Urban Ore Building Materials

Urban ore is an experience. It's a huge warehouse with everything from old organs to sinks and lighting fixtures. The prices seem higher than at other used building supply places, but if you want something SPECIFIC, this is a great place to find it.

Lots of clawfoot tubs. Very crowded on weekends.

One odd thing of note:

For some reason, the whole place smells like cat pee, even the outside area.

This place is especially great for building materials, kitchenware, and office supplies.

There is a constant inflow and outflow of things, but one useful, mainstream thing I can always count on to be here are office supplies. Don't ever buy paper products, binders, desk organizers, bulletin boards or anything of that sort ever again.

The salvage materials and all are great and amazing and provide for fun projects, but the office supplies really stand out to me because I need them for my work (a small non-profit, which means we are in charge of supplying whatever we need).

There are other salvage places, used book stores, clothing thrift stores, and used tools (ever gone to the Laney College Lake Merritt Flea Market? That's the place to go if you're looking for tools.) But I can always go to Urban Ore to supply the office with these needed (but usually expensive for their value and wastefully-produced) items.

Also check out the East Bay Depot for Creative ReUse for other paper goods.

A mecca of junk and I mean that in the best way possible. It's a warehous the size of an airplane hanger full of everything. Old toilets, scrap wood, books, furniture, clothes, a player piano (!), stoves, toys, electronics. Everything. You could build your dream house here. It's great just to walk around in. Perhaps my favorite place in the bay area.

Urban Ore is a great 'wasteland' in which to go tooling around whether you have an art project, a home repair, or just some time to be in among a mass of random Stuff. Sells doors, windows, lumber, marble, bricks, tiles, glass, mirrors, molding, lighting fixtures, hardware, gadgets, toys and household items.