Goodwill Bins in Hamden

"We heard about the goodwill outlet about a week ago. Going to a regular Goodwill is fun enough, so we thought this would be an exciting experience. As soon as we stepped in, it was exactly how I imagined. Countless people rummaging through giant blue bins with some electronics and furniture against the wall. As we wandered through the bins, we were hesitant to touch anything for fear that we would come across a sharp object (as the signs on the wall alert us of) or sticky substance. Thank goodness we brought latex gloves to keep our hands protected. Then a loud rumbling coming from across the floor. I look over to see patrons surrounding a row of blue bins, tossing and rummaging through what I can only imagine is a newly brought out bin. Some patrons pull out any metal they find, others are more selective with their choices. As we sift through the leftovers of everyone else's picking, we find almost nothing worth buying. A pair of jeans that might almost fit, a puzzle that most likely has a few pieces missing, and countless hangers. Then, the employees start condensing bins and moving them one by one off the shopping floor and into the back. They start sweeping the floor of debris. We watch from the sidelines for what seems like eternity (probably more like half an hour) and wonder if they will bring out more bins or if they are done for the day. But there are still 3 hours left until they close, so we wait on the sidelines with the rest of the patrons to see what happens next. A group of employees stood by the back door and starting bringing all of the new bins out. Not a single patron touched anything, but they gathered like vultures, circling the bins. Then, an employee said "go ahead". And everyone went ahead. It took a total of 5 minutes for most patrons to sift through the bins they had been eyeing. I don't know if I will ever come here again. But it was an experience I will remember. Some key take-aways: When the bins come out, you are not allowed to touch them until they say go ahead. Most of the bins are clothes. Patrons throw as much as they can in their cart and sort out what they want after the bins have dispersed. It's kind of gross and dusty, so bring gloves and/or a mask. 😷 Nothing can be put on the floor, so make sure you have a bag or cart. You might be able to find something good, but most of the items feel like leftovers from the goodwill store that noone else wanted, or never made it to the floor because it didn't pass inspection. Also, I wrote this review while waiting for the next set of bins to come out, it took a while. 😅"

"This Hamden location is better staffed than other Goodwill locations with generally courteous, hardworking employees. The biggest drawback -- and this applies to all Goodwill outlets -- is that there is no signage listing behavioral rules. A newcomer would have no idea that you are not allowed to touch or even stand too close to the newly brought out bins of stuff until an employee says Now, or Ready or Go. Some employees voices are heavily accented or overly soft. Elderly persons or neurodivergent people could easily miss the cue and find themselves at the center of a fracas. I have watched Goodwill Outlet newbies get screamed at by both employees and regulars for getting too near the new carts (an offense for which a shopper may be permanently banned). It would be SO easy to just post a sign about this rule and maybe even use red flags or some other easily visible symbol on the carts which might then be removed by the Goodwill employee to signal it's time to shop. As others have said it is a good idea to wear a mask and vinyl gloves. There is a major cart shortage also so you might consider bringing a giant laundry bag for your finds. (But if you forget you can usually find a big bag or lightweight container to use while you shop) One thing this location does right is that the by the pound rate remains the same whether you are buying one item or several cartloads. The old way really favored resellers, but why should they receive a better price than a low income person buying items they truly need for personal use? I'm too old to actually relish the dirty digging it takes to find bargains here, but I still go from time to time because buying used items instead of new means less junk in the landfills. Plus, the older items are the less likely they are made from synthetics. Thrifting isn't what it was in the sense that twenty years ago you could still find plenty of 100% cotton and 100% wool. More recently, the clothing is overwhemingly the detritus of plastic fast fashion. On my most recent trip I still managed to find four 100% wool sweaters, a cotton man's shirt, cotton boot cut jeans, a lands end down jacket and two handwoven household storage baskets for $21 and change. (It did take two hours though, and the fact that I am small in stature meant I could find items to fit more easily than a larger person). Everything needed a good wash and the Aran sweater needed a bit of darning. But given I still have the wool blankets I found here last year, without any further shopping I will stay warm this winter. Despite the hassle it is still worth it. Especially if you are truly strapped. Even if you have literally no budget for clothing at all you can find one or two items to flip on Facebook Marketplace to finance your entire haul. Just be aware though that the place is full of flippers who have been doing it for years and are fiercely good at it. As a newbie you are unlikely to generate more than a few extra bucks from the finds they overlook."

"Store was a bin store not really a display. Looks like chaos to me. At one point, they rolled out new bins and had people circle around the new bins and wasn't able to touch anything until the employee said go. Seemed like a power trip and treating people like dogs to eat. Threaten to kick people out if they touch something before she said go. I'm not a fan at this location sorry, as much as I love other goodwill stores, this one is not for me."

"Makes for a fun treasure hunt - everything is in bins and sold by weight. Books are anywhere from 25 cents to $1. Lots of furniture, household items, clothes and other treasures. Bins get switched out every 20 minutes or so"