Clausen House Thrift Shop

Clausen House isn't a typical thrift shop, it's unique in it's genre. the interior looks like an extended garage with pockets of clothing, goodies to sort thru, and other knick nacks.

pricing is reasonable: .50 cents for xmas cups, books 2-4..

the annex has a roomful of furniture, desks, etc.

buys: book: "blood and wine" (the gallo story)2

definitely would return to look a desk or hidden gems.

I came here because I saw some teacups in the window. Apparently they are excellent teacups priced at $2 a piece.

I also found The Aristocats record which I couldn't just leave there and a jar of black buttons. Buttons are freaking expensive and they had 3 or 4 jars worth of them. Perfect for my crafting.

One hardly knows where to begin!

Actually, i DO know where to begin . . . I have read some of the other reviews and in the past i may have agreed with them but I have been shopping at this amazing charity shop for more than 15 years and I am here to tell you that it is NOT the chaotic, messy, overpriced place that a couple of people have alluded to, not now.

The shop recently acquired a new manager, the best one i have ever encountered; his name is Brian and he is cool, pleasant to talk to and deal with, does NOT overprice things and is very big on neatness, e.g.,putting pretty stacks of lines that may or may not have been meant for one another but do compliment one another and tying them with ribbons for effect, separating shoes according to sizes and other such creative touches. Also, the windows are now truly artistic and thematically planned.

The floor manager is Dolores, she has held this position for something like 20 years and when she decides to leave, it will truly be a loss to the shop in more ways than i have room for here.

and actually, the parking is not all that bad; there are unmetered side streets and I always get away with parking in the launderette lot next door as long as I don't stay forever.

(money goes to mentally challenged adults in the community and they sometimes work in the shop as well)

If you'd rather not spend all weekend digging through piles of dusty used furniture in hopes of stumbling upon a salvageable gem, let Clausen House do the digging for you! They basically hit up estate sales, refurbish their finds and re-sell the new and improved items in the shop. So you're left with only the most worthy pieces, mostly vintage, all polished-up and ready to go home with you.

Yes, these aren't thrift store prices, but definitely a bargain compared to other antique dealers. We bought a nice dark wood bookshelf for $30 and a large pine-framed mirror for $15. They've got tons of funky lampshades, picture frames, and cutesy knick-knacks, along with bigger ticket items like gorgeous Rococo coffee tables and vintage loveseats in the $100-300 range.

The staff is very helpful - there was one pleasant and perky young man in particular who was intent on helping us check off our wish-list. It's very rare to find such a sprightly young fellow working in a thrift store, but he seemed to really be enjoying himself.

What's especially cool about dropping some dough at Clausen House is that it helps fund their community programs to help adults with developmental disabilities "gain competency, develop relationships and join the community with increasing command over their own lives". I think this is reeeeeeally awesome.

No more goodwill hunting! Get 'er done at Clausen House!

Hello-Hello, Childrens!

As you know by now, I have several default settings, one of which is a voracious appetite for collections of random vintage ephemera. Sadly, Big Pharma has not released any meds that quell the desire to snap up mother of pearl opera glasses, and don't you dare ask me how many I have.

Five.

Also, there is no known cure for my compulsion to divulge and riff on my many quirks. I can't tell you how many vintage pill boxes I own, because that would require [another] psych eval; I had several, before the donor nephrectomy - SOP. What, it's okay to have 47 cats, but my self-indulgent amusements are going to raise an eyebrow? Yes, I realize I'm writing in a totally manic voice, but stay with me, Gentle Yelpers!

Breath mints are so much more glamorous when presented with flourish. It's like my friend Dana of the exquisite DanaJohn.com Boutique recalling his father throwing open the closet doors and asking, "What shall we give them today?"

Nique F., our beloved EBCM turned me onto Clausen House en route to tapas. She mentioned a possible swing-by in such a cavalier manner, I immediately thought of sun-faded, pilly comforters and 909-esque denim shorts and that Thrift-shop funk in the air.

Like I should have judged at all; I'm forever snapping up vintage goodies and castoff couture. I think I just had a Big Hungry and was impatient. I should have won an Oscar for my hoarse and haunting line: "I wear dead peoples' clothes..." but whatever.

i digress.

I was immediately drawn to the accessory section, because clearly, I don't have enough. I scanned the case found... pill boxes! *Happy Dance* True, the MADE IN CHINA stickers were still intact but the cloissone work, totally acceptable; I just hope I don't succumb to lead poisoning. Hey - you can't blame an old lady (or a middle aged lady who wears estate sale ephemera on a regular basis) for coveting these dainty delights.

I also scored several bangles and flipped through a basket of remaindered stationery when I realized that my Fellow Yelpers had deserted me for tapas. I glanced at the wall o' shoes (didn't have time or inclination to really inspect) and at the counter, I was given an unprompted discount on the already *Happy Dance worthy* prices. All told, I think I spent $12 but I felt like a million bucks!

The gent who assisted me explained: they take drop off items (I saw a bunch of folded up paper bags from Coach off to the side) and estate sale items. So it's literally never the same store from day to day because of constant intake. ; D

I can see why Nique adores this place - and now you know why I do, as well! Methinks soon, I will return for another, more leisurely stroll through the store; I noted some intriguing furniture pieces that were NOT Ikea rejects and definitely worth a second look. So whether you're sporting a feather in your cap or feathering your nest, this is the place for you. And me. But mostly me.

Because the inventory is in a constant state of flux, it is not the most organized thrift shop, but it's choc full of goodness and the staff are cheery & pleasant. It's a DO, honey - whether you're practical or practically insane for vintage finds, it's worth looking around at least once a week.

Unless you collect pillboxes in which case.... Hiiiiiiiiiiiii-yaaaaaaaaaaaaah!

Now the Academy MUST give my alter ego, Miss Piggy an Oscar for that passionate performance.

Be sure to check out their sister store, right next door! I'm already giddy for my next return, and the one after that, and the one after that!

Madly,

The Hattrix

I just moved to the area and have spent the last 2 weeks going to every single thrift store, flea market, Salvation Army, Goodwill, and the like in the East Bay and I can honestly say that Clausen House is the only place I'm excited to go back to.

The first time I visited I got a crazy good table and chair set for $290. They delivered it for $25. The second time I visited I bought some super high-design midcentury wool pillows for $2 each. If they doubled in size they'd be perfect.

Excellent selections at reasonable prices. They have two stores, side by side. The clothing is fabulous - what you would find at thrift/vintages stores, but the quality and pricing seems better here. The furniture is always in great condition and fairly cheap. I'm fond of their glassware, it's beautiful and they have sets or singles. Tons of pots/pans/kitchen stuff - in all kinds of conditions.

I believe they benefit the mentally disabled, but I'm not sure.

I've gotten some nice things from this messy, chaotic thrift shop (the best kind IMHO). Mostly china - little plates that are perfect for serving treats at parties, or to hold soaps or jewelry. We also picked up several plates that showcased cities - you know, the kind that say St. Louis 1978 and picture the arch. The plates were cheap - around $2 each.

Note: parking is a bitch, and the neighborhood can be a little funkatudional.

There is lots to look at in this litle thrift store on Telegraph. There is always at least one piece of furniture out front that catches my eye and makes me wish that I could either afford it (the furniture prices seem high to me) or that I was shopping for furniture/had a reason to buy it.

Prices here seem much cheaper than other East Bay thrift stores. I got two christmas ornanments, a roll of wrapping paper and a string of lights here for under $3 in December which was pretty rad.

I had the impression from the first time I went that the clothing is for the older/dowdier crowd, but I went with another young friend last weekend and we actually managed to find a few cute items to try on. She got a shirt, and I had fun trying on cute stuff that didn't fit right (too big or too small). I did leave with this awesome red pleather jacket that looked like it walked out of the 1980s/a Michael Jackson video that has inspired me to either find an 80s night to go to sometime soon, or just throw an 80s party at my house.

Also, the clothes were in good condition, and not like the often crap infused racks at Out of the Closet or at The Goodwill.

They always seem to have something.

Clothing, books, kitchen crap, art, shoes...I've got a bunch of shit laying around from this spot. I have a real nice Tretchikoff print up on the wall that my gf got for me ($10, huuuuuge too). I even found a sweet Vachss book here (Two Trains Running...recommended).

Sweet staff, always helpful and in a swell mood! Well, apart from the one time (and this was reported to me by the gf) that they had to grab the Tretchikoff print from really high up on the wall. But that's to be expected right? I mean, it was reeeeeally inconveniently too high to be made available to purchase. You couldn't even see the pricetag.

Big enough space, lots of hopes for finding that thing you really need when you walk in, sometimes you do, but you'll always leave with something.