East Bay Depot for Creative Reuse — Local services in Oakland

The energy is off in this place. Had the manager throw down a necklace and angrily storm off because somewhere between me looking at the necklace and asking why it was $12 and the cashier taking it, and putting it behind the counter in a bag for me, the tag fell off. When I saw the necklace and handled it I asked why it was so cheap when the other pieces I was picking up cost more, the lady behind the counter said she didn't know. I looked it over with the magnifying glass they had and chose to buy it because it wasn’t a bad price for the ss (small) chain and tiny heart pendant with no markings ( I liked it ). The chain was added to my bag of jewelry I was purchasing and placed behind the counter. I walked around one last time and felt I was being watched when I picked up a pin that matched my coat for $7.50 !!! I decided to buy it even though the price didn’t make sense because it matched my coat but, the feeling that just picking up the pin made me somehow under suspension was weird. I looked around a bit more and decided to check out. Upon check out everything had a price tag except this little cheap necklace. I reminded the cashier that it was $12 and that we spoke about it. The piece was tiny and everything else was more expensive and bigger but, she didn’t believe me and kept insisting it came out of a case where everything was $50 or more! It was insane, and it’s illegal to price switch or all companies could do it. She insisted on calling the manager, I explained to her that it was $12 and only the chain was silver when she said $20 😱I insisted that that wasn’t right, how could I have to pay $8 more for something that was $12! The manager got made and said “fine $12” and threw it down on the counter 😮 I couldn’t believe it! I was not looking to spend almost $100 on jewelry that day but, I did. I’ve spent a money there the last month but, there seems to be an energy of mistrust. If you don’t trust the community you’re serving then who are you here for? Every little thing is priced high, $8 for a plate! If it’s not priced high it’s broken! I bought something I thought was a nice deal only to find a crack when I got it home and no “as is” sticker. They seem to be trying to squeeze every last dollar out of every item, it’s crazy. It feels like they think we’re Antique dealers and not people in the community shopping for art projects or just a cup. These are donated items, I used to buy and redontate the items a year later if I didn’t use them now I just leave them outside for people to take for free. I’ve realized I don’t like the way I feel when I’m here. At GW I found my set of pink cups for $1.99 each, (a set of 6 sell for over $100 online) and the staff is a good kiki. I have a great set of glasses I love and I’m excited to go back when I need something because the value for the community is there and the staff is nice usually and don’t make you feel like you’re a bad person for shopping there. This is coming from someone who’s paid several $100 for a table and chair, all of which had to be repaired ( and have to be repaired again soon) , from the reuse. I need to remember that I hate the way I feel when I’m there and they don’t seem to appreciate my patronage of over 20yrs, from when they...

Went in here because I wanted a silly little cut out from a magazine (I found it cut out). I looked around and realized that I didn't want anything else, so I went to the cashier and told her that the little piece of paper was all I wanted. She said 11¢ for it- I humored her and looked for change (which I don't frequently carry on me, like so many other people of this modern age). She told me that she would put the piece of paper somewhere obvious and visable for me to get the next day (since I told her I was working and wouldn't be able to get it before closing). I came back for it because I did actually want it, despite knowing that I'd have to pay something for it. This time I had a more passive aggressive encounter with a different cashier. She rang me up and I made the comment how I was used to the previous ownership of creative reuse letting folks have (reasonable) freebies, so it was odd that I was paying for one of the items the old reuse would have for sure just let me have. Additionally, this small piece of paper's price went up and now cost me 25¢ (28¢ with tax she clarified but I told her I only have a quarter). Her response to my free comment was "25¢ is not a lot." And I said "yeah, well it could just be free." To which she replied "we're not a charity" and "we have to keep our doors open," implying that if I took this piece of paper it would snowball people's expectations of free and they'd somehow go bankrupt.

Those comments were extremely unnecessary. No, you're not a charity but you are a non profit who is supposed to be supporting and serving the community that donates THEIR goods to YOU so it circulates sustainably and gives everyone equal access to make art. I've donated my own artwork (amongst other things) over the years too. Under new management they've gotten more particular about what they'll take, which I thought nothing of- until one of the times I donated they gave me a snooty response of something that they wouldn't take with a tone of disgust. It just seems like bringing up how the culture of creative reuse used to be (community oriented and welcoming) really upsets them.

It is so clear that they don't want people to feel connected with other artists of all backgrounds in that store. They took away the public bathroom when they opened under new management. I don't think that they are very nice to the houseless population that is unanimously known to be in the temescal area (pushed out by some of the very gentrifiers shopping/living there). Also, they used to have freebies (and low price stuff) outside of the store itself- only recently did I notice that stop. Lastly, I've seen that the manager, Anna, likes to watch people like a hawk if they're in a space for too long/by themselves. There's a lot of distrust for the community that gives y'all business. It's sad to see the employees upholding all the isms that the manager does. This is truly not the same place and I understand now why people are boycotting it (including myself now). You can't treat creative people shopping at an art supply store like criminals.

I think creative reuse needs to revamp their mission statement because it's not being upheld. Their about surveillance and inventory protection- profits over...

So I walked into the store as the store clerks were opening. I literally walked behind two of the clerks & another customer & starting browsing for some used baskets, sewing notions & patterns...a few minutes later one of the attendants asks me to leave the store & I asked her why & she says we are not open ....& I am puzzled at this point as the door was literally ajar, so I ask her again why she wants me to leave when she saw me walk past her & behind me & she rolls her eyes & she mentions that stuff could fall off the walls & because of fire code I had to leave...so I try to reason that I was already in & just needed to browse some patterns & she calls the other attendant who says to call the police, and I ask why he has to the police....hmmmm...so he motions me towards back door & I hand back the few items I had picked......racist approach to customer treatment.....I love this store & have been going there since they opened...I guess I will make last purchase......do the police have to be called Everytime a customer needs an explanation......???

So trying to justify the fact that the employees didn't say they were going to call the cops isn't gonna work. The male employee who seemed to be the manager is the one who came by and said he was goint to call the police, when all I was doing was trying to get the explanation as to why they had the open door and sign & two of us walk in right behind them.. it wasn't but a few minutes later that they had a block rope on the door after he forced me out of the store. Worse still he said to me right in my fac "look I don't know who you are & why you are even here..." I was a customer period......so you can make all sorts of justificatios about being the right, like I said, I made my last purchase at your door....never thought you had people like that who treat loyal customers...