Always find something totally wonderful here. As I get older, I find items that belonged to friends through the years,  & I realize the person is no longer here.

I found many great deals on my first visit. I am a long time thrifter so appreciated staffs organization as well as customer service. I was very impressed

One of the best thrift shops in the Monterey area. Yes, some things are expensive. But they have a lot of nice stock and I usually leave with something.

LCM continues to improve every time we visit. All the items for sale are presented so professionally now and the prices remain incredible. For a fun and rewarding experience of finding some great memorabilia and bargain shopping my wife and I highly recommend.
Bill G.

Friendly service 100%, every time. Last Chance supports the community in so many ways - the employees, the customers, the entire community. I love donating whatever I can to Last Chance, and also finding things I very much need at prices I can afford as someone who has very little to spend, if anything. You can find a little bit of everything there. Support Last Chance!

Greatest thrift in the Monterey area: it's huge (merch extends outdoors behind the store), prices are good, quality and variety on housewares is terrific. Parking extends out next to the building beyond the drop-off area. This is way out by the dump and worth the trip.

Thank you for the review! We love what we do and love the support we get from y'all

This place is fantastic! They have a great selection of everything from electronics to furniture, clothing, art, home decor and vintage items. Staff there is amazing super nice and helpful. Proceeds go to helping military veterans which is awesome.  It's my new favorite charity shop. Will definitely be going back.

I’ve been here a few times and the staff is always amazing and very helpful. The place is very organized and makes it easier to browse around. If you haven’t stopped by I highly recommend.

The store looks great. So much to see and so many choices. Before you buy new, check the last chance mercantile. Chances are they will have what you are looking for, and at bargain prices.

Thank-you for the review! We're glad to have you as a customer!

No longer called last chance, now it veteran benefits store. New management, much ,much more organized for each section, cleaner, more friendly emoyees available to help you. Has 2 exits /entrances, more parking. Did I say cleaner and higher prices.

Well-organized, lots of new stuff in every day. Seemed more organized and sorted than the last time I was in a couple months ago.

Good selection of furniture, appliances (large and small), housewares, tools, hardware (doors, windows, tiles, power tools, etc), barbeques, exercise equipment, and did I mention furniture?

They also offer used and unopened household chemicals like paint, varnish, stains, etc.

Lots of clothes and shoes outside (glad they moved those outside!) Lots of well-constructed tents shelter the clothes and nearly all furniture from the elements.

Prices are pretty reasonable with a few exceptions.

Thanks for the review, looking forward to seeing you in the store again soon!

Love it here always find unique things. Prices have gone up, but still worth it.

Glad we could help you out Ben! Thank you for the review!

Love this place. I found almost everything I needed for bath remodel and lot of  garden stuff. I would have spent thousands, instead pennies on the dollor.

Thank-you Gil! Glad we could help you out!

Went today and purchased and electric fireplace for my tv and a small dresser. The people that work there are awesome and very helpful.

Hello, thank-you for your honest review we appreciate it! Since re-opening we have adjusted our pricing philosophy to reflect feedback from our customers. Our prices are still higher than they were while the Monterey Regional Waste Management District was operating the Mercantile but we are striving to build a sustainable business model where we compensate our employees fairly for the hard work it takes to accept, clean, price, and merchandise the thousands of items that are donated to us daily.

Our goal is to divert waste from the landfill while providing funds to our parent organization, the Veterans Transition Center, so they can empower vets to move from crisis to self sufficiency. Thank-you again for the review and we hope that you come visit us again soon. Don't be afraid to ask to talk to management if you have more feedback, we are dedicated to provide a good shopping experience for our customers while acheiving the goals I outlined above.

Updated:  After complaining about the high prices after re-opening, I came back here on the advice of a friend.  I was very happy to see staff had listened to suggestions and dropped prices again while adding more inventory, primarily to keep it from going to the landfill. There were lots of great deals. I also appreciate the thoughtful response to my complaint and bad review that was posted by management. Best of all, profits benefit vets.

Thank-you for the review Kelly, we appreciate it!

It's been awhile since I have been back here... before covid,  before the remodel.  But I had some old paint & electrical waste to get rid of so this is the place I think of.  Upon driving up to the building & looking out to where the parking lot use to be full of all types of things It's now better organized,  sectioned off & colorfully labeled (so you know what your looking at & where to go). Inside is spaced out, no smell & again organized. The staff there are very friendly & helpful.  They also make announcements when sections of the store are closing (outside yard area), then they give you a heads up on how much time you have in the store.  Bathrooms 🚻 on sight too so that's helpful.  I just thought it was nice,  cleaner, friendlier, better organized, but pricing will depending on what your willing to pay.  I'm glad it's open again & looks to be doing great things.  I'll be back again.

Thank-you for the review with helpful info for our other customers!

New & improved, they are friendly and straightforward they can’t sell old furniture that’s well worn or with stains & holes, badly damaged wood furnishings. It’s a Veterans Benefit Shop raising money 💵 💰 💴 for military Veterans!
They need stuff in good condition.

Thank-you so much for your positive review Jeanne! We always love good feedback!

Hands down my favorite thrift store in the whole bay area!
Friendly staff and good finds.. every time!

Thank-you for your feedback, we appeciate it!

yay its open again.   new people running it-   mostly really nice but be prepared for a grump or two.   they cleaned it up but its got an area for the really last chance stuff .

Thank-you for the review Frank! We did raise prices upon reopening and knew there would be pushback from long-time customers but we are trying to build a business that is profitable and can remain open for years to come!

Love this place. Been coming here for years but like said in other really recent reviews prices have increased dramatically, (pre-COVID)remember going in and walking out with a lot of stuff for $50 now maybe 4 things. Still will continue to go…. I have a problem lol.

Glad you enjoy shopping with us and thanks for the review! See you
in the store soon.

Outstanding customer service from everyone of the friendly staff. Great finds and great prices.  This is a must go place. Every visit is an adventure.

I cannot tell you how many treasures my family and I have found here,  and how many items of ours have found new homes after we donated them as well ... this place is in my opinion the definition of recycle/ reuse ... I cannot day enough ... even the workers are amazing ... so kind and patient and helpful ... if you like Flea Markets and Garage Sales ... you will be in Heaven at The Last Chance Mercantile

-Larry-

Love coming to this place. Always leave feeling like I got a good deal and its worth the time and distance I travel to get there.
(1 1/2 hrs.)

Always find something useful and fun to just browse. Staff is always helpful and friendly. Plus is a great place to donate things i don't use anymore that someone else could, keeps less stuff out of the landfills.

This place is AMAZING! I go here almost every day. They always have great stuff. Cheap furniture, electronics, art, appliances, dishware, clothes, tools... So much! Check back frequently as their inventory sees a pretty fast rotation. Staff is nice and helpful.

Thanks so much Kelly. We appreciate you taking the time to give us an supportive review with some great photos! We're very open to hearing feedback any time, so please feel free to discuss any concerns with us!

This is my go to place when looking for items for my garden or inside my home.  It's a treasure hunt that can be a hit or a miss...I also love taking my clients donated items here too.  The staff at drop off are honest,  funny & are VERY pleasant to work with. On my latest visit I saw some physical changes being done to the outside yard & had to chk it out.  Expanding the space by using shipping containers makes it look soooo much bigger,  better organized & a better way to keep donated items better protected from the rain.   I will have to admit that I gave it a rating of 4⭐️ due to the prices are increasing and becoming more and more of a sticker shock depending on the item.  I know it supports veterans & rehabilitates them for a job program,  but it's called LAST CHANCE for a reason.

Thank-you for the review! We appreciate it a lot!


The change in running of the up-cycling shop has its pros and cons. The store space is well maintained and organized. The downside is that some prices on items are a bit expensive but still worth the treasure hunt!

Thank-you for the review, we're glad to have you as a customer! Please don't hesitate to kindly point out to an employee if you think a certain item is overpriced. Sometimes mistakes are made and customer feedback on the spot is incredibly helpful for our pricing team. We are happy to talk about any price any time with any customer!

I really liked that the place was organized,  they did have decent items, and it was clean.  Employees were friendly. What I didn't care for was the random pricing.  I don't mind paying a bit more for quality Collectibles.  But some prices were above retail.

I'm a collector so for that reason I'll pay up for quality items, but I'm also a reseller so naturally I look for deals. I also compare prices to new retail. So 15.00 for a warming plate is too much for a used one.

I'm not trying to discourage anyone from checking the place out. You might find that item you've been searching for.  The business supports veterans so with that fact I support them and would recommend them.

We're working on our reopening plan now. We hope to see you soon!

Now this place is temporarily closed due to this covid B.S. but when they are open the old saying of someone's junk is somebody else's treasure is true here very rarely have I walked out of there with nothing let's just hope that this comes to an end soon so that we can all go back to our lives .

Like going to garage sales without driving all over town. There's often a group of people that hang out by the back door that pounces on new items but my tastes are different than theirs.

The Monterey 'Dump Store'. Cheap place for building and gardening supplies. The parking lot is small but you can find great deals on reclaimed items.

So don't get me wrong the staff are friendly and helpful. However there are definitely some areas that need to be addressed especially when some items that are made of wood when was the raining season and those items got ruined. And I understand that every penny goes to the veterans but the prices have gone up considerably. 45 bucks for a two-burner Coleman stove now that's flea market prices and that's beyond garage sale prices. I'm not sure where the staff are looking at some of these other prices to help them price these items since they're getting donated to them? I mean it's the last chance of mercantile it's not an antique store it's supposed to be like a thrift store.

This is a place where you can find second hand everything. From furniture, pianos, mirrors, pictures and frames, pots, pans, clothes, tools, bicycles, electrical and electronics, TV 's, exercise equipment and just about anything! Also maintained by veterans. 🇺🇸 Their outside large lot has toilets, Plumbing stuff, tires, wheels, barbecues, picnic chests, windows,doors, drills, saws, power saws, vacuum cleaners and much more.

Thank-you for the review Ernest! We appreciate you!

More organized,  prices may be a little higher,  but what can u say about that. Not bad,

Thank-you for the feedback, we are working to find the balance between pricing goods high enough to pay for the labor it takes to off-load, sort, clean, price, move, and organize in the retail space while pricing low enough to ensure a steady flow of goods moves out the door and gets a last chance. If you ever think a specific item or type of item is priced too high, please do not hesitate to let our staff know! We are constantly updating and working on our pricing philosophy and incorporate customer feedback when and where we can.

The price increase is leading to things sitting on the lot longer. So long that it deteriorates the condition and eventually becomes waste. Last Chance is not giving some items a chance with a high price tag.

It's okay. I almost never find anything for men's. However they have a larger furniture section, compared to a local Goodwill, outside. Give it a shot for furniture if you have a way to haul it back.

Can occasionally find some cool stuff but all sales are final so be cautious with electronics. Most furniture is kept outside so they are normally weather beaten.

This used to be one of my favorite thrift stores in the area, but in the last year the prices have gotten insane. It’s not worth the long drive anymore, especially when there are stores with better stuff closer

The last time I was here the prices were worth the drive. Now the prices are ridiculous!

I understand they need to make money and the money is going to the Veterans, but $200 dollars for a work bench? Jeans are $15, a non name brand purse for $19!?

They also had a system where they would lower the prices as the merchandise sat weekly, they no longer honor that. What a shame. They are following Goodwill pricing. So sad.

I remember when last chance clothes were $1-$2 and they had dollar bins outside. Shoes and handbags were always priced decently around $5. I went in and they had urban outfitters jeans and hollister for $10-$12 which are goodwill prices. Honestly some of the dresses were more expensive then goodwill and when I looked at the label it wasn’t anything spectacular. I know I’m not the only one noticing the prices because two ladies next to me mentioned the same thing. The clothing section has been reorganized and it looks nice, but the prices are a bit ridiculous compared to before. I know that they need to make money, but they had a juicy bag priced at $25 that was falling apart inside and had makeup stains all on the front. I used to work at a thrift store and that would be an item that was priced lower or tossed out because the inside of it was crumbling apart. I get that you need to make profit, but a lot of the items aren’t even worth the price they’re asking for. And you could find them at another thrift store for cheaper or even just buy it at retail price. Also the jewelry is priced too high. Claire’s jewelry for like $8? Doesn’t make any sense to me

Hi Kelli! We're sorry to hear you had a less than awesome experience, if you do decide to come again please don't hesitate to talk to one of our employees or management. We really do want to provide an affordable, pleasant experience for our customers.
Also, thank-you for bringing the Ebay issue to our attention, we want it to be clear that we are not charging the price that is shown on Ebay, we are just trying to show the value of the item. We try to set the price at 25% to 50% lower than the Ebay price and then are open to bagaining with the customer. We will make this more visually apparent to our customers in the future!

We used to go here pre-Covid and got some great deals on furniture that needed a lot of work, but my husband is handy so it was great. We also donate a lot of stuff and my husband often takes old windows, doors, etc there.  We were hoping they would reopen.  However: Since they reopened we’ve been a few times and I have been shocked at the prices.  $5 for an old Starbucks mug.  And high prices on furniture that’s sitting outside in the rain and mist.  This last trip they had pictures of eBay prices on the items.  I realize they can’t give stuff away and they want to keep the doors open, but I don’t think we’ll be back.  It’s not eBay and what they don’t seem to understand is that just because something is listed on eBay for a certain price, does not mean that it sells for that price.  eBay sellers offer deals and as a buyer you can also bargain and offer less.  I have a hard time wrapping my head around getting things for free and then pricing them so high that no one will buy them.  One day we were there and the worker lady said to the cashier:  this is $100 plate.  I’m sorry;  but this isn’t an antique store.  No one is going to pay $100 for that plate!  Disappointing

Grossly overpriced. Most of the employees are outstanding, but in the recent year, I’ve noticed a huge spike in Prices! This used to be a place that people who can’t afford can shop but now that prices are so outrageously expensive dreams are shattered of finding gems in the rubbish!

One of the worst thrift stores now overpriced might as well shop online then waste your time 70 for an untested dirty ps3 wile a game store sells a refurbished one with everything you need for 70 and the furniture is way overpriced now also

Their pricing is ridiculously high. One guy who works there is extremely rude. Alot of their inventory is broken or in terrible shape (& still expensive).

Not only have prices increased with the new management, the people accepting items at the drop off point are way more fussy with what you can drop off.  What could have sold under the old management (chairs or furniture, in need of a little TLC) are turned away. We used to buy stuff like this to fix and resell, saving landfill space. Now a LOT goes straight into landfill.  NO LONGER A GREEN BUSSINES.  Sad. Every city should have had one like the old management. No more bragging from me.

I'm a regular. But becoming less of one because prices are comically overpriced. Goodwill is cheaper and that's saying a LOT.

We love dogs and we welcome dogs on leashes at LCM. We also appreciate customers who are responsible for any accidents their furry friends may have and we are always happy to help with the cleanup. We do our best to maintain a healthy and safe environment for all of our customers, their families, and their pets.

They are overpriced and hate sick animals. Don’t shop here if you love dogs. The main lady is the same person who overprices everything and is very rude.

They have multiple lights priced at over 100 dollars, paintings priced over 300, tables for 200, a pitch fork was 25 dollars.  I was told not to go near the high priced items because I might trip.  The new manager must think he is in Carmel.  Nordstrom is cheaper, save your money and drive to the city.  I thought it was a dump that sold things people gave away.  Come to get a couple laughs at how outrageous it is.

Melissa, we apologize for the loss of your sentimental item! Our gate attendants accept thousands of individual items a day and sometimes mistakes are made. You can always send in photos of items for us to pre-screen for donation before arranging for a large item to come our way to avoid something like this from happening in the future.

We wish we could accept anything and everything but we only have so much space and time to do so. We accept donations based on wether or not we believe another person would give the item a new home and even items that we will occasionally give away for free (like books or other goods that we have in large quantities) will sometimes sit for long periods of time and take up the valuable space we do have.

Again, we apologize for the less than stellar experrience and hope that you will continue to support us.

We took some antique furniture here. I was already having a hard time getting rid of it for sentimental reasons. It was all old oak and in excellent condition just needed a little refinishing. 2 dining tables and a hutch. One table belonged to my great-grandparents. Anyhow, when the person who took it for me got there they turned them away saying they don't take that type of stuff anymore?? They sent them to the dump!! Had I known this was the case I would have taken it back and now it's too late. Haven't been able to sleep since. Wish I could get it back. Been 2 days now and I'm just sick.

Last Chance Mercantile

Marty Horton

Lynda Melone

Brian H.

Bill Gilreath

Jessica Swan

Eileen Wyatt

Melissa Rose

Jenni

Karen Brown

Renée (Monterenée)