Earthly Goods

A very good friend of mine called me in tears after a dreadful experience at this store last week. My friend, who is a regular customer at the store, was busy trying various things on in hope of purchasing a few. The manager, I believer her name is Heather, told her that after all this time you better buy something. And she insisted that my friend fold up anything she didn’t want and return them to the shelves. My friend instead of being angry apologized to her and told her that she would buy something. After picking out a few things and coming to the front desk, she told the manager, «I am buying a few things.» To which the manager responded, «That’s not the point. The problem is etiquette» Well, my friend left and called me up. Well, I have been in retail for 40 years and I have to agree that the problem is etiquette – the manager’s etiquette. Not only will my friend not return to what was one of her favorite shops, but I will not go in to purchase another gift for my wife.

I am writing this after my wife came home and was so angry after shopping here. The «older, blonde, chunky lady that has been there forever» was rude and condescending (as usual) and they put her clothes back after she picked them out like she couldn’t afford them. She had to fish them back out of the racks. A couple of things that the clerk returned to her, were not what she picked when she got them home. I normally wouldn’t get involved, but I went to this store some time back to buy her a gift and they treated me like I was there to use the bathroom, so I left. I am never comfortable buying things for the woman in my life. You would think they could give a poor shlub a break. The cheap fabrics are pretty disappointing too. What happened to «nothing but silk and cotton» Berkeley? If we wanted cotton/​acrylic we would go to… to… Target… Ouch, just saying the word hurts.

I’ve been shopping at Earthly Goods ever since they had a location on Union Street in SF — and that must have been more than 30 years ago. The staff have always been very nice to me; not too pushy and not frosty either. I appreciate that they stock brands I fit into. Shoe and purse selections are also top quality. There is ALWAYS a sale rack where I can usually find something. Have been buying my casual pants here for many years. Can’t say enough nice things about this store and its people. Also, if you find yourself in Ashland OR stop in their location there.

Earthly Goods used to sell lovely clothes made from quality fabrics. Now I find that they’ve jumped on the trend of polyester and modal instead of 100% cotton or silk, like they used to sell. The clothes they sell now are very high priced given the quality of some of the fabrics. Even the Michael Stars tops are made at least partially of modal and still sold at the same price as the nice cotton Michael Stars tops.
Still a great store if you need something in a pinch or just can’t make it to San Francisco or Walnut Creek.

I love the shoes and clothing here. The staff is super friendly and helpful. It sort of has a yuppie hippie vibe, a place you would expect your therapist to shop. And since I am a therapist, I fit right in :)

I love cute shoes but with flat feet and an emerging bunion, I am forced to wear comfortable shoes. Earthly Goods shoe department helps me take care of my feet and still look fashionable.
Today I popped in on my annual search for a stylish, yet comfortable, ankle boot. As luck would have it, they are having a 20% sale on shoes and boots. Their selection was a little smaller than my last visit, but I scored a very hip cowboy inspired ankle boot in dark grey leather.
The sales associate who helped me was wonderful. She went back and forth finding me odd sizes and even found a pair of arch support insoles when I mentioned my flat feet. Five star service.

Yes, «as good as it gets!» Why? Pleasant, helpful sales women. A wide variety of interesting garments, some fitted, others more flowing. The prices vary, too — How can some reviewers write that everything is expensive, when there is a range of price points? And one-​stop shopping: Shoes, socks, slacks & jackets, coats. Wallets, hand-​bags, jewelery, scarves, hats, sweaters. .. All this in a lovely shop with true Bay windows, room to see what is available, a wooden staircase to the shoe area…
But I digress. The merchandise, the sales force, and the prices have kept me shopping here since they opened. Yes. «As good as it gets.»

Earthly Goods is definitely targeted for the «Women» /​«Missy» crowd but if i search and actually try things on i find the best things. The quality of their clothes are really good and their style runs from basic attire to berkeley styles and great traveling pieces!
The prices arent the cheapest but i think of them as investments. The sales girls are really nice and want to tend to your needs.
I had an issue with one of my garments and even though it was passed the return policy date they were willing to work with the company to have my item replaced! Wow, the manager there is super nice and i can always rely on them.

I updated my previous review, so the brands listed reflect what’s available as of late April, 2012.

YAY! This store has made me SO happy.
I’ve been searching for Crochet TOMS everywhere! They are sold out on the TOMS site and all other stores I checked at.
The sales lady told me that they stocked up this season because last year they sold out so quickly. YAYAYYY! So happy!

it’s all about the sales. I’ve never gotten anything full price here.
some cute clothes & shoes, but also lots of stuff for the Eileen Fisher/​Not Your Mom’s Jeans crowd (of which I am not a member).
Like Jenn C. I wish they had more vegan shoes.
the staff vacillate from rude/​ignoring to super sweet. who knows.

Every time I am in this neighborhood, I am intrigued and want to really love this store but never find it quite to my budget (expensive!) or taste (trendy). They have super cute shoes displayed in their window — but unfortunately, mostly leather — few, if any non-​leather/​vegan options. And — did I mention expensive? Even when I was a young college co-​ed — I would not have been their target audience. I wish they had same cute shoes in non-​leather versions!

The intriguing «20% off all boots sale» is what brought me in, as I’m not sure I would have been instantly lured by the Eileen Fisher gear in the windows. But thank the shoe gods that I took a look! Turns out, Earthly Goods has a fantastic selection of boots, and at 20% off there was no reason to hesitate (I admit, I compared prices on Zappos and Earthly Goods had them all beat!)
The store is spacious and there’s a very comfortable lounge area for trying on shoes, with full-​length mirrors to assist in the grand decision-​making. I settled on a pair of brown Me Too knee-​high boots, with a subtle equestrian flair (they also carry Uggs, Corso Como, and some other reliably cute brands), and they were even nice enough to hold them for me while I agonized over the purchase for a day.
If you’re in need of a boot makeover, get here quick! The sale goes on until the boots are gone!

This store is the best destination I have ever found for stylish walk-​able shoes. They carry high-​quality comfort/​support-​oriented shoes that are actually really cute! I’ve discovered amazing brands here that I’ve never seen anywhere else. The shoes are pricey but comparable to prices you will find for the same brands elsewhere. In fact, I’ve found some good deals here on Dansko clogs that beat even on-​line sites.
However, while I’m willing to shell out for my shoes (I have really flat feet that need coddling) the clothes they carry are priced higher than I am willing to pay and cater towards a more mature clientele; I think my mom would like them a lot.
Since I tend to browse here when I occasionally do some laundry at the laundromat up the street, I am usually dressed in sweatpants and have felt a bit self-​conscious from the looks of the staff. But, once I start trying on shoes and bust out my credit card, the staff becomes very friendly.

I hadn’t shopped much at this place since high school — 20 years ago — but was so pleasantly surprised when I stepped in the other day and found so many great brands — 3 Dot, Jag (didn’t know they still made clothes!), Michael Stars, etc. The saleswomen were so helpful, professional and patient with me as I asked their advice on every thing I tried on, and continued to cram my dressing room with items. They helped me put outfits together and which colors looked best. At one point I had 3 women helping me!
Good range of prices, and selection. Super cute cotton sweaters for $ 50, affordable and adorable jeans (under $ 100), and lots and lots of shirts.
Great for those looking for casual work attire, lounge wear, or just looking good on the street. Great shopping experience. Highly recommended.

There was a period in time that I used to fit into the clothes here. The high end of the sizes, but still. I liked the styles, different, but not that out there that I felt uncomfortable. The prices did not surprise me, for what they were offering in quality.
I don’t wear makeup, frequent brow bars nor get my hair done for 500 bucks a pop. But, I’m not a homeless bum, or a hardcore Birkenstock wearer, either!
So, when I walk in and am roundly ignored and given the stink eye by some highbrow looking shop clerks, I can say that it does give me pause. On whether I really want to spend any of my precious dollars and hard to come by time, in this store!
Now that I’m way out of weight range for their goods, it’s probably to their advantage that I trot up those windy stairs to the shoe section. I discovered a gentler, kinder sales staff up there, and will still willingly venture in the front door to look at their Dansko sandal selection!

I am currently the frustrated owner of a 2 month post-​pregnancy belly so I am digging the somewhat shapeless, don’t-need-to-suck-in-my-muffin-top clothing offered at Earthly Goods. If I were in my 20s and as skinny as I was back then, I wouldn’t give this store a second look, however.
On the other hand, there are some great finds to be had here, even by the whippet-​thin variety: Miz Mooz and La Canadienne shoes, Floret perfume, and Hobo brand purses. Merchandise is expensive but good quality and you can’t beat the location, especially if you need a latte (the French Hotel), a hamburger (Saul’s), or your eyebrows waxed (Herringbone).

Snotty salesgirls? NOT Betsey! She was super cool and sweet. She was working the shoe section when I went and she was warm, pleasant and patient with my indecisiveness. Also, the woman at the counter was friendly and funny:)
I bought a pair of super comfy, knee high, waterproof! La Canadienne boots that I just saw happened to see on College Ave for $ 298. EG had them on sale for $ 169, YIPEE! SOLD.
Eileen Fisher clothes and the like-​not my style. However, great comfort shoe section to peruse and perhaps to buy while waiting for your rezzy in the Gourmet Ghetto.

This place used to be sooo much better. The clothes are getting super frumpy and they have a lot of stretch-​y synthetic fiber shirts and skirts (which only look good if you are a stick with no boobs). Not sure why they made a change, but the styles are also a lot more casual –it used to be better for work clothes (that is, if you have work where you need to dress up but not wear a suit). Unfortunately, the prices are pretty much the same and who wants to pay that much for a pair of weekend cords?
Over the last year, they have acquired some new staff people who are just terrible. On multiple trips (yes, I do still try to shop here) I have experienced outright rudeness. There is one «slightly older» woman who was following me around like I was a shoplifter or something and was just a wench when asked a question. A couple of weeks ago, two of the «ladies» were having a little catfight over workload. Give me a break! This sucks since the long term staff is pretty darn nice. A review of «it is part of your job to be nice to the customers» would not go amiss.
The shoes are still pretty great when you are looking for stuff on the casual or sensible side. The purses look cheap for my taste, but not going to hold it against them.
They started closing on Sunday awhile ago (which makes zero sense to me). I asked about it and was told, «well, the owners are a bit tired of the schedule». Maybe they are a bit tired of my money as well??? Not sure.

A great place to buy discounted (check the sale racks) Michael Stars shirts and Hobo Intl purses and wallets for your super casual days. Everything else will break the bank or just too matronly as another poster mentioned. I’m not quite ready for Elieen Fisher at this point of my life. This store is for the set that refuses to shop at certain chain stores: JJill and Chicos.
The handwritten receipts are annoying. If you’re selling $ 200 rustic, dusty looking (for the middle aged, wild curly haired, linen wearing Chez Panisse eating Berkeley woman) sandals, you can afford an adding machine.
All in all, they seem to have something for everyone at one time or another. I also think its strange that they are closed on SUNDAYS.