Finding Used Furniture & other things for your place
Many students have a need to find everything from furniture and kitchen items to jackets, bedding and other clothing – used pillows and mattresses are illegal to sell. Many stores around our area sell inexpensive (sometimes slightly used but clean) items.
We understand that in some countries, buying used items is not desirable. I think, in America, you will find there are much stronger legal health related regulations and store-based guidelines to protect consumers. Some clothing items are actually donated new by retail stores. Others are clothes purchased which, for the buyer, turned out to be the wrong size…and then they donate them. If you find furniture in these stores you cannot carry home, you can ask them to save it until you return with a car or truck.
Below is a list of some of our favorite second-hand stores (those more accessible to students), with addresses and bus route information. There is also a link to each just below the description so you can see it on the map. Good hunting!
As you go through the suggestions below, in case you need it, here is a link to our Bus Transit page: Monterey Buses.
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Tips for picking up furniture:
If you (or your friends) need beds, Goodwill is the best price for brand new beds -- really the only local place. You can also find mattresses on Craigslist, but you can't always trust them, especially if they are free. Also, with Craigslist, before you commit to anything, make sure it's close and not a long drive away.
For furniture, Second Chance Thrift Store will deliver, for a price. Just make sure they have what you want. It's a good store, but a lot of their furniture is big and fancy. Other second hand stores will not deliver.
Perhaps the biggest and best second hand store for furniture (and other things) is on Broadway in Seaside, Here Today, Gone Tomorrow, 680 Broadway Ave, Seaside.
Don't expect your temporary hosts to help you move furniture. But, you can ask if they know someone with a truck who will pick up and deliver for you if you pay them $5 or $10 ... Don't ask them to help you look for furniture which can take a long time.
Another way to find someone with a truck is to ask other students, especially ones who are returning. Also, look for people on the street around where you live. Watch the trucks to figure out who the drivers are and approach them. Introduce yourself and ask if you could pay them to pick up a bed from Goodwill, or something else.
If you find something in a thrift store, most stores will let you pay for it and then they'll hold it for a limited time so you can get a truck. It's a good idea to find a truck and driver willing to help you do this before you actually find something. Obviously, picking up a bed is easy, you just go to Goodwill and get it.
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Goodwill, (2 stores): 729 Broadway Ave, Seaside; 394-1212. Also at 571 Lighthouse Ave, New Monterey; 649-6056. These are great places to find lots of things, including furniture and kitchen items, but especially clothes and jackets. They are also the best place to buy new beds, but call first to make sure they have them in stock.
>The Seaside store can be reached by bus #10 or 11. Go up Fremont Street, get off at Broadway and walk left. Or take bus #50 or 20 along Del Monte Ave. Get off at Broadway and walk right.
Goodwill - Seaside on Broadway St
>The New Monterey store is easy to walk to from MIIS. It can also be reached by bus #1 or #2. It's on the left side, not far after the tunnel. Goodwill - Monterey on Lighthouse Ave
Branches Resale Shoppe: 480 Webster Street, Monterey; 375-4780. This is just down the street from the Bus Triangle Plaza, toward the lake. It’s smaller, but what it has is always of excellent quality.
Branches Resale Shoppe
Second Chance Thrift Store: 105 Lighthouse Ave, Pacific Grove; 717-4479. This is a big store with lots of good kitchen item and clothes. They also have furniture but much of it is big & fancy. The good thing is they have guys who will deliver (for an extra cost). Second Chance Thrift Store - Pacific Grove
Last Chance Mercantile: 14201 Del Monte Ave (actually on Charlie Benson Lane), Marina. This is a great place to look for furniture, with the largest selection and the cheapest prices – but things come & go all the time so you never really know what they will have. Important: Make sure that what you find here is not too big for your doors or too heavy for taking up a lot of stairs. This is farther away and there is no bus to this place; you will need a car. I only have this because it does have the largest furniture and it’s the cheapest. If you do find something at this store, I work near it and can bring things home in my truck after work. They almost always have computer chairs for $5 each and I can look for one if you ask me.
Last Chance Mercantile - Marina
St Vincent De Paul: 1269 Fremont Blvd, Seaside. This is an inexpensive place for just about everything -- furniture, lamps, kitchen items, and clothes -- and it's right on a good bus route, #10 or 11. It's just past Safeway at Canyon Del Rey Rd, on the left. It is a little smaller store than Goodwill. Both St Vincent De Paul & Goodwill (in Seaside) are close to each other so consider going to both on the same trip. NOTE Special Monthly Sale: At St Vincent De Paul, the last Saturday of each month everything is 50% off. St Vincent DePaul - Seaside on Fremont St
GARAGE SALES & YARD SALES
This can be the cheapest way to find lots of items – people selling things right at their houses. Be on the lookout for signs along the streets and go check them out. It’s also just a lot of fun, and you can meet some friends as well.
We understand that in some countries, buying used items is not desirable. I think, in America, you will find there are much stronger legal health related regulations and store-based guidelines to protect consumers. Some clothing items are actually donated new by retail stores. Others are clothes purchased which, for the buyer, turned out to be the wrong size…and then they donate them. If you find furniture in these stores you cannot carry home, you can ask them to save it until you return with a car or truck.
Below is a list of some of our favorite second-hand stores (those more accessible to students), with addresses and bus route information. There is also a link to each just below the description so you can see it on the map. Good hunting!
As you go through the suggestions below, in case you need it, here is a link to our Bus Transit page: Monterey Buses.
=====================
Tips for picking up furniture:
If you (or your friends) need beds, Goodwill is the best price for brand new beds -- really the only local place. You can also find mattresses on Craigslist, but you can't always trust them, especially if they are free. Also, with Craigslist, before you commit to anything, make sure it's close and not a long drive away.
For furniture, Second Chance Thrift Store will deliver, for a price. Just make sure they have what you want. It's a good store, but a lot of their furniture is big and fancy. Other second hand stores will not deliver.
Perhaps the biggest and best second hand store for furniture (and other things) is on Broadway in Seaside, Here Today, Gone Tomorrow, 680 Broadway Ave, Seaside.
Don't expect your temporary hosts to help you move furniture. But, you can ask if they know someone with a truck who will pick up and deliver for you if you pay them $5 or $10 ... Don't ask them to help you look for furniture which can take a long time.
Another way to find someone with a truck is to ask other students, especially ones who are returning. Also, look for people on the street around where you live. Watch the trucks to figure out who the drivers are and approach them. Introduce yourself and ask if you could pay them to pick up a bed from Goodwill, or something else.
If you find something in a thrift store, most stores will let you pay for it and then they'll hold it for a limited time so you can get a truck. It's a good idea to find a truck and driver willing to help you do this before you actually find something. Obviously, picking up a bed is easy, you just go to Goodwill and get it.
=====================
Goodwill, (2 stores): 729 Broadway Ave, Seaside; 394-1212. Also at 571 Lighthouse Ave, New Monterey; 649-6056. These are great places to find lots of things, including furniture and kitchen items, but especially clothes and jackets. They are also the best place to buy new beds, but call first to make sure they have them in stock.
>The Seaside store can be reached by bus #10 or 11. Go up Fremont Street, get off at Broadway and walk left. Or take bus #50 or 20 along Del Monte Ave. Get off at Broadway and walk right.
Goodwill - Seaside on Broadway St
>The New Monterey store is easy to walk to from MIIS. It can also be reached by bus #1 or #2. It's on the left side, not far after the tunnel. Goodwill - Monterey on Lighthouse Ave
Branches Resale Shoppe: 480 Webster Street, Monterey; 375-4780. This is just down the street from the Bus Triangle Plaza, toward the lake. It’s smaller, but what it has is always of excellent quality.
Branches Resale Shoppe
Second Chance Thrift Store: 105 Lighthouse Ave, Pacific Grove; 717-4479. This is a big store with lots of good kitchen item and clothes. They also have furniture but much of it is big & fancy. The good thing is they have guys who will deliver (for an extra cost). Second Chance Thrift Store - Pacific Grove
Last Chance Mercantile: 14201 Del Monte Ave (actually on Charlie Benson Lane), Marina. This is a great place to look for furniture, with the largest selection and the cheapest prices – but things come & go all the time so you never really know what they will have. Important: Make sure that what you find here is not too big for your doors or too heavy for taking up a lot of stairs. This is farther away and there is no bus to this place; you will need a car. I only have this because it does have the largest furniture and it’s the cheapest. If you do find something at this store, I work near it and can bring things home in my truck after work. They almost always have computer chairs for $5 each and I can look for one if you ask me.
Last Chance Mercantile - Marina
St Vincent De Paul: 1269 Fremont Blvd, Seaside. This is an inexpensive place for just about everything -- furniture, lamps, kitchen items, and clothes -- and it's right on a good bus route, #10 or 11. It's just past Safeway at Canyon Del Rey Rd, on the left. It is a little smaller store than Goodwill. Both St Vincent De Paul & Goodwill (in Seaside) are close to each other so consider going to both on the same trip. NOTE Special Monthly Sale: At St Vincent De Paul, the last Saturday of each month everything is 50% off. St Vincent DePaul - Seaside on Fremont St
GARAGE SALES & YARD SALES
This can be the cheapest way to find lots of items – people selling things right at their houses. Be on the lookout for signs along the streets and go check them out. It’s also just a lot of fun, and you can meet some friends as well.