The Brown Elephant - Oak Park

Resale shop selling clothing, shoes, accessories, jewelry, books, housewares, furniture. Free street parking along street. Store organized and clean. It was hot in the store even with fans going. Staff were friendly and helpful.

This is my favorite of the three stores. The staff very helpful.and friendly. Not as crowded as the other two stores of Andersonville and West Belmont it’s Right off the blue line train a five minute walk from Austin stop

This is my second time visiting, it’s my new favorite place to thrift! There is a little bit of everything shoes, clothes, coats, furniture frames and books. It’s very well organized and displayed. They constantly have deals today was clothes and furniture. They have the best prices, they cannot be beat, I have not found a better priced thrift store! And it goes towards a great cause! I will be donating my items here moving forward!

Great staff. Selection is super small, but worth a trip

Very bad experience, if you come with 🛴, you will not be able to enter the store, I did not see any sign about the 🛴 But the store has interesting recycling items

the andersonville location is by far the better of the two, both by size and by contents. i’ve come to this thrift store 3-4 times and have never found anything. the selection is tiny! they really need to expand! out here in the burbs there must be lots of folks donating nice things!

Place is so cool and cute! Would definitely go again🤗✨

Excellent merchandise, fair prices, and friendly staff. Well appointed changing rooms to try on apparel. And proceeds support the Howard Brown Health Center.

This is one of my favorite thrift stores. It can get busy and crowded but I always find something. I stop by whenever I am that way. The prices are good. Wide variety of things to buy. The people are nice as well.

Upon first entering The Brown Elephant, you might feel that this is not your average Thrift store. In some sections, it is more organized than other stores of its kind. This store has more furniture than anything else, and the prices were a little higher than your average Thrift store. I would suggest checking in here every once in a while, as their inventory changes quickly. Also like to support this store because proceeds go to health screenings and support for the LGBTQ community

One of the workers followed me aisle to aisle as I tried to shop. It was so uncomfortable. Not sure if they profile all Latinos but I did not feel welcome here. The store itself is presentable. The quality of the clothes are not great and the prices are very high.

I love this shop! We found so many cool things! I bought a coat and some beautiful clothes. Everything is clean and neat and well organized. There is a beautiful and eclectic mix. The prices are great. The people that work here are friendly and interesting. The people that donate here have very cool stuff!

Luv this place! So much selection and value. The customer service is top-notch. Quality products.

I'm an avid thrifter and have been one for decades. I buy for myself not to flip it for sale. I'm not a novice, so when you see a store that repeatedly has to have 40% or 50% off certain items almost weekly, it probably means the items are overpriced and the items don't move- so they can't make way for new donations. The next observation is that if I come in once every couple of weeks and see that certain items on the mannequins are being held for weeks on end- why bother putting them on display? And who are they being held for- employees? I always thought the point of thrift was FCFS. The final observation is that I rarely leave this place with anything. I find it hard to believe given the location the charity's cause that there aren't better quality items being donated, which leaves me to wonder if those donations never see the store floor...or are those to being held for someone? The one positive is that the clothing seems to be nicer quality than any of the homegoods and decor.

I love the Brown Elephant! This is such a fun spot for interesting finds - sometimes furniture could use a helping hand, but part of the fun is trying to figuring out what can be done to bring new life to things. Staff is so nice and helpful. Always there with a cheery hello and will ask if you need help. This is a spot where you usually can't go with a specific item in mind to buy - if you need a table, they'll likely have one - but if you need a very specific size or type - they may not have it, but that's all part is the fun. Clothes, furniture, housewares, books, you name it. Worth a look around! I've also donated to the Brown Elephant - that process was seamless as well though I'm not sure if the process has changed with Covid or not.

Love this store. Great donations. Beautiful furniture and large clothing assortment. Best store!

On Aug 6, 2022 A bag was given out of my car by mistake by sister. I Spoke to the manager Kelly the next day and explain my situation. First he told me that they did not receive the item then he put me on hold came back to the phone and said it was sold. I went back on Aug 8th with a car load to make another donation.I went inside the store and Kelly and another employee was standing up front. I asked him was he the one I spoke to yesterday about a brand new radio with 5 speakers. He said yes. The employee said is it in a Ikea bag? I said yes. She said its in the back I was looking at it this morning. I drove around the back THE MANAGER KELLY put the bag on the table. I asked him if he could help me take the items out of my car that I wanted to donate. He told me no turned his back and started to walk away. I asked if I could use one of the rolling basket. Again his answer was no I had to put everything on the table. Bottom line I still have my donation in my car. I will never go to this store again. VERY DISAPPOINTED!!!!

We Absolutely Love Our Brown Elephant here in Oak Park. Especially their very happy Staff. They make ALL of their customers feel at home. Dani has worked there for years and has been so so helpful with her brilliant ideas for my selections. EXCELLENT Store! Sincerely, Princess Jerri justnme

Luv luv luv this place .. ALWays something for everyone.. clean , organized and extremely reasonable! The employees are so kind, knowledgeable, and always ready to assist! AND IT GOES TO A GREAT CAUSE.. Make sure you call for Covid hours!

I can never get the name of the store correctly, but every time I go to one of the locations I enjoy my time spending at...wait a minute...let me get this right..."The Brown Elephant Resale Shop." The funny thing is that I always call it "white elephant" or "black elephant." Anyway, I need to get to the gist of this review. The profits they make are to 1) pay the cool people who work there, and 2) support the "Howard Brown Health Center. Medical bills can be expensive without insurance (or with insurance often times), yet we treasure hunters can help these patients pay for whatever services they need. While I consider myself super "itinerant" around the city and the immediate suburbs, I didn't know what this resale shop was about until hubby told me to check it out. This particular location is the smallest out of the three (3) locations in the city. It's technically in Oak Park, not too far from the east-side entrance of the Oak Park Harrison St. Arts District. Please don't expect to find stuff in "thrift-store" pricing. Items here are well-curated, and some donations without being in pristine conditions can be rejected. However, they do have some clearance sales every now and then. Hitting the second-hand/resale store requires pure luck! Sometimes you bring home with awesome finds. Well, the key word is: "sometimes." Hubby and I scored a few things this afternoon: a pair of cowboy boots ($20), a sweater ($1...on the clearance rack), a vinyl record, and a video game, all for $25 and some change. This location is the closest to our house and is a bus ride away. Take #91 (Austin) and get off at Harrison, then walk westbound for 10 minutes.

Furniture and clothes very mediocre. Staff super nice. Wish tgey could get better donations.

Not only is this place way overpriced but after making a huge donation of items and buying a couple of items, I asked to use the washroom to wash my hands. The worker told me that the washroom is for EMPLOYEES ONLY and that I should "go across the street" and use another establishment's washroom. What kind of customer service/appreciation is that? Not even let the good people who donate and buy their overpriced stuff use the washroom. I won't be donating or shopping there again. There are plenty of other places that I can shop and donate to who treat their customers better. Boo Brown Elephant! Second star for cleanliness though.

Called 3 times to schedule donation. They said drop it off. Rented trailer. Tried to drop off on Saturday and was turned away. Waste of time and money.

Such a great mission! We are happy to support this business and we try to stop by once a month. I know the resale shop's offerings are entirely based on donations so it seems ridiculous to complain that they don't offer enough of what we are looking for - and sometimes we really do get lucky and find a treasure or two- but mostly we just end up getting a few books. I'd love to see more housewares and a larger book selection. Toys would be amazing but I don't think they allot space for that. But again we really love having The Brown Elephant in Oak Park and we will keep coming back. Awesome staff. Everyone is so friendly and helpful. Great location right on Harrison. Be sure to cross the street for pie after you shop. Happy Apple Pie Shop is steps away.

Dropped a dining table off as a donation, staff were very friendly and helpful. Proceeds benefit Howard Brown Health. Very good cause to support.

This thrift store is the type of place you need to shop at regularly to find the "good finds" because locals visit often. Good selection on books, music and records. Mostly old furniture supports the right side of the store. Most of the time all the great finds are already put on hold or reserved for special clients. The reason this place gets 4 stars instead of 3 is because it is LGBT friendly business and it locally supports the Oak Park community. It's also nice to have a local place to donate items to recycle!

I wasn't sure what to expect when I stepped in front of the retro facade. What I got was a friendly greeting from the sales clerk that welcomed me. I would best describe The Brown Elephant as an upscale eclectic, vintage resale boutique. Ultimately, I loved it. Soup to nuts can all be found here. There is beautiful vintage jewelry, fabulous one of a kind finds and even lux designer brands all offered for purchase in support of a good cause striking the balance between utility and philanthropy, reclaimed and renewed. Therefore, making The Brown Elephant a trip-worthy stop in beautiful Oak Park.

Great place to look around but items are overpriced. Other than that the place is cute, clean and the staff is very friendly and attentive.

I love this store and have been coming here for years. There is always a great mix of unexpected treasures and almost never walk out empty handed, plus the fact that my shopping here helps vulnerable folks with their health care needs is really awesome. Great furniture and clothes in particular by the way!

Yes, Yes, Yes. Shopping spree day? Drop in. Just browsing? Drop in. Like a good vintage or second-hand store? Please come. They have been around since the darker days of HIV, and I've been coming here since '90 or so (Halsted location). Love them and what they do. Can always find something. Pro Tip: You must come often as the selection changes quickly. That expensive vintage sofa you want? It will be gone in days. The boys have taste and if you want to get on this train, get your ticket quick.

ridiculously overpriced.....suddenly every cracked saucer is $20.00, and old water stained coffee tables are $120.00........ There is new management here that thinks they are curatig an exclusive boutique.......... Prices are unrealistic, and counter-intuitive to the concept of THRIFT SHOPPING...

I keep thinking that every time I go back the Brown Elephant it will have turned around. About a year ago it was my go-to for great furniture and unique home furnishings that I filled my apartment with. I don't know if it's under new management, but the prices are outrageous considering it's resale most of the furniture is mediocre and in poor condition anway. I always end up leaving disappointed, uninspired and empty-handed. While shopping there one of the staff members even told me that his coworkers are, "greedy hoarders that snap up anything good." ugh. I keep going back hoping that things have changed, but I should just give up to avoid disappointment.

I had bags upon bags of clothing to donate. I've been working on de-hoarding my father's house for a couple months and found piles of clothes, most of it never worn with the tags still attached. I could have gone the easy route and tossed it all in the dumpster, but I remember not having a ton of clothes growing up and I just couldn't bring myself to throw out perfectly good shirts, pants, jackets, shoes and other miscellaneous items. I looked into resale shops and organizations that find new homes for unwanted household goods and believed The Brown Elephant was exactly the place to take these off my hands. I refuse to donate to Salvation Army and I've found Goodwill has become much more expensive (which makes me wonder how much people who really need the clothes can afford them). So I did a bunch of research and found that The Brown Elephant met all of my needs. They took donations, there were convenient locations, the money raised goes to a good cause and they are gay-friendly. In fact, it is the resale shop of the Howard Brown Health Center, which is one of the nation's largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) organizations. I stopped in here to drop off my stuff and would have liked a little more help from the employees. It wasn't exactly clear where to leave the donations and the guy working the counter was kinda vague about it (just set it in the doorway, but not in the way.) and no one helped me unload the car. However, it didn't take too long to get all 18 of the 13-gallon bags into their giant roller bin and piled up in the front entryway. A girl quickly came around and started bringing the stuff in back. I wish I would have had more time to browse. It looks like they have a really good selection of stuff, and they should have a great selection of clothing since I stopped in.

I used to love the brown elephant in oak park. It was my favorite thrift shop. I always found something cool and cheap but over time things have gone down hill. Their prices on a lot of things are outrageous and their furniture department is nothing but junk. I was there today and saw nothing but severely damaged furniture selling for more than it did when it was new!! insane! Perhaps the other store locations get all the good stuff now, I haven't been to those in a while so i can't say, but this one definitely gets all the junk. Unless you live within a block or two from this one, its not worth the trip.

I think you have to come often to find the designer and/or new-with-tag gems (didn't see any this time), but still sourced a pair of like-new shoes and a copy of 'Love in the Time of Cholera' on the super cheap. Really cool furniture, too. I smell trouble for my wallet ahead! Everyone that works here is so nice I have no choice but to walk out smiling. And that's a real rarity in retail.

As thrift stores go, this is at the top of my list. It's clean, well-organized, and the service is friendly. I almost always find a good bargain on something I didn't even know I needed so I try to stay away. The clothes are organized by color, so that's not especially helpful to me, but the items are clean and in good shape and priced right. I'm usually very impressed by the shoe selection and especially the furniture. If there's something specific you're in need of though, check often, this place isn't a secret and furniture sells as soon as it comes in it seems.

As far as resale goes it is overpriced. They also don't do the whole arrange clothes by color thing. I can't decide if I like this. They do arrange their glassware by color. Confusing. I've been able to find some good winter hiking boots and a few decent clothing items. A couple of which, though, I cannot seem to wash that smell out of. You know the smell, the thrift smell. They're going to have to go back to another thrift store. If you're looking for furniture it's a great place to stop in. I read one review that said something about a lot of merchandise with tags still on but I must disagree. There was a time when they first opened when I'd find items from Urban Outfitters overstock but I've not experienced this since. A great staff here and it is for a good cause.

Fun, inexpensive, and with a nice collection of attractive, stained wood furniture. Furniture is what I've gone for in the past and it's what I'll go for in the future. Please note that they don't have a public bathroom.

This resale shop supports a good cause and I have found some wonderful things here. That said, I enjoyed it more when it was a little less organized and the prices were more reasonable. Under new management the store looks a lot better however the prices can be riduclous at times. It seems they look everthing up on Amazon or Ebay to see what people are ASKING for items - NOT GETTING for items. Even so, the brown elephant should not be charging Ebay prices in my opinion. This is supposed to be a thrift shop, not an antique store. I will still shop here because I live nearby however I notice that I am walking out empty handed much more often because I refuse to pay retail prices for items at a thrift shop .

I went to Brown Elephant yesterday where I found a dresser that was priced at $85. Then they had a special going on that was 50% off furniture over $50 and taken the same day. So, I ended up getting the dresser for half the price! There was a lot of neat furniture here, and I plan on going back soon to see what else they've added since.

I love this place although some of their prices are really unreasonable lately even though they do tend to have higher quality stuff. I still Stop by 2 or 3 times a week and have found some great bargains.

It's been a year since I moved into the area, and I have managed to furnish my entire apartment--one piece at a time--by shopping here. I'm a big fan of shopping here. Clothes, ties, books, do-dads, and whatnots are plentiful. The staff is helpful and if you go every week you're likely to find something that you've been looking for eventually. . . . This is the sort of place I would normally give five stars to. I really wish, I could give it five stars. . .but sadly I can't. Why? Well, I have to say they can be a bit "ambitious" (read: overpriced) on what they judge to be "special" merchandise. Fifty bucks for a leather shaving kit?! Twenty five bucks for a Bill Blass tie?! I go to a thrift store, because I'm. . . thrifty. All the same, the great service and other merchandise more than makes up for some of the more ambitious pricing. --peace

This store donates proceeds to a very worthy cause and people need to remember that when reviewing pricing. It isn't a garage sale where you can haggle the price - it is a store. Would you try and haggle a price down at Macy's? Also there is plenty of parking on Harrison and you do not need an OP permit to park on Harrison. Side street parking is available you just need to read the signs. That being said, this is a good store and is like all resale shops, sometimes you find something, sometimes you don't. What the inventory in the store is depends on what the donations are. I often drop off items here that I no longer use and am happy that they will find continued use by someone. I've always found the volunteers to be friendly.

All of the love for The Brown Elephant! I've been visiting the Andersonville and Oak Park locations regularly (like once a week) for a few years. The results: an apartment full of awesome BE finds! Their stores are all architecturally interesting and well-stocked, the staff is super helpful, you can score some amazing deals, proceeds go to a great cause and they just basically improve the entire vibe of whatever area they're in. Sure, it can be a hit-or-miss experience. Sometimes I walk out with furniture, other times with a few knick-knacks and occasionally with nothing. But that, my friends, is the joy of thrifting. So, go to BE and be happy!

One of the best thrift stores in the Chicagoland area, because the quality of the stuff they get can be very good. The prices can be higher than your average thrift store, with some mistakes in pricing pretty evident. If you are careful and review the products cautiously, try things on, check to make sure everything works great and is sturdy, acceptable condition, and you'll be satisfied. I've had very good luck with small housewares such as lamps, tables, and glassware, as well as clothing. A wonderful cause to boot.

This Brown Elephant is fantastic! It's organized like a department store, incredibly well edited, and full of treasures! Think full sets of china and awesome vintage furniture like curio cabinets, unique sofa tables, and china cabinets. There were two pianos, a vintage sewing machine...tons of crystal, clutches, and the front of the shop is set up like a little neighborhood book store. Prices are reasonable and quite good on furniture. I prefer this location to the one in Chicago! Free street parking abounds too!

I almost don't want to review Brown Elephant. I love their book section, and I don't want people to snap up the good books before I get there. But the profits go to charity, and it's a great cause, so here I am rating it 5 stars. The book section is truly something to behold. I especially love the section of vintage books. I picked up a gorgeous two volume leather bound edition of Les Miserables for only $2. Their GLBT section is great, as is their Women's Studies section. I've also found some really interesting things in other sections. They have furniture, glassware, craft supplies, and all sorts of other bits and bobs.

HORRIBLY DISAPPOINTING!!!!! I went to this store for the first and last time this morning. I was looking around and saw a couple of kids chairs for my sons table and asked how much they were. The lady in the back that was handling items was incredibly rude and snipped that they were not "processed" yet. I asked if I could purchase them or hold them and she told me only the manager could put a price tag on them, who of course was not there. I asked a different lady when he was supposed to be back and was told before 11am. It was 1030. I walked outside to respectfully wait for the manager to arrive, and called at 1045 to see if he was in yet. I was told he (Nathan) was in. walked in, another lady had already had the "unprocessed" chairs. Clearly these people wanted to give them to someone other than us and they were not being fair to the customer that was there first!!!! Who does that?!?!?

Eh I have to be in the mood I guess when I go in here. It is quaint ...they do have some kewl furniture from time to time. But I agree they are over priced on alot of things, not just clothes. Their purses/bags come on now you'd think you were buying new. But then again this thrift store isn't just another store. They are a non-profit for Howard Brown their mission is basically to promote programs for Education, health & well being for the Gay, Lesbian, transgender & bisexual community. The people that volunteer here are rude 1/2 the time. And treat you like your beneath them. Shoot just because it's a thrift store doesn't mean you don't deserve fellow mankind to treat ya right! But come on I can go to Salvation Army and get much better smelling clothes :)

Out of all the Brown Elephant's this one is my favorite. It's still overpriced, but they have a lot of great stuff. The staff is all very friendly, and they have the most organized thrift store I've ever seen. Near the front is a selection of items organized by color. In the back are tons of books organized by genre. The record selection is very nice, and I've found a lot of great kitchen gadgets here, as well as some wonderful clothes for myself and friends. Support them! Give them your money!

This place is a real gem. It's nothing at all like other resale shops which tend to be disorganized or even smelly. The Brown Elephant has great quality finds at reasonable prices. Dresses for $10 or under. London Fog trench coats for $15. Wool coats for $20. The employees are very helpful and friendly.

This place has a bit of a cult following so I'm sure some will disagree with me, but I haven't had any luck at this resale shop. Walking past there is a certain "wow" factor because of the massive appearance of the location (and really great window merchandising.) As soon as you walk in, you are met with a super fabulous book & music section that is nicely stocked and VERY well organized. This was my absolute favorite part. I found most of the household items (furniture, cookware, art, lamps) to be a bit overpriced. I want to walk into a thrift or resale shop & be surrounded with good deals and excited to walk around the next corner. Part of the magic is feeling like you're finding treasures, and I felt a bit underwhelmed here. Will I be back? Heck yeah, I'm addicted to these types of stores. Will I eventually find something awesome here & be in love with the Brown Elephant? I can only hope!

It's expensive when it comes for second hand clothing. But it's worth going if you need a book. It's probably the best "bookstore" out there and not only is it cheap but also organized. Books are organized by genre and priced at a reasonable price, nothing over $3.

Perfect mellow consignment shop! Great pieces! They always have good discounts weekly and the money is for a great cause. The music is upbeat and fun, perfect to peruse with a cup of coffee on weekends!

Nice 2nd hand store filled with all sorts of goodies. I got this awesome glass bubble bulb there for only $2! Nice staff too.

They used to be better in oak park. I was disappointed today when I went to look for clothes, and I have bought and donated a lot, that the selection was not only meager for men's things, but it was very poor quality for used. Now it's mostly furniture, which I feel not everyone is looking for. They need to be aware of this. I have to go elsewhere.

this store is trying to become the next Neiman Marcus with their store prices! a $5 lampshade priced for $10 when a brand new one at Hancock Fabrics had it on sale for $6.99.. all of their items are over priced to the point of one thinking about just purchasing new. I can't see myself paying $45 for a cheap brass looking lamp that you have to spray paint and purchse a shade to use after the payment of $45.. I thought this was a thrift/ resale shop, not a used item storeplace trying to become the next bloomingdales with their prices.