Better merch brings better sales at Goodwill

STREET TALK | CYNTHIA TRAINA

Since early January, sales at the neighborhood Goodwill store at Fillmore & Post have been climbing steadily — partly due to the economic uncertainty, partly to an operational change set in motion a year ago and launched this year. Bay Area Goodwill stores have reorganized with new merchandising strategies.

“We’ve been comping positively every day since January 7,” a staff member said. “That’s when we really started seeing the impact.” Credit sharper merchandising, better organization and a focus on quality. The upswing also dovetails with a broader trend: the national resurgence of thrift shopping, driven by cost-conscious consumers, sustainability and a renewed interest in vintage and resale.

Clothing at Goodwill is now carefully sorted and sized, so shoppers looking for mediums actually find mediums. Aisles stay full, but with steady rotation rather than lingering inventory. The results have been immediate. “Women’s clothing and miscellaneous (hard goods like kitchenware) are our heavy hitters,” the staffer said, so these sections have taken center stage in the store.

Women’s clothing and the miscellaneous section each generate roughly $2,500 per day. Men’s clothing averages closer to $1,000 daily, while kids clothes and toys lag behind. The mix of shoppers includes loyal neighborhood regulars and savvy resellers hunting for quality pieces to sell online. “If anything, people are choosing to come here instead of places like Target when they’re trying to save a dollar,” the staffer said.

Neighbors can donate at the rear of the store, but all donations are funneled through a large South San Francisco sorting center, where quality is assessed before items are distributed by neighborhood, with higher-performing stores like Fillmore receiving some of the best merchandise. Items that don’t meet Goodwill’s standards are sent to outlet locations and sold by the pound, giving them another chance at life before the landfill is considered.

Nordstrom Local at 1919 Fillmore is also accepting clothing donations, with a large receptacle inside the store; ask staff if you need a receipt. Donations there benefit St. Anthony’s.

FOOD NEWS & NOTES: The Burger King at Fillmore & Post is now gone and renovations are underway — at long last — for the upscale Super Duper burger outpost that will take its place. … Farther afield, Maria Isabel, the much-anticipated Mexican restaurant from the team behind Dalida in the Presidio, is set to open any day now at the former Ella’s space at California & Presidio. …Wholesome Heart Cafe has opened in the 2100 Webster Medical Building. … Another food market is coming to the neighborhood: Hello Mart is opening at 2135 Buchanan in the former longtime home of Buchanan Cleaners.

RETAIL REPORT: The online jewelry retailer HYOU Fine Jewelry is replacing Marcella at 2029 Fillmore, bringing another New York jeweler to the street — this one, the company says, “for the woman who doesn’t wait to be chosen — she chooses herself.” … Custom Club had a strong run at 2225 Fillmore, but has now ended its popup. The space is re-leased, with no word yet on what’s coming next. … The Drysdale Properties office space on California Street near Fillmore is now being offered for lease, with plans that could include retail and a co-working space.

Cynthia Traina is a residential realtor with Vantage Realty. Contact her with news or suggestions at CT@CynthiaTraina.com or @PacificHeightsRealtor.