San Francisco, California is for sure a place with a rich culture, interesting sights, and a thriving arts scene. The best thrift stores in San Francisco reflect the eclectic, unique, and downright fun fashion of the city, and boy does it have some good thrift store options. You’ve got your classics; a few Goodwills that usually keep prices low and accept donations of all kinds. There are some higher-end thrifting options; resale shops like Buffalo Exchange and Out of Closet that are more selective in what they accept and will buy clothes for resale. And a smattering of local consignment options that showcase the many things people donate that might be someone else’s perfect thrift find. Read on to learn more about the best thrift stores in San Franciso.
In this post, we’ll do a deep dive into some of the thrift spots well worth a visit on your San Francisco stop-over. Once you’ve explored the Mission District, taken in the glory of the Golden Gate, and stopped by Pier 39 for some fresh clam chowder, these are the places to shop. Whether you’ve got a specific trend in mind, or are simply in the mood for a thrift treasure hunt, something on this list is sure to provide. Stick around as we dive into the kinds of stock these stores sell, discounts worth knowing about, and any other thrifty details. Here we go and happy bargain hunting!
Classic Charity Thrift Stores
Goodwill
There are quite a few Goodwill locations in the San Francisco area including:
- 1669 Fillmore Street, San Francisco, CA 94115
- 4631 Mission Street, San Francisco, CA 94112
- 3801 3rd Street, San Francisco, CA 94124
Goodwill is one of the more classic thrifting options, with over four thousand Goodwill stores across the United States. Founded in Boston, Massachusetts, this non-profit aids individuals in finding employment. They have training programs, support services, English language and educational courses, and childcare facilities. All of these are funded through the work that the charity shops, often huge charity shops, do by reselling donated clothing. At Goodwill, you'll find everything from clothing and shoes, accessories, outwear, and jewelry, to kitchenware, home décor, electronics, toys, and all kinds of other treasures. The prices are generally pretty reasonable, though this can depend on the area. One way to find out while you're visiting San Francisco, check out these Goodwills in person and report back in the comments!
Community Thrift
623 Valencia Street, San Francisco, California 94110
The Community Thrift Store is a charitable non-profit that donates to over 200 local organizations. Founded in 1982, this store aims to close the gap in consumer waste, by giving donated clothes a second life and using the profits for all kinds of worthy causes. When you donate your goods, you even get to pick which non-profit the proceeds will go to. Once the item is bought, that money goes straight to the charity of your choosing. It's for sure a cool way to feel more involved with donating clothing.
At the Community Thrift Store, you'll find all kinds of costumes, clothing, accessories, jewelry, furniture, electronics, books, art, and more. They accept donations of this same nature, just be sure they are clean and ready to be resold. Google reviews for this thrift stop mention that they have a great selection of things, however, that it can be a bit disorganized. Sometimes the hunt is part of the thrift!
Out Of The Closet
Out Of The Closet has two locations in San Francisco:
- 1498 Polk Street, San Francisco, CA 94109
- 1295 Folsom Street, San Francisco, CA 94103
Please note that they are a *cash-only* establishment. Out Of The Closet has been around since the 1990s and raises money for the AIDS Healthcare Foundation. 96 cents to the dollar of profit is donated to prevention and treatment services, and they also offer HIV testing at their locations. Here you'll find classic items including clothing and accessories, as well as pre-loved furniture, books, kitchenware, and other second-hand goodies. Google reviews mention great prices, either way, it's for a good cause.
Pikitos
2336 Mission Street, San Francisco, CA 94110
Pikitos Thrift Store in San Francisco is a classic little shop with a lot of fun thrifted things to look through. The Google reviews mention the great staff and how fun it is to search through the stock at Pikitos. They refer to themselves as a “family thrift store” with an emphasis on costumes, consignment clothing, unique collectibles, and other second-hand treasures. It's best to head on over to check it out in person!
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The EcoCloset
5791 Mission Street, San Francisco, CA 94112
A gem of a thrift shop in San Francisco, the EcoCloset has some great items and some great discounts. They sell clothing, shoes, and electronics at their Mission Street location. On Wednesdays, the senior discount is 10% of the total price of the purchase, and they give the same discount to students with an active student ID on Saturdays. Check out this cool thrift store in person on your next Mission stop.
Curated Thrift Options
ReLove
815 Polk Street, San Francisco, CA 94109
ReLove is a curated vintage shop that sells a blend of designer and independent labels alongside timeless thrifted pieces. They are a resale shop that prides itself in pricing things reasonably and encouraging sustainability in buying second-hand. They will buy modern and vintage clothing that fits their current inventory, with a payout of 35% of the price tag in cash or 40% in store credit. Google reviews mention how thoughtfully the stock is curated, and how kind and helpful the staff are.
Eye Thrift
1264 Valencia Street, San Francisco, CA 94110
Eye Thrift is a family-owned thrift shop with affordable prices on some high-quality finds. They have a cool collection of vintage wear and a 4.9-star rating from customer's Google reviews. Head to Valencia Street to check out what looks to be one of the best thrift stores in San Francisco.
Born Again Thrift
2287 Mission St, San Francisco, CA 94110
Born Again Thrift is a curated shop that maintains relatively low prices for very cool stock. They have an array of vintage pieces, trendy clothing, graphic t-shirts, and cool accessories. Google reviews mention how great the collection is, and that the prices are really reasonable for it being a more curated shop.
Buffalo Exchange
1210 Valencia Street, San Francisco, CA 94110
Buffalo Exchange is a selective resale shop with many locations around the United States. Started in Tucson, this thrift boutique is more of a curated experience than other charitable shops. Though they do donate some proceeds to local charities, they are predominantly a resale option. Here you'll find trendy clothing, bags, accessories, and jewelry. This is definitely a step up in pricing from your standard Goodwill, but perhaps a part of the price is that the clothing has been hand-picked to allow for a more efficient thrifting experience.
Wasteland
1660 Haight Street, San Francisco, CA 94117
Wasteland is a boutique option for high-end vintage and street-wear clothing options. Despite the name, it is an organized and trendy shop, with all kinds of unique finds and its own vibe. There are several Wasteland stores in California. Each one is specific in its shop curation, so whichever Wasteland you go to, it's sure to provide a different kind of treasure hunt. Google reviews mention the prices can be high.
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Crossroads Trading
2123 Market Street, San Francisco, CA 94114
Similar to Buffalo Exchange, Crossroads Trading is another resale boutique that's slightly more selective with its stock. Here you'll find all kinds of trendy and vintage pieces, high-end handbags, cute shoes, jewelry, and more. Reviews mention that it can be pricy, but they do select their stock differently than a standard donation-based thrift store, so that does impact the overall pricing system.
The Local Flea
2415 17th Street, San Francisco, CA 94110
The Local Flea offers a large selection of gently used second-hand furniture, art, clothing, appliances, and more. Their San Francisco location is a showroom where you can take a look at all kinds of stock. They have a fully functioning online shop and you can pick up any online purchases from their warehouse. They also offer shipping/delivery if you're a local buyer. Similarly to classic thrifting, The Local Flea does accept lower offers on certain pieces. In terms of second-hand thrift, this option is great for transparency in what you're buying. Reviews mention how trustworthy and honest The Local Flea is about the item's condition, so you know what you're buying here.
Cris Consignment
1813 Polk Street, San Francisco, CA 94109
Cris Consignment is a vintage and designer clothing consignment boutique. On this list, it is definitely on the higher-end of pricing, and stock. They sell by designer brands and have an array of beautiful pieces. These include clothing, shoes, and bag options. They offer luxury consignment prices, which means it's discounted in terms of the original price. So a thousand-dollar handbag may be down to the hundreds in terms of its price tag. But, Cris Consignment definitely not among the cheapest thrift shops in the city.
The image featured at the top of this post is ©Jacques Durocher Photo/Shutterstock.com.