Oakland Museum’s White Elephant Sale

Every March this enormous Jingletown warehouse becomes the site of the shopping frenzy known as the White Elephant Sale. Produced by the Oakland Museum Women’s Board since 1959, the proceeds of the sale completely benefits Oakland’s biggest art museum. oaktownman just attended for the first time, thanks to a suggestion by one of his readers.

It is free to get in, though donating items to the sale qualifies you to pre-shop, and you can also pay $15 – $20 to get into a preview sale that happens in January.

Cashier stations are in every section where you can pay for items collected in that area.

oaktownman first visited the photography section, limited to a few shoppers at a time, and garnered two used external flashes he will now be using with his ghetto-fab digital camera.

It's like a department store-sized thrift market.

One must elbow their way in to get a view of the jewelry counter.

A smart customer peruses the inexpensively priced antique lace.

Have your yellow tags ready upon exit. On the second day of the sale, apparently all the prices are cut in half.

Be ready for frenzy and a parking adventure, but it will be worth your while if you are looking for some unique deals. Remember it all goes to a really good cause.

Oakland Museum of California’s White Elephant Sale

www.whiteelephantsale.org

333 Lancaster Street, Oakland