Goodwill Thrift Store & Donation Center- Westheimer River Oaks — Attraction in Houston

so I decided to go shopping to this Goodwill after work today I walked around the store and picked up a couple items and once I made up my mind, I put them back. I found a brass candle holder which I’ve always wanted one so I decided to get it, and I saw something else that I was thinking about by the time I got to the register, I decided against one of the items and handed it to the young lady, who is African-American with dreads and I paid for the brass candlestick holder once I left she ran out the store and said I need to look at your bag because you stole some clothes I said, excuse me she informed me that a customer told her that I stole some clothes that they saw me put some stuff in my bag. I went ahead and let her look at my bag which by the way I did not have to, But I went ahead because that’s one thing you’re not going to do is call me a thief and while this was happening The police officer that they pay to prevent shoplifting is standing outside having a conversation with someone which is funny to me because the same girl who rang me up is all of a sudden accusing me of stealing. I opened my bag right in front of her when I paid for my item, tell me if this is intelligent why would I still hand something to you that I didn’t want and then pay for something this was my last time going to this Goodwill half of the time they have nothing but crap in there because it’s extremely picked over because of resellers which, by the way, they are ruining thrift for people that are buying stuff for their homes or for their own personal use so I went back and asked her exactly who told you that I stole something. She told me she couldn’t tell me that which I think she’s full of crap I think because she saw my white handkerchief and a plastic bag, which had a piece of cake in it. I guess she assumed that I am a thief like I said, goes to show you how intelligent people are, I’m gonna steal something. Why in the hell would I buy something and then hand you back an item that I didn’t want but that’s who you guys have working there plus you have a police officer that pretty much is there just to hang out and stay on his phone and not do his job because if he was you want to be running out the store, accusing innocent people of stealing , real smart Goodwill good way to spend your money 😹 but I guess you guys have customers that are being top flight security y’all should be paying them money since they’re falsely accusing people of stealing maybe then you idiots would get it right in actually catch somebody really stealing...

TONIGHT one of the employees who I only see half the time I’m in there.. started talking about me ! I only had 5-6 items that did NOT FIT… only one item did.. i hung everything back on hangers.. and I even took the 2 pairs of shoes that ended up not fitting I placed them back on the shoe racks just so the employees would not have to

The items that did not fit I was going to hang back on the return rack like everyone else ..

The tall man of color who takes those things back into the areas they belong .. looked at me and said NO THAT I COULD NOT PLACE them on the return rack ..

Then loudly says across the store to another employee .( SEE I TOLD YOU SHE ISNT GETTING ANY OF THAT ! “ NONE OF IT “

Just because I will try on several things and end up leaving very disappointed or feeling bad cus they didn’t fit already ! He WANTS TO TALK ABOUT ME.. and EMBARRASS ME .. and JUDGE ME !!!

There are plenty of times I buy things in there. I purchase some lil treasure at least 2-3 times every week!

But for him to talk about me .. even after the manager comes over! This entire time I was pressured to explain myself to him .. for my reasons WHY I wasn’t buying the 6 items I was not getting ! While I did have the ONE item in my hand in line to purchase !

Then once he walked away .. i ( along with the 3 ppl around me in line ) could hear him LOUDLY CONTINUE TO COMPLAIN AND BELITTLE AND TALK ABOUT ME FROM THE FAR BACK OF THE STORE !

I just wanted to cry ! Because I did nothing wrong My only crime is that I shop THERE TOO MUCH obviously !

I stop in to get away from everyone and have some alone time .. you could say! I am built like most women my age .. with CURVES.. so most clothes do not fit .. I usually need to try them on …

So when I shop .. I see things that look like they may fit and I wait until after I’ve looked at everything to try on.. 90% of the time things don’t fit me..

I have never experienced s something like this before!

He made it very CLEAR that he DOES NOT LIKE ME !

And to think.. he had just watched me take items and placed them back on the shoe rack to be Courteous trying not to give them any more work!

I ALWAYS PLACE things back on hangers ! When most ppl just leave them in the floor of the dressing rooms!

I left feeling judged - my feelings very hurt … and abused verbally !!!

Corp here I come !!

I’m not even mad when...

I go to this goodwill a few times a week. Finding hidden treasures is my hobby. I’ve noticed that there’s a bit of conflict at this location recently and a lot of hostility against the customers who frequent it the most. At least two people described on the reviews as resellers are shopping for themselves. But regardless, these customers are really friendly and the store has always felt like a pretty social community. I’ve seen those “resellers” help carry things for elderly strangers, help stock shelves, help clean up the empty clothes hangers from the rack… one time the 6’ 2” guy even helped the female staff lead a potentially dangerous man on drugs out of the store.

All that to say, I’ve obviously witnessed frustrations and jealousy when people don’t get what they wanted first, but that’s just the nature of Goodwill. It’s a gamble and that’s what’s exciting about thrifting.

Goodwill’s charity isn’t for providing cheap clothes to the community. That’s a benefit of secondhand shopping no doubt, but the real mission of goodwill is to create jobs in the community for people that otherwise might now be employable and to help others train for work elsewhere. The long time employees at this location are all hardworking. Latrisha, Susanne, Charlie, Mark, Crystal, Brandy, Kelly, and Jackson just to name a few that I’ve gotten to know during my days there. I’ve seen them deal with all kinds of unruly costumers and thieves. They work hard to keep order in the midst of the chaos that is just normal around a thrift store.

I worry that the group of people (or potentially one jealous person) who have written these reviews targeting fellow customers at Goodwill for shopping has missed the point of Goodwill’s mission and has inadvertently made the work for these great employees more difficult. I can’t stress enough how much I think the individual store management should be empowered to get to know their own community of shoppers and make decisions about how the more minor operational details are run and what works best for them. This is a unique location and what works here may not work everywhere. I encourage everyone in the area to stop in and shop here! It’s a great store with great staff and...