Gap

I’m sure you already know what they specialize in: itchy Christmas sweaters, awkward olive green corduroys, Chambray button-​upsand vanity sizing that puts these hips into a 4 instead of a 10. Whatevz.
Save for a stellar clearance sale or after-​the-​holidays blitz, it’s really not worth visiting. I stopped in for their big deal sale on Sunday and while I did find a few deals, nothing too impressive. Whenever I go (pretty much anywhere but especially there) for a sale I find myself making purchases based upon the original price instead of my visceral reaction toward the garment. Plus they have literally two registers and the cashiers are extra chatty. Totally fine when I have all the time to spare in the world… Sofa king annoying when I am trying to get in and out.

The customer service is dreadful. In Gap’s defense, though, it’s not dreadful in a malicious way, just a way that implies that the employees skipped their morning coffee. The greeters didn’t notice I’d entered the store until I’d been shopping for five minutes. Then, when I was in the fitting room, I asked the sales associate (Jessica, I think) for a few jeans sizes (25 and 26 regular). It wasn’t until almost ten minutes later that she came back… with a 26 short, a 27 regular, and a 25 in a completely different style.
As for the clothes, they’re all right. Simple and not too outlandish, average quality, a little on the pricy side (but what isn’t nowadays?) Nothing special.
Tl;dr: Customer service is a few fries short; everything else is unremarkable.

This isn’t the greatest Gap I have ever been to. Far from it, actually, but if you need a tshirt or have nothing else to do but window shop, then this satisfies the requirement. The store doesn’t have as large of a selection as other Gap stores because they stuffed the childrens’ and athletic wear lines into this store, whereas other locations have them split into three dinstict shops.
Maybe because of the neighborhood, I have been asked to show my ID when using a credit card, which I don’t always carry with me when I am only out on a short walk. (Yes, I am a spontaneous shopper…) In that instance, I left without making a purchase because it was not worth walking the couple blocks to go home and get my ID and come back for two tank tops that were on sale for $ 8. The lines are often long and slow and like I had mentioned earlier, the selection is small so they may not have what is available online or at another Gap, so don’t get your hopes up.

Gap is Gap– they sell khakis, plaid shirts, boring ladylike clothes that cover nipples and buttholes. If you’re looking for crop tops, chaps, clothes for ratchets, or something to wear to the Folsom Street Festival, try Secrets Adult Superstore on Broadway. ;)
This Gap is always clean and organized for the most part. The sales reps always greet me and inform me on special sales of the day. There are always sales going on –whether at the store or online. You can buy most of their clothing for 30% off, but look out for coupon cards and emails. I’ve called a couple of times to put an item on hold, and the sales associates are always happy to help.
Now, rid your closet of edible crotch-​less panties and go buy yourself a shirt that will cover your pepperoni sized nipples. =D

I absolutely love this gap they are all so very helpful every time I shop here they have great customer service I love this store

Some observations about the Lakeshore store…
I went in this morning and had to wait in line for about 10 minutes. The salesperson ringing us up by the name of Anita was trying her hardest but the line was long and a customer was trying to open a credit account. She asked another person by the name of Tiara for help but Tiara told her «you’re the only one ringing today» and then only started ringing people up when she noticed her friend in line and proceeded to chat with her friend while ringing up a customer who she a) didn’t greet and b) didn’t fold that woman’s purchases, she crumpled the woman’s sweater into a ball. I think Tiara may have been a manager. But props to Anita for trying her hardest with minimal help and still maintaining a cheerful demeanor.

The best thing about this Gap is the sale section. Although I’m not a regular Gap shopper, this can be a good place to find basics with a little extra special twist. I recently bought a simple black dress with pockets that is comfortable, easy to wear, and easy to accessorize. I got it in the sale section on a «30% off sale section» day for $ 22 including tax!
Great deal.

You know you’re a regular somewhere when the employees stop you on the street to say hello and how’s «that thing you’re dealing with» and while I’m simultaneously processing who this person is since they’re outside of their domain, I realize I overshare personal details.
I’ve been coming to this store since they opened, about 20 years ago (?!). Recently, I’ve been dropping in every weekend to buy gifts for friend’s kids (an overseas Gap store is a lot more expensive than U.S. Gap). I receive great service here, the staff is friendly, and they help me look for products that aren’t on the shelves. If the final size is on the mannequin, they kindly strip it for me.
I hate to share that they have restrooms (lest the info gets out), but they are decently maintained and there’s not too many options on that side of the street.
Lakeshore Ave. used to have a Baby Gap in addition to this Gap. So since the Baby Gap closed, it has eaten into the real estate for adult clothes at this location. In my opinion, there’s a bit too many novelty t-​shirts in the men’s section, but I suppose that’s what sells these days.
Some of the dressing rooms are showing some age, but nothing is falling down – especially not their skinny jeans. I couldn’t get one fancy pair past my knees and had a helluva time getting them off again.

This place used to be my favorite store on Lakeshore but not anymore. The staff was ignored their customers and their clothing is over price. I will not be back!

Gap’s clothing is over priced and cheaply made. I can wear out a pair of their jeans in 3 months. Still there is something comforting about their completely accurate sizing. One pair of size 8 pants fits like the next, and I find it very helpful that they vary the lengths of the pants so I can buy something that doesn’t require altering.
I find the staff here to be very helpful and friendly. I’ve been able to make exchanges easily here.

People seem to not like the customer service here– but I had no issues.
This is a spacious, organized Gap. It’s not super large, but a Gap is a Gap is a Gap, you know? The cashier was friendly, the place wasn’t particularly crowded, and it’s walking distance to Lake Merritt, which is a plus in my book.

Alicia’s boyfriend here.
I bought a shirt about 3 weeks ago at The Gap on Lakeshore… I hate shopping so I tried it on quickly, paid and left — it was on sale.
When I actually put it on to wear to work one day… I realized I had zero mobility in it — too small. I tossed it aside and forgot about it for a few weeks.
Today I took it in to exchange it — no tags, no receipt, no nothing. They were extremely helpful — totally above and beyond my expectations in customer service. Not only did they allow the return, but when we couldn’t find the same shirt in the size I needed, they let me pick out any shirt in a similar price range ($ 49.50) and only charged me FOR THE SALE PRICE I had originally paid ($ 32).
Thank you so much Lakeshore Gap! You deserve all 5 stars.

Wow, as someone who’s been in a retail drought since I was in college, this place has really gone downhill, if you ask me. I thought I’d be saving myself a trip into the city by coming here to redeem my Groupon that was about to expire. Gap is plain (which I generally like) and basic, so I figured I could find $ 50 worth of clothes pretty easily and quickly – or stock up on lounge wear if it came to it. Boy, was I wrong! This is probably one of the smallest Gap’s ever and had nothing trendy or plain – it’s like Gap is in fashion purgatory! They turned all their plain clothes into wannabe trendy garbage – but they couldn’t even pull that off! The staff was friendly, but their stock is crap… had to make that trip into the city… grrr…

I called here the other day looking for a pair of shoes I saw online and they were really unhelpful.
I told the woman (sounded like a young girl) that answered the phone that I was calling to check if they had a certain shoe in my size and she put me on hold. I was on hold for about 4 minutes and then when she (or another woman?) picked it back up she said «Hello???» and I said again what I was on hold for. She asked me what shoe I was looking for and I told her the VELVET city flat in red in a size 10. She put me back on hold.
When she came back she said «Did you say you wanted it in (couldn’t understand this word) red or (couldn’t understand this word) red?» I told her the website just lists the color as red. She asked me if it was a leather shoe. I said… no… it’s VELVET. It’s called the VELVET city flat. She then asked me what size I wanted and I said 10, again. She put me on hold again.
She came back and told me that they didn’t have it in my size at their store, but that the polk store in san francisco did.
I called that store and an incredibly helpful and polite woman informed me that the shoe I was looking for is only available online.
um. ok. not sure what they’re smoking at this gap.

ZERO stars for the way the STORE MANAGER — JAMES treats customers!!!
I bought a pair of yoga pants one week ago, and after I washed them in cold water and air dried them they shrunk in length by 3 – 4 inches. Went to return them one week from the purchase date… had receipt and tags… the store manger JAMES would not return them. He treated me like I had done something wrong since I had washed them.
I am 6’feet 1inch and I shop the GAP for the pre-​shrunk items and I cannot wear these because they are now too short. He tossed the item back and me and said, «I cannot help you here.»
I thought Gap used to have better customer service than that. I’m afraid to buy anything there now because I probably won’t be able to return it for a refund if I’m not happy with it after one wearing. Nordstrom & JCrew allow returns, no questions asked.

Fall into the Crap.
I’ve never expected much from this store in general, other than some decent sales.
It’s just hard to pay like sixty bucks for something that’s Old Navy quality.
That being said, I’ve never hated it.
This one is the exception. Jesus Christ this store sucks.
Like three different things that were advertised as special offers didn’t ring up that way. EVEN ones that said it right on the Gap printed tag! For example, garment tag says 5 for $ 10, but they actually don’t «mean» that. I was like, are you kidding? You know, I would have paid the full price for this stuff if it hadn’t pissed me off that 4 out of 5 things were falsely advertised.
To make things even better, no employees or cashiers to be seen. Some bitter woman behind me and myself stood there like dorks, while she burned a hole on my back like it was my fault. Had to return the evil eye to that chick…
Anyway, no. NO.
It’s just not magnificent enough to be worth the headache, or the price of the medicine to cure it.

Fall.
In.
To.
The.
Gap.
Remember that ad campaign?
Kind of made me think of a big, cavernous vagina. Or my ninth-​grade boyfriend who «accidentally» cheated on me by somehow «accidentally» tripping and falling into Kate _______’s vagina.
Ugh.
Kate _​_​_​_​_​_​.
Now that was one BIG gap. Kinda hard for a lofasz to avoid, actually.
The Gap stopped being a Levi’s depot and started getting «hip» *cough, vomit* sometime around when I was in the sixth grade. I remember my friend Tania _​_​_​_​_​_​_​buying an oversized grey sweatshirt there for a ridiculous sum of cash, only to cut it to pieces a la Jennifer Beals to wear to Josh ______’s bar mitzvah bash. She looked hot. I think she even got to dance with Chris _​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​during «We Are The World». I was jealous.
Since that time I think I have owned one pair of jeans from the Gap. This is because I have an ass and a waist, and the Gap not only uses pre-​pubescent Southeast Asians for seamstresses, they evidently use them as fit models, too. And don’t try to tell me about their new «CURVY» line. Is «curvy» the new «husky»? Fuck that shit.
So, in honor of the Gap, I would like to sing a song inspired by the inimitable Nate Dogg:
«When I met you last night baby
Before you opened up your GAP
I had respect for ya lady
But now I take it all back
Cuz you tried to sell me „curvy“ mom jeans
And ya even licked my balls
Leave your number on the cabinet
And I promise baby, I’ll give ya a cheesy peasant blouse
Next time I’m feelin kinda zaftig
You can come on over, and I’ll break you off
And if you can’t shop, that day, baby
Just lay back, and open your mouth
Cause I have never
met a pair of Gap pants
That I love
in the whole wide world.»
Which isn’t to say that I haven’t always wanted to work here. I want my own walkie-​talkie, too. Shoot.
*static*
«Breaker 1 – 9. No holds today on the curvy jeans. Black Friday only. Over and out.»
*static*

This Gap is weird. No sales, no specials.
Maybe they’re waiting for the BIG Black Friday sale?
what’s weird too is, their «Sale» section is all the way in the back of the store, right where the dressing room is. (hidden from plain sight until you decide to try something on, which is bad news, if you just wanted to browse)

Oh crap! I have NOTHING to wear tonight, and I have to leave in 2 hours. What to do? What to do?
Gap! About a 3-​minute walk from my apartment.
Please, please, please have at least one shirt that’s not ruffly, flowy, pastely, or just plain hippie awful.
Oh wait, what’s that black thing folded on a shelf waaay in the back of the store underneath that mannequin wearing the ruffly, pastely, hippie-​style camisol?
It’s perfect!
Done. And now I can go out.

As I’ve reached a good ¼ of my lifetime set to physical status here on earth, I have finally accepted and acquiesced to the fact that I’m a classicist:
My thoughts are deeply rooted in classical views/​opinions
My physical attributes are not modern, someone called me a Victorian representation of a Mikado character. WTF.
My book shelves house mostly classical authors and philosophical thought.
My taste in shoes are pretty stable… styles have been around for years.
My clothing tastes are pretty basic too: Monaco, BR, and of course, The Gap for essentials.
Since I have been spending most of my time running around East Bay and find spare time after hitting the gym down on Webster, stopping into this Gap store was inevitable. Small, so don’t expect anything fancy. But they have the staples: khakis, jeans, t-​shirts, light sweaters, and accessories. Good to stop by if you need that basic staple in your wardrobe or visiting from out of town.
Prices are cheap to moderate and of course, lack of quality has never been an issue here as most of my GAP clothes have endured, even in the dark dungeons of my closet. Classic.