Housing Works Thrift Shops - Brooklyn Heights

Been shopping at Housing Works for years most of the workers know me and are very kind till today at this store . I asked to look at a jeweler tray saw some earrings they had no price on it. Told the worker it has no price she got a attitude real fast with me as it seems I was disturbing her conversation with someone. She looked at me and in a angry tone said $40. Will never come back or support this store ever again. Very rude .

Cute shop with so many good options and well-organized! And the staff were very friendly. No idea why it's not 5 stars here! And great prices

Great curated place. I found three dresses for under 100$. Great selection of books. Have stuff for teens and moms.

I walked in and was told ...Welcome...we are closing in 5 minutes. ONE minute later an aggressive command, 'WE ARE CLOSED....repeated..releated.They almost shoved me.out the door..at 6:59. I get wanting to get home, but if you compare the vibe of this BH HW vs Park Slope HW, It is a big difference. I would not want to come back to the BH store...love the PS store. I have many things from that store.

Tiny , but yet so much more than eye can see , definitely fine some good clothes.

Nice and well organized store but really lacks variety. The other locations have furniture, more artwork and interesting finds. I miss the old housingworks on the same street, it was so awesome. Now unfortunately is always very lacking options and not worth coming unless you live near by.

Absolutely wonderful store and staff! I enjoy thrifting when I visit new towns; this is the first one I visited in NYC … and I was not disappointed. Having not packed adequately for the cold weather, found a brilliant and wonderfully priced coat and scarf. Along with other neat tidbits for my eclectic home, there were great finds ready to be found. However the “crème de la crème” of the experience was meeting staff member, Mr. Keith. His pleasant nature and welcoming vibe ensure I’ll visit again next time I’m in town. Thank y’all for a grand shopping experience.

Friendly staff. Limited selections,… used jeans averaged at $50-65 each… I walked to ABC Super Store & Odd Lot.. 3 prs of new jeans from $14-$25 each. I miss the original place a block away too.

Very eclectic selections. Wild spectrum of prices. Mostly, but not entirely, friendly staff and salesfolk. Excellent location. Great place to bring your items that need a new home.

Nowhere near as good as it used to be, when it was further west on Montague. Besides so so (and overpriced) clothing, there is not much to look at. I used to find interesting objects at the previous location. This one carries very ordinary items. Where do the good donations go?

I love housingworks and I'm glad they reopen but I really miss the old location, not because of where it was but it used to have a lot of interesting furniture, dining tables, sofas, cool chair and artwork. It was small but one of my favorite locations, I often find treasures. Now I can hardly ever find anything good. It's just got clothes and some small chachiskis. It's like a water down version of the housingworks in the past. Where is all the good stuff going to?

I've both shopped and donated to housing works, always a friendly and helpful staff and a good turnover of selection

Imagine my surprise when, as I was walking around my neighborhood last night, I stumbled onto the newly reopened Housing Works. I was absolutely devastated when they closed up their old location a couple of years ago. There really is no replacement for HW, as well as its mission to serve the AIDS/HIV population. Also, with the change in the retail corridors in BK heights as well as Dobro (no more 99 cent stores!!), it really was a trememendous loss. So, I am beyond thrilled that Housing Works is back on Montague Street (and in a location much closer to my apartment, to my financial detriment!) The newer storefront feels a tad smaller than the old space, but with a similar layout. Clothing and accessories in front, housewares towards the back, with the donations area at the back wall. The selection seemed more thoughtfully curated, if a little thin. Housewares and bric a brac organized and styled aesthetically by color. Clothing styles were mixed and a little on the higher end, but this reflected some items that were newer or with tags. For ladies, there were some gems by Derek Lam, Coach, Rag and Bone, DVF and Theory. Some brand new coach coats with tags for $150. I didn't get anything but I'll definitely check back in periodically.

I was moving out of my cooperative apartment and undergoing the darkest days of my life. I had to either discard/sell my furniture or donate it away. Personally, I loathe seeing good quality furniture with money spent to be discarded thus, I chosen to have my furniture to be donated to charity. Unfortunately, to my dismay I have learned Housing Works Thrift Shops (all seven locations) are UNABLE to accept items that are: * furniture made from pressed wood or formica * all major appliances (i.e. refrigerators, stoves, air conditioners, etc.) * mattresses, futons and box springs * exercise equipment * copiers and typewriters * used baby/children's furniture, strollers, car seats, etc. * old large speakers * old sewing machines * unbound carpeting * medical equipment They are very vague with the terminology of "pressed wood" which for donors who are not furniture or carpentry savvy has no knowledge of the various types of woods applied to compose an entertainment unit or dining table. Two staff viewed my gargantuan entertainment unit in my cooperative home and immediately rejected, on the spot, my donation offer due to pressed wood material which it's construction is based on. Thus, my impression of non-profit charity organizations was left in a bad taste. Why should Housing Works Thrift Shops be so picky with their donations? A charity non-profit organization should gladly accept any type of donations either clothing, furniture or used computer equipment that is in good operative condition. They should accept pressed wood furniture as it's still a donation! A homeless person should NOT be greedy and picky with their options! Beggers cannot be chosers.

I admit this Housing Works is a little tricky to find the treasure and when you do they can be pricey. That being said, treasures at cheaper prices are still treasures. Being a long time thrifter, I enjoy the hunt. I used to even work at a thriftstore in high school. That is probably where I began my true training in weeding out the goods. I have been to this thrifstore a bunch of times and this last Thursday I finally struck gold. As soon as I walk in, I spot these awesome lace up black heels. They are even leather and they were only priced at $15 and barely looked worn. I then snuck a peek in the book section and even though I have a cookbook addiction I spotted something I couldn't live without. I love watching the tv show The Chew and have even been on the show. I especially love watching Daphne Oz since, she has great ways of making food a little bit healthier. Clinton and Batali are right up there as faves too. Well I found the Daphne Oz cookbook "Relish". I am excited to made my own smoothie breakfast popsicles and homemade harissa. This cookbook was $10 which was a little steep for my liking but at the end of the day the original price is $27.50 and proceeds are going to a great cause. After checking out, I was wooed by a stack of vintage sailor girl print plush dolls but resisted. And as I almost made it out the door, I spotted a journal aka recipe holder with the cake art of "Wayne Thiebaud". A must have. I had to turn right back around and purchase the journal for $4. I am trying to create more recipes both in baking and in cooking and this will be a great place to keep everything written down. I will definitely be stopping by here more often during my lunch breaks even though it will be dangerous to my wallet. Happy Thrifting!

I'm lucky. I'm lucky because this thrift shop is on my way home from work, and I'm lucky because I can conveniently stop by most evenings (the store closes at 7pm) to browse its constantly changing merchandise. I'm lucky because I've found amazing vintage photos, a brand-new Theory sweater (for a rockin' price of $24.99), and a beautiful queen-sized comforter here. This is a fantastic spot for vintage finds, designer jeans, funky dishes, shoes, furniture, and more. Seriously, stop by. I bet you'll get lucky.

Great idea for a thrift shop, however, I didn't find much... There is a very small area for books, and clearly that was where everyone in the store wanted to be...so needless to say, it was very cramped. In the end, didn't find a book or anything else that peaked my interest...I guess I might have been better off going to a Goodwill or Salvation Army...really, Housing Works, I really wanted to fall in love with you...

recently stopped by the Housing Works on Montague st in Brooklyn Heights. whom ever is pricing the donated items is grossing 'overpricing' the items. this is after all a thrift shop and should be priced accordingly. its way overpriced!

Great location, organized and clean thrift shop with a lot of clothing and slim pickings otherwise (perhaps not to my particularly thrifty taste). The neighborhood is pretty popular so it might be that things were picked over when we arrived late afternoon. Unique art could be found piled on top of itself in every corner, if only we'd been in the market to collect! Of course you have to know the story here and what a great organization Housing Works is. I'll gladly spend my money in any of their NYC locations. Always good for used books, as well!

Unfailingly friendly staff and some really nice surprises among the items for sale...

I've visited Housing Works numerous times in the past few months, first to donate clothes, bags, shoes, jewelry, trinkets, homeware and books that are still in good condition but no longer "spark joy" following my KonMari conversion and then for my final purge while packing to relocate to Switzerland. Being confronted with one's excess is already guilt-inducing but it's comforting to be able to donate to a place like Housing Works and know that any proceeds from the sale of your gently used things will go towards helping homeless youth, as well as those living with HIV and AIDS. I called ahead to ask if they accept book donations and they said yes but asked to please limit it to one box. It's probably due to space constraints; perhaps the Housing Works Bookstore on Crosby would be able to take more books. I'd recommend calling ahead just to be sure. I donated about ten books together with clothing and houseware without any issues.

I tried to purchase two monitors from a someone on Craigslist who had decided to donate them. I live about an hour away so I called in the morning when they first opened to basically say "hey someone just donated two monitors I want to buy them are they there". A woman answered the phone and refused to check in the back to see if they were there. Her response was pretty much "I don't see them in the floor you have to come in". Come in for what??? That's what the telephone is for. It's for me to call you, you to do your job and help and hopefully for me to then come there buy the merchandise and the after YOU get paid and the remainder of the expenses are met then my money goes to charity.

Just recently happened upon this treasure of a thrift store in the beautiful, historical section of Brooklyn Heights. Have seen lots of great designer brands here from Jimmy Choo's to Steve Madden, Prada, Banana Republic, to just about every designer label imaginable. This store is much more high end than the Goodwill. Lately, they have been CD sales for .50, which is a super steal. Great selection of cooking and art hardcover books. What struck me as unusual about this store is the housewares section where there are always tons of great finds for the kitchen. Amazing furniture and I love the guy's section where there is a huge selection of t-shirts and button down shirts in esigdner labels. The staff here is amazingly friendly and super helpful.

My favorite Housing Works are the ones on UES, UWS, and Chambers St. This one does not have as great a selection but I still love to pop in whenever I am nearby. All profits go to shelter for low-income HIV patients so I don't mind dropping a few dollars here. The book and records section is great.You can buy small and large tomes of books you always intended to read. They are priced from $1-$3; that's even cheaper than the ebooks. I don't shop for clothes here but I have seen some awesome shoes. They're never in my size though. Their furniture is great though the prices are high. People need to remember these are whole-wood pieces handmade by carpenters and spending $200 on a desk that retails for $600 is a pretty good deal. Housing Works has a strict donation policy. They do not accept many kinds of products. A lot of people seem to have a problem with this. Please remember Housing Works only makes a profit if they have stuff people WANT to buy. And people do not want to buy your IKEA, formica, laminated, and particle board furniture.

I find that each Housing Works location is good for some things and "eh" for others. This location has some fantastic furniture, clothes and shoes! I've seriously bought almost my entire shoe wardrobe at this place. I even scored a pair of Missoni pumps for $20! I've gotten a Tori Burch blouse for $25, Tori Burch suede flats for $35 and just saw an amazing Moschino dress for $55! There's a good mix of things, designer and not so designer but priced right and cute. I probably stop in here 3x a month and I never leave empty handed. The furniture is really beautiful too - I would buy a few pieces if I had the space. For handbags and housewares, this one is definitely "eh" - try the one in Tribeca for that stuff. Also, you can't beat the cause. I'm more than happy to give money to a terrific program for people with HIV/AIDS.

This thrift store is a fun and funky touch on staid Montague Street. The merchandise seems a bit less well curated here than in other locations of this chain, but sorting through the chaos is part of the fun of a thrifting experience. This location has a big supply of kitchenware and furniture, and a sizable book section. Prices are on the high side for the condition things are in here, but it does go to a good cause.

HWTS is such a charming little place! If you enjoy being surrounded by lots of vintage-esque, cute, and non-worn down clothes, shoes, books, etc. for sale on the cheap this is the place where you should blow your paycheck. Housing Works Thrift Shop raises money for Housing Works, a non-profit HIV/AIDS service providing agency. Housing Works provides a wide array of health, housing, legal services and case management services for those that are living with HIV/AIDS. Housing Works does AMAZING work, and I'm so happy that Housing Works Thrift Shop exists to help out with some of the funding. Everyone wins. This HWTS is in the heart of Brooklyn Heights, arguably one of the most money-soaked 'hoods in all of Brooklyn, which makes this a great location to find classy things with not-so-expensive price tags. I can't think of a better way to replace all of the clothes that you got rid of during spring cleaning [which you hopefully ended up donating here or at another non-profit thrift shop] than a visit or ten to HWTS. The shop is clean and well organized, ESPECIALLY for a thrift store. The floors are wooden and definitely have a classic, rustic-y feel. HWTS is pretty hoppin' on the weekends [so get there early] and be careful not to bump into your neighbor...this storefront is a lot less wide than the other HWTS shops that I've visited.

One of the smaller Housing Works shops I've been in but I still love it! The shop is clean, with two small fitting rooms, and the staff are friendly. It seems to be a neighborhood favorite, it's always busy with people no matter what time I've popped in.

Good Cause but Small outpost For Housing Works. Selection is ok if you're local.

Oh what a great place to find on Montague Street! I always wonder into this little abyss, but the other day, I found a few things worth fighting over. For $27, I got a pair of Joe Jeans, J Brand Jeans, and a cute little brown leather headband that I cant stop wearing. So if you want to go for a cute vintage look, or just want to save money, come here and shop for a cause! i will most likely be back here within the next few days. Come one guys, lets all bargain hunt. :)

Other Housing Works locations are generally more impressive, however I found some steals. For $15 total I walked out with a new pair of cut off jean shorts ($5) and a new unworn bikini with the tags on ($5/piece.) Yes, my bikini was mismatched, and slightly ill fitting but desperate beach times call for desperate measures. And I'm actually totally thrilled with the shorts, worth the $15 alone. I tried on lots of pairs too.. Diesel, Citizen, 7 for All Mankind, but ended up with Luckys. Its a small store with not a huge clothing selection, but the super sale timing was perfect for what I needed.

Well the jeans seem to be gone for e most part, I guess their over surplus deal with those high end jean companies is over sadly, well that leaves one star to betaken down being that was forthe men's jean section, the woman will still like this joint more so for their wears AND def the best furniture and citchque crap to find,but for me I'm Gunna start hitting the better clothes section of the park slope location instead from now on cause this men's section has a bit to be desired of late. Plus as usuall these prices are a lil bit The Rock Eyebrow RaiseN on a lot of sht- who's marking these things cause you got a warped idea of value!?

I love funky little thrift stores so I LOVE Housing Works. For one, I can take all the goodies that I personally don't need anymore and donate them to a good cause. When I'm there I love looking at the books, dishware and clothes. I may be a weirdo, but buying old used cookware is a thing for me. Mismatched plates, glasses and all that jazz. The clothes themselves like any thrift store can be hit or miss, but there are a good number of hits for such a small store. The prices can sometimes be steep, but it goes to a good cause so I'm happy to pay a little extra sometimes.

This review only applies to donations. A lot of people seem to crab about items getting denied donation. I looked online and called before I went over to make sure my stuff was legit. I just headed to the back to dropped my stuff off, filled out the form and had the clerk sign it. Pretty easy! The only issue is lack of parking or a loading zone. The Brown Elephant in Chicago has been mmy go-to donation place for years. I guess I was spoiled with a "loading zone" spot so I can put the flashers on and run in to fill out the forms.

Good concept, but.. sort of a waste of time. The store is messy, unorganized, and on two occasions I've overheard staff members fighting. The clothes selection (and prices) are a total joke. Same goes for the furniture. Come here for the books and wine glasses. Maybe some cute housewares. That's about it.

I discovered this location as I was taking a walk on my lunchbreak. (I work nearby on Court St.) Yes, the store is a rather tight fit and kind of dreary looking. None of the clothes ever interest me as most of styles are rather matronly. Last month, my co-worker and I discovered the book section. Its a small section near the register- I dont know how we always missed it. Anywho, now I am addicted to seeing checking the new arrivals every week. I have purchased two books so far. I also got a Sesame Street VHS for my nieces for 54cents. I bought some very lovely earrings the other day. The workers at the register have always been pleasant at the times that I have visited. Years ago, I used to work near the location on 23rd street and never went in. For shame!! I will definitely be visiting that one and the Bookstore location, also.

Incredibly nice people. Bought a credenza but death in family prevented me from picking it up for a week. No problem. They held it for me and were genuinely gracious. This is a model for how you treat people in crisis. Great business. Great employees

I usually stop in here when I'm in the area. It's convenient if you're in Brooklyn or work in the area. Overall, the Heights will a wealthy area and naturally this thrift shop benefits from that demographic. I've found some great stuff here for very cheap, including a wool blazer from Saks for $5! It looks barely used and I get tons of use out of it. Check them out!

Great place to find used designer clothing and accessories. The staff is nice too!

I had an excellent experience here buying some dishware after I wandered in and spotted the lovely ceramic plates, bowls, and mugs sitting atop a wooden table in the back of the store. I grabbed a few items and brought them to the front and was then told that they were only being sold as a set. When I expressed that I didn't need the whole set nor could I transport the entire set back to my apartment, they made an exception for me and allowed me to buy a large plate, small plate, bowl, and mug for just $10! Also really glad to know I'm putting my money towards those affected by AIDS/HIV and not just some home goods store like Pier 1 Imports or something. Definitely stop by! Looks like they have an awesome book and vinyl collection as well.

This is easily the worst Housing Works location and store in the city. But I do recommend that you donate here because the charity is a worthy one and your crappy stuff will be resold for thousands of dollars because everything is so over-priced, so more money to housing low or no-income people with HIV. Seriously, donate here. Now for the ugly: First off, Montague Street gives me the heeby jeebies. I'm only in Brooklyn Heights when I have to visit the courthouse to fight a ticket or get married, or maybe to suck face on the promenade of an evening, and even then the neighborhood makes me want to hurl. The architecture is lovely, if it weren't housing the most generic, schmucky stepford invasion-of-the-body-snatchers conformist schlubs. Next, the store itself is cramped, next you have to put up with fashions from people who live in Brooklyn Heights. Can you spell Anne Taylor meets bad-Euro-trash Prada (you know which Prada-wear I'm referring to: fancy black dress sneakers with a big red Prada stripe on the back, stupid urban-tribalism slick black bags with a shimmering comfort strap). The management is surly, the prices are absurd. Yah, I'll pay $65 for some Anne Taylor's The Loft pale pink-colored knit top and some Eddie Bauer khaki shorts. Sure. You got the right moron. Books cost practically as much as they do new. If you want a plastic ikea pepper shaker, it might run you $13.

I love the idea of the store. I wish some of the employees were kept in check. Some seem to have an attitude. Especially the guy who (i think) is the manager. I always feel like I'm being verbally assaulted by him, even when he says "have a nice day". The Asian girl is cute but doesn't know how to talk to people without being rude (again with attitude). I'll keep shopping here but the upper management need to whip these mangers into shape.

This is the cleanest, most organized Housing Works I have been to. It also has a great selection of designer items that aren't picked over like their other locations in the city. But shhh, don't tell anyone!

Great cause, good bargains, fair selection, and bad customer service. Overall, you'll enjoy the experience but do your best not to let the attitude and incompetence to sway your opinion of the organizations cause.

Love this thrift shop! They have an impressive selection of books.

This place is great! I have been to several Housing Works in New York, but this one is my favorite. They have a good selection of clothing and shoes which are stocked often and easily acceptable. The racks are not so full that you cant move the hangers to see what is on them, which is something that other thrift stores have a bad habit of doing. This location also has a big stock of housewares and dishes. I found several essentials like glasses and mirrors for cheap, perfect for college students moving into a new place!

Overall a decent shop though the prices on some items are ridiculously high. Most of the stuff is higher end so you're not clawing through a bunch of crap to find one nice item. The sales there are awesome, I picked up a nice Brooks Brothers sport coat for $5 this past weekend. The staff there aren't always the most friendly.

Not my favorite thrift shop. Things do run on the pricey side, and the place is tiny, so selection's not great. Their books and media selection is pretty good though.

I came here to donate a few bags of clothes. The back of the shop where you drop off was extremely messy. This could be due to a high volume of donations, and not enough staff to sort through. They offer tax write offs for donations which is cool. The actual shop was nice and organized but very small. I saw some cute china plates that were 2 for $1. Overall, it was a lot of variety and I would probably return as a buyer and not just to donate.

This was a great place to shop when it first opened but I have definitely seen the quality of the wares deteriorate. The Chambers Street branch is superior. Could be that it attracts an office crowd who can't drag some of the stuff home . . .

I love the tax-deductible donations, but every time I set foot in the place I end up spending money! My favorite escape from Court Street is checking out the CD section here and seeing how many people/bands I personally know there on the shelf, for sale in 2012 at Housingworks. There's something really funny about that to me. It's like "Okay, Beth Orton. Look at you now, bitch." Ha.

Update: Director of Stores David Raper is writing me a letter, apologizing for the sales clerk's behavior, providing me with a generous gift card and is cc'ing me on the reprimand that the clerk is getting. I get to walk into the store with my head held high and that clerk who wrongly accused me of theft is getting the lesson of her life!

I am moving and had 3 boxes of books and nice clothing to donate. Of course, with moving I am stressed and there aren't enough hours in the day, so I called ahead to verify that Brooklyn Heights Thrift Shop would take my boxes of books. They said "yes" so I drove over in heavy traffic eating up precious time, only to be told that they have too many books - and this is without looking at the quality of books I had. This was just a very rude blanket statement. This is not the kind of place I have time or patience for and I hope you don't either.

housing works is a great place to stave off the shopping guilt youve accrued while wandering down montague (hello, mac store! hello, dwr! hello, rickys!) by buying gently used items for good prices and also to benefit the homeless and those living with HIV/AIDS. you can always snag something good and normally expensive for euphoria-inducing prices-i got a beautiful set of china for a buck a plate. fancy china. the books can get pricey and the clothing selection often leaves a little to be desired, but you just have to pop in often as they get new merch constantly.

Used to be a great store when it opened. But prices are nuts and volunteer insiders like Nurit take the nice stuff before shoppers can get to them by taking it home or pricing it at ridiculously low prices and buying it. What a scam :(

Happy to say that Housing Works is back! The glassware is arranged neatly again, the window is put together with some sense of style ,and they are again receiving some quality furniture pieces. The staff is actively engaged in the upkeep of the store.

Love love love this place!! Lots of deals! Great housewares, lots of books and if you want some great designer clothing you will find it! They do a student/senior discount on Tuesdays 20%. Def worth checking out!