Popular White Elephant Sale in Oakland draws massive crowd
OAKLAND, Calif. - A hotly anticipated sale in Oakland attracted thousands of people from across the Bay Area and beyond, with many camping out for hours before the doors even opened.
In the pre-dawn hours, dozens of people waited to be among the first in line for preview day at the Oakland White Elephant Sale on Lancaster Street. It is Northern California’s oldest and largest sale of its kind, hosted by the Oakland Museum Women’s Board.
Some people even camped out overnight, noting that it was a communal experience.
For Lissa Jones of San Jose, who arrived just after 5 a.m., it’s a yearly tradition.
"I think it’s the generosity of the community and the wonderful things that we find inside," said Jones.
"We actually just met some new friends today. We’re going to go in there, shop around with them - it should be an exciting experience," said Chris Cosio of Alameda.
As the doors opened, shoppers sprang into action. Hundreds of thousands of donated items on sale have been sorted by nearly a thousand volunteers over the course of the last year. Proceeds from the sale benefit the Oakland Museum of California.
"Just the treasure - it’s so much treasure in here. It’s just fun, you never know what you're going to find," said Mary Retzinger, chair of the White Elephant Sale.
On the treasure hunt, KTVU's Betty Yu found a vintage tiara—and everything from fine jewelry to costume pieces.
"This dragon brooch is just exquisite. It’s amazing what people donate," said Alison Hanly, co-chair of the Jewelry Department.
There are vintage wedding dresses for as low as $20, and some come with quite the story to tell.
"White has not traditionally been the color of wedding dresses up until more modern times. This one is a cobalt blue silk velvet dress from the 1940s, and it came in with a picture of the wedding couple. It’s really beautiful to see," said Jessica O’Brien, co-chair of the Women’s Wear Department. "This one is a little more - it’s $220 because it’s in pristine condition."
From glassware and toys to furniture, lamps, and everything in between, shoppers browsed for hours.
Jeff Wrath, who has been coming to the sale for 15 years, scored hard-to-find handcrafted pieces from Heath ceramics.
"Can’t find vintage Heath, 1960s, 1970s… I love Heath ceramics - local San Franciscan, so this is perfect. Classic," said Wrath.
The White Elephant Sale has raised more than $30 million for the Oakland Museum over 60 years.
The sale opens to the public with a $7 admission fee on Wednesday, Jan. 29, and will run through most of February and into early March on select days.