Golden Goose Thrift Shop — Local services in Oro Valley

Golden Goose is a great upper scale thrift store when you take the word "thrift" out of the equation. They have a lot of selections to choose from in furniture, beds, jewelry, scarves, clothing, (men's, women's apparel, and some plus sizes), some exercise equipment, vases, dated artwork. Their electronic section is full of PC oriented items and old stereos. Great for the DIY computer repair person who uses their computer on a rainy day in Arizona. Their book section is nothing short of a mini library. Great prices. Especially on the colored dot mark downs.

When you're in the store and you begin rummaging through their abundant supply, for example, kitchen items; you will discover that this old, used or unused, kitchen equipment is overpriced for "thrift" store pricing that you are used to seeing. This includes bake ware, knives, decor, etc. You can literally buy "new" on Amazon, or Walmart at, for dollars less than Golden Goose. Don't get me wrong, I support local businesses. Yet, I'm also a bargain shopper as well. I want to get the most bang for my buck.

For example, I purchased a pair of kitchen shears at Golden Goose for $10.00. They looked good. They were taped closed. It was an older pair that had the spring mechanism. Walmart, $12.99, new, no spring mechanism. I took a risk, purchased them, brought them home only to discover that they were 1) rusted (because they were taped closed I wasn't able to open and close them) 2) dull (why tape them?) And 3) the scissor handle mechanism, was broken. I called them and asked for a refund. The abrupt answer was, "no, we don't give refunds". They ended up in the trash. Another purchase example, I went to purchase a music stand for $30.00. I took in my 10% coupon, printed from their website, plus this particular day they said they had a "15% off sale" on all merchandise. A new music stand on Amazon, $22.99. I took my coupon, and the music stand to the checkout counter and was told that the 15% "all merchandise" didn't apply to the Music Section. I did not buy the music stand. They lost a sale.

My point is, Golden Goose is Catalina's "go to" local social thrift store, with airs, to spend your money, hang out with your friends who love the store and have fun. What it's not, it's not a bargain "thrift" store. Their furniture is overpriced, their clothes are overpriced, their musical instruments are overpriced and held on to for that one person who can buy it for what they ask. There is a silent, hush, hush leave it alone, don't ask "no haggling" policy. For example, just ask about a price on a piece of furniture sometime while you're there. It's amusing to watch. Be prepared to be stared at while waiting for the volunteer to return as they climb the rungs in a ladder for an answer. Once, I was on hold for a piano quote for 45 minutes. Upon return to the phone, I was asked for my name and number to be put on a list of an already building list of 500 people who wanted the same piano. The piano was on their floor for two consecutive months before it sold at an unnamed price.

From a business perspective, they would be better served to lower their prices get old inventory off the floor weekly, and new inventory on the floor for their once a month Friday, midnight madness sale that ends at 7 p.m. They are not short on inventory. They service the Saddlebrook Retirement Community and others, on volume that doesn't sell at Estate Sales for Estate sale prices. Problem is, they aren't an Estate sales business, they are a thrift store.

Golden Goose is the store to find that one oddball item to use in the staging of a piece of real estate, postmodern, that you can move eye contact with a drive to Home Goods for true bargain shopping on New modern items.

I recommend this store for a great "non-thrift" store experience. Their floor layout, their ambiance, their volunteers, their management is optimal. It's a tight run ship.

Bring a lot of money. And if you're one of the lucky ones, you might find a great bargain that's close to "thrift". I wouldn't...

I understand it’s a thrift shop and not a donation center like Salvation Army or Goodwill, but I left this place seriously unhappy. I had called in advanced specifically to ask about the item. I wanted to donate. A very nice woman assisted me and even checked with her supervisor to be sure they would accept my item. So I load up the car take it there and get harshly rejected by the two jerks working the donation input. Obviously I don’t know that they are really jerks, but I can say I was very unhappy with the way they treated me.

For starters had I not slept my stuff out of the car and leaned it against the wall of the building. I don’t know if they would’ve gotten off their asses hasn’t even helped me. The woman in front of me who had just finished unloading, was assisted a lot. But not me. And then when they gotta look at the items, they said no we can’t take these. It’s gonna be a hard sell so I said well that’s specifically why I called in advance to make sure you would accept them and the woman I spoke with said she checked with the supervisor who said these would be fine. They said well maybe they were confused about what you were asking. I said I assure you they were not confused but fine. I’ll take my stuff and go elsewhere. Despite my struggling to get the items back in the car, of course they didn’t lift a finger to try to help me get them back in anymore than they wanted me to help me get them out of the car.

So I took my items to Goodwill where I was assisted cheerfully and five minutes later I was on my way.

Please don’t patronize...

My wife and i have enjoyed visiting the Goose for several years, making an over 20 mile trip from NW tucson completely enjoying our purchases ..;i was so impressed i considered volunteering! ;however on Friday June 26,2020 we entered the business, fitted with Masks as required ;within minutes i was approached by the first of several(6 other employees ))stating “your mask is not fitted properly”;i asked is there a picture/diagram of what a fitment is? My mask had slipped slightly below the Top ridge of my nose; i stated “I have COPD and this mask has been suitable for dozens of businesses?? Again at least 5 employees circled me within inches of my Face insisting i leave. (This WAS NOT SOCIAL DISTANCING ...apparently a manager Played “show and tell” also confronted me very rudely ..i mentioned the “Americans with Disabilities act requires “reasonable modifications to accommodate persons with disabilities” again the manager said “you must leave;i found my wife and what seemed like the most of the staff was following me out much like a lynching mob... further a person followed us out and wrote down our license number;i had considered replacing the mask with another however by this time i was very disappointed And my wife was afraid that this visit was so aggressive..i am enclosing an excerpt of ADA guidelines for all businesses including examples of “reasonable modifications “..i would recommend “the Goose” re-educate the staff there to preclude being discriminatory to others with disabilities...not everyone’s face/physical characteristics...