Thousands of bargain hunters hit Oakland Museum sale

Throngs of people crowd into the Oakland warehouse for the event, seeking out bargains among the varied items on sale. Throngs of people crowd into the Oakland warehouse for the event, seeking out bargains among the varied items on sale. Photo: Paul Chinn Paul Chinn, The Chronicle Buy photo Photo: Paul Chinn Paul Chinn, The Chronicle Image 1 of / 14 Caption Close Thousands of bargain hunters hit Oakland Museum sale 1 / 14 Back to Gallery

Tucked between rows of musty-smelling books, Donna Ryan sat down and pulled a wrinkled list from her purse: “Incense, cloth napkins, a wristwatch, tango shoes and vintage travel books.” The sheet of paper had been hanging on her fridge since last year.

“You can’t come to a rummage sale without a list,” the Oakland woman said. “One year, I wanted a Japanese screen for my house, and boom, I found one right away. It was a really lovely feeling. I retired last week, and I’m on a budget now. The prices and unique deals keep me coming back.”

The 57th annual White Elephant Sale, sponsored by the Oakland Museum Guild, drew thousands of people Saturday to a 96,000-square-foot warehouse in Oakland. Last year, the event raised $2.1 million for museum programs, and despite the rain, record numbers of thrifty shoppers turned out for this year’s event. Cars packed every neighborhood street, and Boy Scouts sold $20 parking spots in a nearby lot to shoppers anxious to get in the building.

‘Bigger than I expected’

Inside the warehouse, old-fashioned dolls with porcelain faces watched serenely as a group of women pushing carts hustled past. Dusty trays of clip-on earrings were arranged in a display case, and Christmas trees twinkled. “Half-off, today only!” a sign said, next to a towering stack of boxes and luggage. The buzz of voices and crinkle of shopping bags filled the air. People sifted through thousands of items in the hopes of finding the perfect bargain.

“Wow, this is a lot bigger than I expected,” said Annie Lee, 32, of San Leandro. “I thought it would be a few people looking for good bargains. But this is insane.”

Michael Jackson, who has volunteered in the warehouse for three years, edged through the crowd with a bag filled with some of the cash from the sales. He had already bought a set of Jane Austen books, noting that volunteering is expensive because he always buys some of the items on sale.

“This is not my first rodeo,” he said, scanning the crowd. “I enjoy the range of energies in this building. It’s absolutely frenetic. And all to benefit the museum. How great is that?”

E.P. Mallory of Oakland, who described himself as a professional shopper, watched folks jostle past from a plastic chair perched next to a row of couches — which volunteers emphatically said no one could sit on. He played a card game on his phone and briefly shut his eyes. He had arrived at 5:30 a.m. and was one of the first bargain hunters let into the building. His first stop: the sporting goods section.

“This is a serious shop-until-you-drop situation, and I am dropping,” he said. “I got some swim trunks, golf accessories and music books. Last year, I came looking for some bows, and the guy ahead of me in line bought them all. You have to know what you want and come with a plan.”

Art of the deal

But others came for the experience. Lisa Zayas-Chien walked through a row of furniture, examining the price tags. Five years ago, she found a valuable piece of artwork priced at only $50. It was a lucky find, she said.

“I try not to come here with any expectations,” she said. “In this day and age of so much stuff, it’s nice to be able to find something unique and affordable. I always do a quick lap and that brings my anxiety down. There’s a lot of people, and that can be a lot.”

A pile of books caught her eye, and she walked into the next section.

“We are all just looking for our treasure out of other people’s trash,” she said. “It’s a giant hunt. But when you find that perfect item? It’s euphoria.”