Goodwill to Shutter San Francisco Headquarters, Oakland Store

The nonprofit’s closures are the latest in a list of retail departures in the Bay area.

A donation attendant working for Goodwill Northern New England at the Westbrook, store looks at a broken picture frame and a broken cat scratching post in Maine, in an undated photo. Heather Steeves/Goodwill Northern New England via AP

The nonprofit clothing reseller Goodwill plans to close its San Francisco headquarters and an Oakland location and lay off 90 workers, the company reported in a notification to the state on April 7.

Goodwill of the San Francisco Bay—a community-based, independent organization operating under the framework of the national thrift store chain—notified California on Monday of the closures.

“As Goodwill of the San Francisco Bay (GSFB) looks ahead, we have made some adjustments to our existing footprint and structure to better position the organization for future growth plans in the coming years,” the nonprofit said in an emailed statement to The Epoch Times on Wednesday. “GSFB is actively working to secure and open new future locations that will reflect larger, more efficient operational spaces and an enhanced shopping and donating experience for our community.”

A few stores and donation centers will close in the coming weeks as the company downsizes, and a few career service locations will be consolidated.

“These updates are intended to serve the local community more efficiently,” the nonprofit said. “However, some staff reductions have occurred as a result.”

Goodwill of the San Francisco Bay also provides training and job-building opportunities for the disabled community. The company reported serving 3,600 people last year, providing them with skills required for the job market.

The organization has three locations in Oakland, but according to the company, only the Goodwill outlet store on 30th Avenue, which sells clothes by the pound, is slated to close.

The Oakland store closure is set for June 7 and will affect 72 employees, according to the report. The organization posted on Instagram that the location reopened only four months ago after undergoing remodeling.

The company reported that one of its headquarters on Polk Street in San Francisco is also slated to close on June 7, affecting 18 employees.

The nonprofit filed a WARN notice with California’s Employment Development Department, which is required from all companies that plan to close facilities.

The closures are the latest in a long list of retail departures in the Bay Area.

Lululemon, a high-end fitness clothing company, abruptly closed its Uptown Oakland location on Broadway Sunday. According to ABC7, the retailer reportedly emailed its customers to notify them of the closure and refer them to the company’s Berkeley location.

The store was damaged in September 2024 when a car smashed through the front entrance. In December 2023, thieves also broke through windows and a barrier to steal merchandise from the store, according to local reports.

A looter robs a Target store in Oakland, Calif., on May 30, 2020. Josh Edelson/AFP via Getty Images

The store has not released a formal statement to explain the reasons for the closure.

The store’s permanent closure was confirmed by signs posted outside the store’s entrance, according to local reports. The company has also removed the location from its website.

Locals also reported the closure on its Yelp listing.

The company did not immediately return a request for comment Wednesday.

The closure follows other big-name departures. In 2023, Target announced it would close its Oakland location, also on Broadway, as part of a larger closure plan. The company cited ongoing theft and organized retail crime as reasons to close the locations.