Goodwill Central Coast — Local services in Atascadero

Every time I shop at this store I learn something. I learned they will not sell you an item that does not have a price tag, even if you're willing to negotiate. I have learned they sometimes close at 5pm, even though it says 7 on the door, and that you better be out by 5:01. I have learned that they don't love to open change rooms, and are OK with letting customers stand there waiting for 10 minutes or more. And today I learned that they take their 5 items per room "policy" seriously. Very seriously indeed.

They have signs up saying 5 items to a room. And more signs saying there's a 10 minute max. I was grilled about how many items my kids had in the room. When I didn't answer, I was hovered around. Asked if I knew how to read signs. Told I wasn't special and had to follow the rules like everyone else when they didn't even know if we were breaking them. My kids were passing me items over the door, and I was handing others back, trying to speed things up, since more people were waiting. Our behavior was perfectly respectful and we didn't deserve to be condescended to, yelled at, and treated like criminals by Kelsey and her team.

I have shopped in thrift stores most of my life. I have worked in them too, and have had to clean up after people who took 50 items in a room and left them strewn all over. I understand the need for rules. But the way they are being enforced leaves something to be desired.

We all know most of the items in Goodwill are donated. To roughly enforce rules such as these, and in such a way, takes away all that was once precious about thrift stores and thrift shopping.

Today was the fourth time I have had a negative experience and it's one too many. I may have to learn to live with the elevated prices and increasing similarity to the policies of big box chains. But I do not have to live with...

Atascadero Goodwill needs to make some changes because some things just don't add up. First off. I found many clothing articles with stains and rips. When I was l looking at the bras I found that most of them were very worn-out, had yellowish brown stains and some had a safety pin holding the strap on. Price's are outrageous for such poor items offered. It makes me wonder where have all of the nice and clean donations people bring to the Goodwill disappeared too? I volunteer at several local non-profit thrift stores, in Paso Robles and Atascadero. I can definitely say that our community is very generous with everything they donate to the stores I'm at...... ......I am pretty certain the Goodwill receives just as nice, if not better donations for the simple fact its so well known by everyone.

However, in the last two years or so, every time I've been to the Atascadero Goodwill, about 85% of their items for sale should have been taken to the dump, not put out on the floor to sell. AND the price they are asking for is insanely high. It's the Goodwill...a Thrift store, not Walmart, not Kmart, Not Big Lots!!!!

I don't think I will be returning to the Atascadero Goodwill anytime soon. If I do, it will only to check to see if they've taken steps to fix things, because there is something seriously wrong with the...

I really wanted to give this store a 5 star review but their prices keep it at a 3. The store is big and kept fairly clean. There is lots of natural lighting and things are nicely organized. I usually find several things that I “can’t live without”. They have restrooms available but usually need a little attention, Im thankful they are there. My only dissatisfaction is they keep raising their prices. I have found many things that are more expensive than the items are in the stores. Many of the second hand clothes I’ve seen are more expensive than the prices I’ve paid for the same things brand new. Other than clothing the prices tend to be fair. Know that some of the same things are different prices. For example, candles may be the same color, condition and size but one may be twice as much. I’ve founds this to be true on kitchen items, games, dishes, craft items and so forth. All in all this particular Good Will store is...