The Garage Store: Locals Resell, Reuse, and Recession-Proof Their Shopping

(San Francisco, CA.) - It's only been in business for a handful of months, but The Garage Store has already been growing in business and in local fame. Literally a store inside a garage, this local treasure should not be confused for a thrift store or a perpetual yard sale. It's a consignment shop for everyday goods. Here, people can bring in their items that are still in good condition, and once they're sold, they receive a 50% commission check in the mail. Customers can expect to find furniture, kitchenware, books, electronics, and other miscellaneous household items at dirt-cheap prices. Landfills can breathe a little easier knowing that perfectly reusable items are not going to clog them just yet.
Jacob is the store owner, usually in his truck to make pick-ups and deliveries. He started off selling his own things, but eventually the idea grew to the point of selling other peoples' things. His Australian friend, Clive, is the face of the store while Jacob is out and about. "Around the neighborhood, it's really well known," he says. "Everyone knows the store, everybody comes in 2 or 3 times a week." The inventory is in a constant state of flux; new items come in daily from bed frames and baby cribs to stereos and paintings.
Yes, there are some higher-end items on the menu, as well. How does that go over in a store that's run out of a garage? "We never really price things too highly," Clive explains. "There's nothing worse than having things stuck on the shelves." What that means is that customers get extremely good deals on items that would otherwise be too expensive to even consider.
And the customers, they love it. They only have a few reviews on Yelp, but each one is a rave. "Every time I stop by there's something for me to buy," one says. "This is definitively a place that you should stop by if you are in the neighborhood."

More information:

The Garage Store
1104 Sanchez St
(between 24th St & Jersey St)
San Francisco, CA 94114
(858) 997-5285
Reviews: The Garage Store on Yelp