Gold Star Discount Store

Walking by this store you may want to pass it up as it looks like most stores you expect to see on clement. They sell cheap housewares, random trinkets, toys, plants, and luggage. This store is really crowded as there are products lining every wall and walkway. If you’re claustrophobic this may not be for you. While there are cheaply made items that will catch your eye you will probably be surprised by the cost. 9.99?! Some of the things inside here are overpriced but you will find anything and everything you didn’t know you needed and walk out spending $ 15. This store reminds me a lot of the San Jose flea market type goods except the convenience of it being in the city. There’s something here for everyone but it will be up to you to find just what that is!

This is one of these stores where you can find low cost items for around the house (especially the kitchen). The plus about this store is that the aisles are roomier compared to some similar stores I’ve been to (in particular MV Trading on Irving Street in the Sunset). The staff is congenial when I asked them a question about an item, so that’s good.

This is a nice little general store.
It’s one of those, «we have everything, just ask,» kind of places. It looks cluttered at first glance, but there is a method behind the madness.
I asked the clerk if she carried watch bands, and out came a box of assorted bands. In (New) Chinatown things rarely are wrapped individually, and I was invited to go through the box and see if there was one I wanted.
I picked out a leather band with stitching for $ 4.37 total.
Problem solved.

This shop has so much stuff that it’s hard to find anything but if you’re willing to ask the staff, they will miraculously locate it for you while navigating into the smallest corner of the store. I just bought a stack of paper lanterns here ($ 2.99 each!) for my wedding… another shop a few blocks away has some for $ 0.99 each but they only have white and red ones. These guys have a bunch more colors. Yay!

I can blame the Gold Star Discount Store for many of the little knick knacks and Bay Area souvenirs I have in my apartment. I enjoy popping in every time I’m in SF to see what goodies they have to offer. It’s pretty easy to kill some time and get lost in their clusterf*** of stuff.

This is among the best stores I have ever entered whilst living here. It’s like the poor man’s Ikea. Well, not exactly. I mean Ikea in the way that I can get bathroom slippers, silverware, kitchen utensils, doormats, brooms, and tupperware. Basically just regular crap that people have in their apartments. It’s a dream because of how cheap it is. I was stuck in there for a good hour last time.

Wow, I love discount stores in the mission and on Clement. This place is a real hole in the wall but has some serious gems inside. And by gems I mean really cheap goodies that make for a sweet gift for those with a good sense of humour. But there are also some really cheap useful things like hammers, soap, and socks. If you need those or a pikachu bowl– they’ve got you covered.

This is one of many Chinese/​Asian discount stores found in Clement/​Chinatown. I love frequenting stores like these when it comes to buying small necessities (shower caddy, laundry basket, chair stools, etc.). Hell, I know I could go shopping at IKEA or Target or Wal-​Mart for the same things, but… at these discount stores, I can spend less and get more. These are true DISCOUNT stores; granted, the quality may not be as great as the retailers, but for certain items, it really doesn’t matter to me.
I’ve been to Gold Star Discount Store several times and they have not disappointed me with each time I visit. My most recent visit was a spontaneous one, when I suddenly remembered that I needed to buy a sturdy shower caddy. Luckily I was strolling along this stretch of Clement and, instead of heading into Walgreens (and paying $ 5+ for a shower caddy there), I paid maybe at most $ 2 for the caddy I found at Gold Star. It’s simple, but it works!
They also sell a lot of random Chinese knickknacks at Gold Star, which are fine for Chinese holidays and such. Other «necessity» type items include socks, slippers, shampoo, etc., although I don’t think I’d buy any of those items unless I was really tight on money.
Chinese discount stores get the job done with no nonsense. =)

if you ever need a lighter/​compass/​led light combination, you can find it here for $.99!
–there are no further words that can better describe gold star discount store.

They have what has to be the tackiest item I’ve ever seen.
Its a five foot tall floor lamp, the post is clear plastic with water bubbling inside and fake fish swimming around. Smoke comes out of the top. Don’t ask me how or why!
I did find a cute mashi-​mara alarm clock here for only $ 7.99.
They have a wonderful selection of japanese style dish ware, and as mentioned practically any household type item you can think of.

Of all the discount stores on Clement, I’ve got to say this is my favorite. The narrow aisles are packed higher than i can reach with all sorts of things. The store is pretty small but they really manage to have a lot of merchandise, and most of it is useful stuff.
They have lots of tools, some sewing notions, bath scrubbies, and a pretty impressive (for such a small space) selection of kitchen and housewares.
I got some great yellow and green metal enamel bowls here last week for 79 cents each. A steal!
I just noticed they seem to have a ton of thermoses and other containers to keep your food warm, and they have more wastebaskets and similar items than I remembered.

This store has a little bit of a lot of different things– plastic containers and tubs of many different sizes, picture frames, plungers, hand towels, cook wear, dishes, bowls, water bottles, place mats, collapsible laundry baskets, household cleaners, combination locks, eyeglass repair kits, hammers, screwdrivers, key chains, clocks, aquarium lights with swimming fake fish, bamboo plants, plant food, and many other things, plus the prices are pretty good.

Saw all the knick knacks on display outside the store from tupperware to cleaning products, I figured they would have sandwich plastic bags and aluminium foil. Was out of foil and decided to pick a box up $ 0.99. YAY! They also carry plastic flowers, cookery, cleaning products and all are very reasonably priced.