GOODWILL OF SAN DIEGO COUNTY — Local services in San Diego

⭐☆☆☆☆ Thank you for watching.

I’ve been donating to Goodwill my entire life. My family has, for generations. That ends today.

I walked into the Goodwill on Rosecrans to grab a cheap coat — $12, all raggedy, should’ve been in the trash, but I wasn’t trying to spend money on something I’d only use for a minute. I planned to pass it along to someone in need, like I always do.

Then a staff member walks up to the cashier and says: “He’s buying that coat, right?” Accusing me of stealing — over a torn-up coat at a so-called charity?

That’s when it hit me: This place doesn’t serve the people. It profits off poverty.

You walk in and see hotel soaps and shampoos — stolen stuff. No hotel donates toiletries to Goodwill. They give to real nonprofits that distribute directly to the community.

And Goodwill? They sell cast-off junk for boutique prices. $15 for old shirts? $25 for hand-me-down coats? Meanwhile, they’re paying vulnerable workers barely enough to get high, sleep on the streets, and come back to be treated like machines.

If you really want to help: Skip Goodwill. Go straight to the homeless encampments and hand your clothes to someone who needs them. Or head to Salvation Army on Sports Arena, where they offer rehabs, housing, women’s shelters, and real compassion.

Because Goodwill is no goodwill. It’s a joke. A scam. A hee haw haw haw...

I called ahead of time to check their availability on used office chairs. The manager who took my call, Lisa, informed me that they had a few available. When I arrived 10 minutes later there were no chairs, and staff informed me that there hadn't been any all day.

On a separate note, I had to wait 5 minutes in line to receive an encased item and was told that I had to go back in line to purchase it.

Everyone was polite to me, and my experience was not the worst. I just feel like the store is a bit mismanaged, and really only caters to clients who want to make small, common, purchases.

EDIT: Update in response to the owner. Hey moron, I checked the new furniture room, your nice employees directed me there. No office chairs. I didn't add this next part in the review, but I even spent about 5 minutes with Lisa looking for said office chairs (in the new furniture room) until an employee came out of the adjacent employees only area and informed both of us that there were no office chairs, and there hadn't been any in all day.

Considering your assumptive dismissal of a fair and honest critique of your store I have no choice but to lower my rating down to one star and reiterate my main point. This is a terribly mismanaged store, and my heart goes out to the competent staff who have to work...

Wonderful thrift store! Occasionally they have great stuff. As a super-experienced thrift shopper for over 30 years I would like to give you some thoughtful advice --

In recent years, your items have become way over-priced and sometimes you can get the same item for a lower price at a store and it will be brand new! This complaint is a recurring theme in all of your recent reviews!! You cannot just ignore it.

This Goodwill needs to rethink their business model. Rather than trying to get the highest price possible, you should price your items low (or at least lower). You consistently receive new items; i.e., your inventory is always high. As more items sell, you will actually make more money. You need to keep in mind the income level of most of your shoppers. This is not the go-to place for wealthy or professional people (except for a few). Your return shoppers are always looking for that "one bargain". You need to provide that to them.

Your business will actually grow. I used to come in once or twice a week. Now I come in maybe once a month.

One very nice complement - your donation center in the back is convenient and the workers are always...