Goodwill Clearance Center?

[phreakindee]

Anyone ever heard of this offshoot of Goodwill, called the Goodwill Clearance Center? It's actually a decent place to find some old gaming stuff. There's one now right behind the "Super" Goodwill where I am, near Asheville NC (it's like a Goodwill Wal-Mart, it's huge)

Essentially, it's where the last 30 years go to die. It's a warehouse basically, where all the crap from all the local Goodwills gets dumped that nobody wants or was too overpriced to sell. Every hour or so employees roll out these huge mountains of stuff on carts the size of ping-pong tables, about 6 at a time. There's usually a mad dash of people to go and grab whatever you can - it's all $1/pound, whatever it is. It's pretty strange.

Large items are put in another pile, usually TVs, monitors, stereos, etc, for $3-10 each.

Today was my first visit, and I grabbed a pile of stuff before it got snapped up and/or crushed - who knows what happens to this stuff if nobody gets it at the end of the day.

*Sega Saturn
*Nintendo 64
*NES Joystick
*Apple ADB mice (trapezoid-style, and later rounded)
*USB Keyboard (new Saitek Eclipse)
*Serial mice for IBM/Tandy PCs
*Creative Labs Sound Blaster AWE32

All for $16.

I mean, there's so much randomness though... like hair driers from the 60's, old encyclopedias, PS1 and Xbox games, random old software, hi-8 cameras, TVs/monitors/radios, tons of toys and stuffed animals, TONS of clothing (which is thankfully separated into another area of the warehouse), baseball card collections. Anyways, didn't know if anyone else had any experiences with these places.

[Baloo]

That place sounds pretty awesome.

[gokugohandave]

i would camp out in the bushes everynight just to be the first guy there.

[garagesaleking!!]

wtf, a $1 a pound, lol i gotta find this place. Anyways this should be moved to the whats it worth thread.

[jb143]

We used to have a place along those lines here but it was a 95 cent Goodwill. Everything in the store was 95 cents and I think it was all stuff that didn't sell at the regular Goodwills. I'd found several gaming items there. Never systems but the occasional game or 2. My best finds though were Levi's...some still with store tags. 1 pair even had a $5 in the pocket that I found many days later. I ened up selling quite a few on eBay and probally made up the difference for all the ones I kept, plus gas to the store. They closed down last year though :(

[Kitsune Sniper]

Yeah, several of the people who bring stuff to my flea markets go to those clearance centers.

[Pantechnicon]

The local Goodwill Clearance Center (GCC) is completely dominated by three classes of people: Mexicans who drive van convoys up from Chihuahua to cheaply buy American detritus in bulk to sell it to their countrymen in the Juarez mercados; Jerry Springer-type welfare layabouts who are going to resell whatever they buy at the weekend flea market at obscene markups, and lastly are the old ladies dressed like all their clothes come straight out of the gift shop at Cracker Barrel who are hoping for some sort of serendipitous find that will fund what remains of their golden years and maybe get them a spot at the next local taping of Antiques Roadshow. Of the three, it’s the Mexicans I find the least offensive.

The GCC opens at 10:00am and people are lined up at least an hour before that. When the doors open there’s no stopping the stampede. The Mexicans attack the clearance bins with the coordinated precision of a Delta Force unit; sending wives and cousins scurrying ahead of the slower lemmings to stand guard in front of choice looking bins which were scoped in advance through the windows while everyone was waiting for the doors to open. The flea market racketeers run for anything that looks automotive or stereophonic. Finally the Senile Brigade makes its way in, picking up and slowly scrutinizing through their bifocals anything made of colored glass or bound between two covers.

The feeding frenzy starts to slow after the first 30 to 45 minutes, by which time the Mexicans are paid out and loading up their vans with bicycles, coffee makers, microwaves, etc for transport back south. The flea market guys all stand in queue with dollar signs in their feverish eyes, clutching their rusty gold and exchanging vapid sentiments about how much money they’re going to make because “Dat’s what it’s goin’ fer on Eeebay!” Then come the old folks bringing up the rear with some knick-knack or three, convinced they’ve found something immeasurably valuable, yet still prepared to argue with the cashier over so much as a 25 cents in difference on price.

If you weren’t part of the initial stampede, you won’t find much left after that first hour, but don’t worry: The GCC closes at 1:00pm, restocks, opens at 3:00pm and the madness starts again until closing time at 5:00pm.

Sadly, it didn’t used to be this way. In fact, from 1995-1997 I used to live next right next door to the GCC when they (locally) called it the “U-Fix-It Corral” and the crowds were nowhere near as large or crazy. The place was tremendously instrumental in my early videogame collecting days, and some of the finds I had there would make you weep. Of course, that was all (if I can paraphrase Obi-Wan) “before the dark times….before the Ebay.”

So in summation, nowadays I wouldn’t go into my local Goodwill Clearance Center unless I had police-issued riot armor and a current vaccination against tetanus.

[Tupin]

Sounds absolutely crazy.

I bet that's where the Goodwills that charge $25 for a loose Genesis send it after they realize it's not going to sell after four and a half months.

[darkslime]

That sounds pretty cool. I just googled it and there aren't any in Tucson, AZ. :(

However, there is a Goodwill oulet center, which is absolute shit. Its just all the rusted out crap all the other Goodwills couldn't sell at the same price they were selling them at minus a dollar or two. Plus, its in the shittiest part of town.

[Kevincal]

Anyone ever heard of this offshoot of Goodwill, called the Goodwill Clearance Center? It's actually a decent place to find some old gaming stuff. There's one now right behind the "Super" Goodwill where I am, near Asheville NC (it's like a Goodwill Wal-Mart, it's huge)

Essentially, it's where the last 30 years go to die. It's a large warehouse basically, where all the crap from all the local Goodwills gets dumped that nobody wants or was too overpriced to sell. Every hour or so employees roll out these huge mountains of stuff on carts the size of ping-pong tables, about 6 at a time. There's usually a mad dash of people to go and grab whatever you can - it's all $1/pound, whatever it is. It's pretty strange.

Large items are put in another pile, usually TVs, monitors, stereos, etc, for $3-10 each.

Today was my first visit, and I grabbed a pile of stuff before it got snapped up and/or crushed - who knows happens to this stuff if nobody gets it at the end of the day.

*Sega Saturn
*Nintendo 64
*NES Joystick
*Apple ADB mice (trapezoid-style, and later rounded)
*USB Keyboard (new Saitek Eclipse)
*Serial mice for IBM/Tandy PCs
*Creative Labs Sound Blaster AWE32

All for $16.

I mean, there's so much crap though... like hair driers from the 60's, old encyclopedias, PS1 and Xbox games, random old software, hi-8 cameras, TVs/monitors/radios, tons of toys and stuffed animals, TONS of clothing (which is thankfully separated into another area of the warehouse), baseball card collections. Anyways, didn't know if anyone else had any experiences with these places.

LMAO at you sounding like a total SEGA / Anti PlayStation fanboy!

"Bought a Saturn"

"But there was lots of CRAP like PS1 games"

And how are baseball card collections crap!? They are like the coolest thing ever!

Or maybe you were just saying tons of CRAP meaning tons of STUFF and I took it the wrong way. :P If so, disregard this post.

LOL ;)

[The 1 2 P]

I bet that's where the Goodwills that charge $25 for a loose Genesis send it after they realize it's not going to sell after four and a half months.

$25? You got it good. The Goodwill's around here sell those for $40 a pop. Anyway, I wish I had one of these places near me. It would be nice to find a diamond amist all the crap.

[ryborg]

It's not just GW that has these places, Salvies has them too. They are nowhere near as great as people are making them out to be in this thread. They're filthy, as in the air tastes foul, and I've literally never found a working piece of a electronics here. You'd have better luck digging through the dumpster behind a Best Buy.

The *only* thing these places are good for are vinyl records, because they're typically some absurd price like 12/$1.

[TheDomesticInstitution]

We have one in Charlotte, but it shares a building with a Goodwill computer works. That means all the gaming and computer stuff never goes to the Clearance Center.

It's not bad though, as the Computer Works has decent prices. Although last time I was shopping, I overheard two employees discussing the rarity of Dracula X, and how another worker gets all the good stuff. I guess the thing that pisses me off, is the fact that all this shit is donated and their employees apparently get to pick through all the good swag.

[Kitsune Sniper]

Those fucking Mexicans.

No, really, I'm pissed off. They can cross the border without paying taxes and WE get slapped with $50 fines when we try to cross with a couple of bags of clothes? FUCKING CUSTOMS AGENTS.

RARGH.

[mobiusclimber]

It's not bad though, as the Computer Works has decent prices. Although last time I was shopping, I overheard two employees discussing the rarity of Dracula X, and how another worker gets all the good stuff. I guess the thing that pisses me off, is the fact that all this shit is donated and their employees apparently get to pick through all the good swag.

If you think thats bad, the local Seattle Goodwill sells on Ebay and Amazon at inflate prices. Most of the good gaming stuff never even shows up in the store, so no employees OR patrons get to pick the good swag.

[Atarileaf]

Don't think we have any of those here in Canada. None that I've ever seen anyway.

[phreakindee]

LMAO at you sounding like a total SEGA / Anti PlayStation fanboy!

"Bought a Saturn"

"But there was lots of CRAP like PS1 games"

And how are baseball card collections crap!? They are like the coolest thing ever!

Or maybe you were just saying tons of CRAP meaning tons of STUFF and I took it the wrong way. :P If so, disregard this post.

LOL ;)


Haha, not meant as fanboyism, I have far more PS1 games than Saturn stuff... but these were the typical sports titles, MTV Music Generator and such, so I used "crap" without thinking :eek 2:

[tubeway]

I guess the thing that pisses me off, is the fact that all this shit is donated and their employees apparently get to pick through all the good swag.

Ya know, it annoys me too, but if you step back and think about it... what other perk do you get working at the freakin' goodwill? That would be my only reason for working at one. I mean, they're probably making minimum wage. let them have their cherry picking. they're earning it.

[tubeway]

Haha, not meant as fanboyism, I have far more PS1 games than Saturn stuff... but these were the typical sports titles, MTV Music Generator and such, so I used "crap" without thinking :eek 2:

Why are you posting here? You should be making more videos, goddamnit. Seriously, though. I really like the material you've been putting out on youtube. I love the bored personality schtick and the dry humor.

[phreakindee]

Ya know, it annoys me too, but if you step back and think about it... what other perk do you get working at the freakin' goodwill? That would be my only reason for working at one. I mean, they're probably making minimum wage. let them have their cherry picking. they're earning it.

Actually, the one nearest to me starts off at $9/hour... and 2 weeks paid vacation. I would consider it if... well, I don't know I still have my hesitations.

[phreakindee]

Why are you posting here? You should be making more videos, goddamnit. Seriously, though. I really like the material you've been putting out on youtube. I love the bored personality schtick and the dry humor.

Haha, thank you - just finished the newest one actually, it's up Saturday.

Oh, and the bored personality is kind of it goes all the time... at work I'm constantly told to cheer up and well, that is cheery! :|

[RASK1904]

I have talked about this in another thread. But yes there is one of these south of San Diego. Yes south! It is also by the pound and opens closes and opens also. I went with my girlfriend and our friend and her kid. The kid loved it climbing on any thing and everything. It was very much like Mad Max Beyond the Thunderdome. Two man enter one man leave. The girls bought a bunch of clothes. I got a SSB box. Thats it. If you want to have a crazy time go check one out. Definitly wear good shoes and take no prisoners! I'll stick to my spots closer to my house though. My girlfriend is always wanting to go back for some reason.

Over here GW and Sali workers can not buy at the store they work at. It's the littler ones where the workers can.

[MachineGex]

Great post Pantechnicon. I have seen a few places that are simular but nothing as ghetto-fabulous. I did get a great picture in my head from reading your post. Too funny, too real!

Also, Rask's comment had me rollin':
"It was very much like Mad Max Beyond the Thunderdome. Two man enter one man leave."

I have been to places like this and it's a great comparison.

[Steve W]

Ya know, it annoys me too, but if you step back and think about it... what other perk do you get working at the freakin' goodwill? That would be my only reason for working at one. I mean, they're probably making minimum wage. let them have their cherry picking. they're earning it.
An old coworker of mine is now an assistant manager at a Goodwill by my brother's house, and he told me that the employees there can be terminated if they buy something without it being put out on the sales floor for a couple weeks.

Another coworker of mine used to work at a thrift store part-time, but it was some kind of 'community service' type of assignment because of his parole. Apparently, that's where some little independent thrifts get their employees at.

[Porksta]

An old coworker of mine is now an assistant manager at a Goodwill by my brother's house, and he told me that the employees there can be terminated if they buy something without it being put out on the sales floor for a couple weeks.

Another coworker of mine used to work at a thrift store part-time, but it was some kind of 'community service' type of assignment because of his parole. Apparently, that's where some little independent thrifts get their employees at.

The thrift store where I work it has to be on the floor for ten minutes or so, longer if it is on sale. Nobody really follows that rule though. You just aren't allowed to price anything you want to buy, and a manager has to be present when you buy things.

Yes, we get a large majority of community service folks. We probably average around six or so a day. I like to learn their names and check the city's arrest records to see what they did. Usually it is something drug or alcohol related, but occcasionally there is somebody with GTA or the like. I think one person was doing community service for manslaughter.

[Ed Oscuro]

Baseball cards have been crap lately, if you're looking to get any value out of them (and you're only likely to get absolute poop like 89 Donruss or 87 Topps anyway).

Also, $1/pound for ADB mice? Erm, no thanks. The rest sound alright though.

[phreakindee]

Baseball cards have been crap lately, if you're looking to get any value out of them (and you're only likely to get absolute poop like 89 Donruss or 87 Topps anyway).

Also, $1/pound for ADB mice? Erm, no thanks. The rest sound alright though.

Considering those go for over $10 each on eBay, I was happy to get a few for less than a dollar...

[Atarileaf]

Haha, thank you - just finished the newest one actually, it's up Saturday.

Oh, and the bored personality is kind of it goes all the time... at work I'm constantly told to cheer up and well, that is cheery! :|

Actually I'd like you to take a camera to one of these Goodwill monstrosities and film everything you've described. That would be hilarious. Of course the downside is some Mexican might grab your camera and try to buy it from Goodwill for 50 cents. :D

[phreakindee]

Actually I'd like you to take a camera to one of these Goodwill monstrosities and film everything you've described. That would be hilarious. Of course the downside is some Mexican might grab your camera and try to buy it from Goodwill for 50 cents. :D

Ha, well I got my camera from Goodwill so it would only be appropriate. I thought about it as it would be entertaining, so we will see!

[Ye0ldmario]

Seems like a gold mine for ebay re-sellers.

It seems like over here, goodwill and SA, all they ever put out are sports games. Doesn't matter what system it is, it's gonna be a football game no matter what. The people who go through this stuff take any game that isn't sports. Only stuff you will 100% find at good prices is, Vinyl records, and VHS. Don't expect to find any beatles albums though, the entire collection is picked through weekly.

[darkslime]

Seems like a gold mine for ebay re-sellers.

It seems like over here, goodwill and SA, all they ever put out are sports games. Doesn't matter what system it is, it's gonna be a football game no matter what. The people who go through this stuff take any game that isn't sports. Only stuff you will 100% find at good prices is, Vinyl records, and VHS. Don't expect to find any beatles albums though, the entire collection is picked through weekly.I think you've said this about 100 times here and on CAG. We get it.

[retrocollectorguy]

The local Goodwill Clearance Center (GCC) is completely dominated by three classes of people: Mexicans who drive van convoys up from Chihuahua to cheaply buy American detritus in bulk to sell it to their countrymen in the Juarez mercados; Jerry Springer-type welfare layabouts who are going to resell whatever they buy at the weekend flea market at obscene markups, and lastly are the old ladies dressed like all their clothes come straight out of the gift shop at Cracker Barrel who are hoping for some sort of serendipitous find that will fund what remains of their golden years and maybe get them a spot at the next local taping of Antiques Roadshow. Of the three, it’s the Mexicans I find the least offensive.

The GCC opens at 10:00am and people are lined up at least an hour before that. When the doors open there’s no stopping the stampede. The Mexicans attack the clearance bins with the coordinated precision of a Delta Force unit; sending wives and cousins scurrying ahead of the slower lemmings to stand guard in front of choice looking bins which were scoped in advance through the windows while everyone was waiting for the doors to open. The flea market racketeers run for anything that looks automotive or stereophonic. Finally the Senile Brigade makes its way in, picking up and slowly scrutinizing through their bifocals anything made of colored glass or bound between two covers.

The feeding frenzy starts to slow after the first 30 to 45 minutes, by which time the Mexicans are paid out and loading up their vans with bicycles, coffee makers, microwaves, etc for transport back south. The flea market guys all stand in queue with dollar signs in their feverish eyes, clutching their rusty gold and exchanging vapid sentiments about how much money they’re going to make because “Dat’s what it’s goin’ fer on Eeebay!” Then come the old folks bringing up the rear with some knick-knack or three, convinced they’ve found something immeasurably valuable, yet still prepared to argue with the cashier over so much as a 25 cents in difference on price.

If you weren’t part of the initial stampede, you won’t find much left after that first hour, but don’t worry: The GCC closes at 1:00pm, restocks, opens at 3:00pm and the madness starts again until closing time at 5:00pm.

Sadly, it didn’t used to be this way. In fact, from 1995-1997 I used to live next right next door to the GCC when they (locally) called it the “U-Fix-It Corral” and the crowds were nowhere near as large or crazy. The place was tremendously instrumental in my early videogame collecting days, and some of the finds I had there would make you weep. Of course, that was all (if I can paraphrase Obi-Wan) “before the dark times….before the Ebay.”

So in summation, nowadays I wouldn’t go into my local Goodwill Clearance Center unless I had police-issued riot armor and a current vaccination against tetanus.

what an excellent post! I really enjoyed reading this and cracking up at the same time :-D

[Damaniel]

We have one of these here in Portland (or at least *had* -- I haven't been in years, and they've moved the location since then). I've gone a couple times because I had a friend who went all the time, and she managed to convince me. Most of what's there consists of giant bins full of clothes, books and parts of appliances. Every couple hours they'd bring out a bunch more stuff, and there'd be a mad dash to the bins that the new things were piled into. Not everything was $1 a pound (the clothes were) -- books were a quarter, and other things were equally cheap.

I never did buy much there, and definitely nothing game related, but I did manage to get a complete boxed copy of the Microsoft Macro Assembler, which I happened to be looking for at the time. The friend who took me there once managed to snag nearly a complete set of first and second edition AD&D rulebooks and supplements. Overall, I didn't really care for it -- too much junk to wade through, and too many *really* pushy people hoping to get lucky.

[Nesmaster]

Sounds like a garbage buffet! :P

[PentiumMMX]

This sounds worse than Day After Thanksgiving at Wal-Mart...I'd probably go if I could find one close to me, but that's just because I'm crazy like that.

[leicamaster]

Do you know the address for this goodwill, Asheville is only about 1 hour and 30 min from my house

[phreakindee]

Yep, it is

1616 Patton Avenue
Asheville, NC 28806


They've remodeled recently and revamped their computer area, they now have an unofficial Computerworks. It's pretty nice, found lots of great stuff there and I visit quite often! Great for finding review material

[portnoyd]

i would camp out in the bushes everynight just to be the first guy there.

Seriously. Sounds like it would be a good time. However, I wonder how much salvageable stuff ends up there with shopgoodwill.com taking all the good stuff.

And Pantechicon, holy shit, amazing post.