for $6, those boots have served me well over the years and i just recently replaced them with a brand new pair which cost somewhere around $150. Other treasures have been the betsy johnson leopard print wiggle dress that fits like a glove for $20 and then several visits later the floor length black suede coat, split up the back with leopard lining for $20. I've always been happy with the service of the staff except for the time when my bf asked about something that was displayed in the window. his question was met with a look of disgust and a snarl and closely followed by " oh nooooo, we dont sell items from the displays, those are the personal property of the owner" WTF? oh and they have ALOT of shoes scattered about the store too!
This is my retail therapy provider. Oh no I have a cavity and need a filling-- comfort self with a fuzzy sweater. Oh yay I got a job- reward self with a cute jacket. I LOVE this place, a bit cheaper than goodwill plus 30%,50%, and $1 tags all the time- if you bring your thrift store mentality (willingness to dig, be open to possibilities, optimism) you should be able to put together an outfit for under $15. I get a lot of work clothes here- nicer department store brands slacks and tops/sweaters (plus seven jeans for $7). The unique or high end stuff is somewhat limited and more hit-or-miss.
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I have fallen in and out of love with this place, but hey...like any 'thrift store,' it is hit or miss. You have to go in a lot to find that one gem. The prices are great. I have had better luck with vases and kitchenware than clothing, but I keep going back just to check.
Tip: Free condoms and HIV testing info at the counter.
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Not my favorite thrift shop... I don't often find stuff I like here, and I hate their fitting room (a small section in the middle of the store that is just a curtain). The prices are cheap, which is good, but I'm much more likely to find clothes I like at Buffalo Exchange.
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Artists' abandoned projects, diversly selected winter wear, rarely worn work wear, and the happiest guy in retail make up this thrift store. It's a different experience every time - the way a thrift store should be.
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Such variety! Used clothes cheap. Books. Knick knacks galore.
Great place for finding a halloween costume. Proceeds go to a good cause.
And, it's not often you can pick up a vintage Wizard of Oz lunchbox with only one dent for $2. My lunch tastes so much better now that I carry it to work in style!
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I found a great cardigan once.
That's it. No random ashtray. No unfortunate framed pictures. Just one lousy cardigan.
I've rummaged here almost 20 times because it is one block away from my apartment, and I've only found one sweater. Obviously not my favorite thrift store.
3 stars for the other shoppers - talk about great people-watching!
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Aside from waving Hello to the 8am boozers at Kimo's on my walk to work, passing the windows of Out of the Closet is the highlight of my average day. Whether their mannequins are dressed in drag---a somewhat difficult concept to depict using only the plastic likeness of a genderless human form---or as gay couples headed to the altar, Out of the Closet's playful displays give that morning kick in the pants I need to start my day.
Moreover, the mannequins inside are a playful bunch themselves: those working at the store seem gleeful and jolly, and the shoppers are just plain crazy.
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I haven't had much luck with clothes here, but you can find some pretty good books for cheap here. I have come here several times and bought them by the arms full to send to soldiers serving in Iraq.
I'm not much of a shopper, but I had a new appreciation for it today.
This week I've had a really hard time making big decisions so today I decided to make small ones.
Get out. Walk to the bay. Choose the perfect Odwalla for a nice day. Buy a pair of jeans.
After a couple of unsuccessful stops I end up at Out of the Closet. The collection isn't the greatest in the world, but it's decent. And the guy who runs the store is delightful. And the $ goes to HIV/AIDS. Definitely worth a stop.
With new jeans in hand, I walk home and feel good about small moments of decisiveness and random acts of shopping.
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this one is pretty hit and miss. it's near my house so i tend to wander in on wondering weekends. Sometimes they have nothing, one time I went in and they had a bunch of last season's anthropologie girls stuff and the next time they had a million of last season's thomas pink's shirts. so it's really hit or miss, but i like it cuz i hit it there sometimes.
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This place is gross. We went into it the other weekend and it looks worse than your usual salvation army. It's like a yard sale that's been picked over ten times.
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I live very close here so I frequently peek inside to see what's new. I personally don't like buying used clothes so I go for the furniture and the small things for my house.
One time, not knowing it was donation only, I went inside with a garbage bag full of unwanted clothes, thinking I could make some money. When I handed the garbage over to the store clerk, he just said "Thank you" and put the garbage bag aside. I went back inside, told him I'm going to go next door to see if I can sell any of it and whatever I can't sell I'll come back to donate. oops!! Remember, it's DONATION ONLY. They don't give you money for your stuff.
Today, I went inside looking for a tray that I could use in my bathroom. I found a silver tray for $4.99, but when I went to the register I saw mirrored one for $7.99. Exactly what I was looking for, very decorative and Rococo. And for such a GOOD CAUSE. I feel better about myself after shopping here.
I got my rollerskates here for $10!!!
I have never left this place without buying something. The people working there are friendly. Some very interesting characters go in and out and shop around but overall they get some pretty good thrift and their prices are still really reasonable for what you buy.
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I have never actually shopped here, but I love that there is a place only two blocks from my home where I can donate almost anything and the proceeds go to a worthy cause (HIV/AIDS relief) AND I can write it off.
Because I donate my own clothing and household goods, I KNOW there is quality stuff to be found and purchased.
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I used to live in the neighborhood so I'd zip in every night on my way home from work... I just couldn't resist. I can't tell you how many amazing finds I've acquired at this store. Those who say this store sucks are either unlucky or just lack the patience and digging skills required when seeking thrift store treasures.
These are just some of the things I found:
- Miss Sixty jeans
- Diesel pants (but someone grabbed them before I got a chance to)
- Banana Republic slacks for work
- The *perfect black, worn-out leather belt*
- A complete black, Japanese, porcelain tea service
- Joseph LaRose shoes!!! http://cherryboutique....
- The perfect pair of brown ankle boots
I'd say the best find were the Joseph LaRose shoes. They are probably worth $300 but are so beautiful and comfortable I won't ever give them up. They are navy blue T-straps with a pointy 3 inch heel. Gorgeous!
I love you Out of the Closet. Even if you are hated by weirdo, gay-bashing, homophobic morons. I have to tell this story because it is so hard to believe. I was in there one day in the dressing room, and because I couldn't see what was going on, I could hear someone come in to the store and ask the person behind the counter about dropping off a donation. As the clerk explained that drop-offs were located behind the store, the guy went on to ask about tax-deductible receipts and such. As soon as the guy left, the clerk noticed that someone had tracked dog shit into the store. It was all over the entrance and everywhere in the store; in coat pockets and smeared on the counters, and all the way to the back of the store.
What happened was, the guy who was asking all the questions was distracting the clerk so that whoever was with him could do what he felt he needed to do to spread his message of hate. Who would do something like this? I heard the clerk mention that things like that happened all the time at that store. That is just too sad. I hope they catch those haters and lock them up.
All in all, it is a great store and you are bound to find a treasure there if you have the patience and determination. It helps if you walk by the store and pay attention to your instincts.... sometimes you'll just get that "feeling" and that's when you know there is a treasure waiting inside for you.
Update: 10/04/07
I just found two new pairs of shoes. One black, brand new pair of Fornarina pumps for $7 (starting at $120 new) and a cute pair of red patent leather, open toe flats for the same. I also found some cool pants, gold plated necklaces with funky pendants ("Let us Pray" with hands clasped in prayer), and a new cute black, cotton shirt dress, $8. Not to mention the coolest, 80s teal, angora cardigan, $5.
You can buy 4 or 5 decent (not great, not incredibly cute, but decent) shirts for under $20. I don't even try things on, I just go in and grab things. If they don't fit, I've donated $3 to charity.
This is what thrift store shopping should be.
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I hate this store...it has old 70's clothes and doesn't have anything cute at all! Salvation Army is way better!
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I never find anything worth buying here, it's always a waste of time whenever I peek inside hoping to actually find anything that suits me.
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I have found everything from a great poker table to a new outfit for work at this store. It is a great alternative to the Salvation Army. I always go the first Saturday of every month here because they have a parking lot sale where everything in the parking lot is $1. I spent $5 this weekend and I came home wiht 2 new shirts, a great party dresss, a zip up sweater, and a purple cashmere sweater from Banana Republic. I don't even have to feel bad if I never wear any of them because it only cost me $5. Even someone as cheap as I am can cough up $5 for some new clothes.
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Neat little store. Nice balance of clothes, small furniture, bric-a-brac and books.
LOVE this store. I'm a refugee from Goodwill who was nasty as hell to me several years ago when I tried to donate some stuff. Out plays bouncy music to put one in a shopping mood, the people are friendly, their proceeds go to AIDS research, they've never refused any of my donations, and their prices are reasonable. I've found some good stuff here. Being low-income and a garage sale freak as well, I look forward to their parking lot sales. (in the summer on the first Saturday of the month, usually). Clothing is dumped onto tarps outdoors at this branch. It's a hoot to paw thru the piles with various other bargain hunters--it seems to put everyone in a good mood digging around like this. Everything at the sales is $2.00 each. I'd like to see their big blue plastic bin close to the entrance gates though, so I don't have to go all the way over to the people sorting thru the stuff -- sometimes no one is there and I was asked once to wait till someone was there to let them know about my donation instead of just leaving it there.
hm... I've gotten some real cool clothes here, like 1 or two of my favorite dresses and loads of tops and bottoms. Being a real thrift shop, they are cheap. Mind, I love thrift shopping and have to come here often and go through everything. They don't do the big parking lot sales on a regular basis but you can get on their mailing list to find out when their big sales are.
The bad: the music here gets annoying after a while, they are always playing that dance music station, which is very repititive, doesn't have a very big playlist and plays old played-out tunes, like they are still playing Sexyback omg. Also weird homeless and/or crazy/drunk people sometimes drift in here from time to time for no apparent reason. They also never have shoes in my size, I think the trannies buy them all. Oh and they only have 1 dressing room (just a curtain) which slows things down a lot. They have room for 2 but don't use it.
While their housewares are nasty and most of their electronics are junky - they get some great electronic equipment in from time to time. Like a whole Atari ST computer system. Or a Nintendo NES with a pile of games + original controllers + gun!
The staff are mostly really gay and really cool and being a clotheswhorse, I've added a lot to my wardrobe from here.
it's a real thrift store, almost nothing costs more than 10$, but you have to come pretty often & really sort to get something worth even 5$. luckily it's located right beneath nob hill and pacific heights, so in the recent arrivals section they'll be once in a while a really pretty item - i got a orange sweater, red embroidered flamenco-style dress there, and a white lace skirt. also a gorgeous valise. i was pissed when they wouldn't accept my donation of 2 giant bags because they don't accept donations after 4 (it was 6). i had been lugging it to the haight & back and it just doesn't make sense for a charity to turn things away. they didn't even seem remotely appreciative about someone supporting their store. eh.
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well i have been going to this place since its inception & have found it to have gone down hill since. at 1st the place was a great place to find some bargains & help out the magic johnson foundation. now the place seems like a money grubbing 2nd hand store. there is no quality stuff there anymore & the prices are out of hand. i went there the other day & found a dress shirt that i was interested in. the dress shirt was totally unwearable, it was ripped & torn. i was really after the buttons on the shirt. the shirt was priced at 19.99. when i went to the cashier to ask if the shirt was really priced 19.99, i showed him the rips & tears, the response i received was yes it is priced 19.99 & i actually marked it down as it should be 24.99 due to the tears & rips. i found this horrible that they were selling a torn, ripped up unwearable shirt for 19.99. well i put the shirt back & decided not to buy it. there are some probable good finds there but like i said earlier, the place has gone downhill since it 1st started about 4 years ago but has finally hit rock bottom. the prices are getting higher & the quality is getting lower.
i no longer will donate any items there anymore as i do not feel that the business ethics are in line with helping the community anymore. i take my stuff now to the goodwill where i know it will be helping someone out who is in need & does not overcharge for items.
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Located at the great corner of California and Polk Streets, an area staging a comeback with many recently new and thriving businesses (do have a look around), this place should move. Besides being an eyesore at this famous intersection (among other things the former Mayor had parties across street), the merchandise inside this little warehouse can best be described as tawdry. Tawdry refers to the pots and pans with burns, dents and hardened grease, the racks and racks of throwaway clothing, the clusters of abandoned furniture, the tired books, handbags, art copies in plastic frames, scratched glassware, glass-encased flea market baubles, and lastly the nasty attitude rude queens who staff it. I have gone in this place on a few occasions widely spaced apart, only to exit always feeling I totally wasted my time - the identical feeling I get from visiting another dimly lit and infested store a few blocks south called Salvation Army (Polk/Sutter). Gets 1 Star because there is not a Zero.
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