Ruby’s Garden

This place is THE cutest! It’s not the most affordable spot to buy children’s clothing, toys, and more, but it’s definitely unique and for the mom, dad, and kid who aren’t satisfied with mass-​produced boring items.
Staff are friendly and when we were window shopping before my son’s birth, we met the shop dog! A sweet juvenile pit puppy who totally melted our hearts. I’m really eager to go back and pick out some books and clothes for my son, Arlo. Ruby’s Garden is an exceptional store for exceptional kids and it’s nice to have it as an option for those of us who aren’t satisfied with mainstream children’s stores.

Great store and they give great store credit when you sell your old kid stuff there. Very generous, in my opinion. Long live the little mom n pop local kid shops.

Ruby’s Garden is a delight. They have fun new and used clothing and shoes for kids. I walked in today, the day before Mothers Day and am offered a Mimosa in appreciation of Moms everywhere. What a nice treat. The sales people actually asked me if I needed help — thanks for offering! While I’m shopping the owner’s son and his band were playing music and singing just outside the store — good music and nice voice too! Then while waiting to pay and have my purchases gift wrapped, I get to hold a 3 week old bunny.
Best shopping experience I have had in ages. I’ll be back.

I really like this shop for trading in used kids clothing, and for buying toys. The staff is really nice, and the selection of used clothing is great.

Def worth a stop for when looking for something nice for every day or for special occasion for your young one. Everything is so cute, good quality, and unique.

super cute clothes, and a somewhat decent used/​consignment section. the two times I have been in the shop, the staff wasn’t very friendly though. it’s a kid store! put on a happy face, people.

Super cute kids stuff — great for presents! I like that they have used clothing too. And the staff was very sweet and helpful!

Ruby’s Garden is my favorite children’s clothing boutique! They have a great selection of artfully designed children’s clothing, shoes and toys. Its definitely a place I go to to pick up thoughtful gifts. The staff is always friendly and helpful.

I love this place, and it is my go-​to for my baby girl’s clothing and toys. They carry a great selection of clothing (I especially love the SF-​designed Tea Collection), and Mae, the owner, is always open to suggestions regarding what else to carry. The sales people there are super friendly and helpful, and I can always order a special item if they don’t carry it in stock. I also love how they help me put together outfits. I also love their gently used section — I’ve both sold and purchased things from there. Their first Fridays are great, too! You get light refreshments, they’re open later and you get double stamps!
It’s a darling place, and I’m happy I can support local business! Even if it weren’t in Oakland, I would still drive a ways to shop there. Check it out! :)

Omg, I got so excited when I went into the store bc I thought this was the most perfect consignment store ever… And then I discovered, the gently used items were located in the back. About ¾ of the store had brand new items and clothes that were way OVERPRICED! I felt so tricked.

Gorgeous stuff! Really nice staff.
My favorite section is the resale part. I can always find something I like at a reasonable price.
One day I will buy something new… or bring the grandma by to do it. :)

Add to the chorus of positives for this very well run consignment shop. The staffers are all busy bees, working on keeping everything fresh and updated, and helping customers with a friendly but laid back approach. Great close options, walked out with just what we needed for a wedding. Well organized and a great combination of both used and new clothing.

A good place for kids clothes, and toys. There are some used clothes options and other small cute out of the ordinary things to choose from. We got our daughter a tiny knit viking hat here for her Halloween costume and it was just the ticket.

It’s ok. I like the clothes exchange, but sometimes the used clothes are pricy. I wish there were more used baby items (slings, gear, breast feeding things, etc).
I love the artsy things and book section!

Whenever we need to get a gift for my niece, a friend’s baby or our own baby, we always come here. With their new bigger store the selections are even better and the support they have for local vendors is great.
Loved that you can bring all your used clothes here and then get credit to get more used clothes as kids grow fast.
The owners are super helpful and down to earth.

I accompanied a friend of mine who makes handmade goods when she went in to talk to someone working there about selling some of her items in the store. I think it is very weird that the person working there volunteered information that they buy some of their toys for literally a few dollars each from a factory in China (she was explaining why my friend wouldn’t do well selling her stuff in the store – they’d have to compete against $ 6 dolls). I don’t wanna know this about a local store! That just brings to mind images of pre-​teens slaving away at sewing machines.
Still, I think the store carries its share of unique gifts from local artists (hopefully they’re getting a good cut of the sales) and I do normally try to buy all my presents from Bay Area artists.

I have walked by the old store a few times during my lunch breaks from Children’s Hospital, but didnt check it out. I figured that I’d stop by with my family so we could check it out together. Come the weekend, I stopped by and they have moved across the street! So we go there and it is a bigger store. I was amazed by the store’s set up as it was very comfortable. They had a lot of great items for kids, organic and locally made. We bought our son some new shoes (company name Native) and a new backpack from «ecosnoopers». Having a good selection of clothes and shoes, educational toys and books. Prices were great. The staff was very friendly too.
Definitely a good place to buy baby/​kids stuff that will stand out!

When there’s a baby boom all around you and newborns are suddenly friending you on Facebook, there’s really only one thing to do — find a great kids’ store.
Sure, you could go generic and pick up a onesie at Baby Gap. But if you’d prefer that the new parents actually keep your gift, go to Ruby’s Garden. Their clothing, toys, and stuffed animals are unique and fun. Can someone please buy me the wings you can lace onto your sneakers?
The items aren’t cheap — I dropped $ 100 — but are well worth it. Clothing is locally made, and the effort is obvious in the quality of the goods. For the Vermont baby in my life, I bought a super-​soft, impossibly tiny fleece jacket that will keep her warm in the fall, and a frilly blue onesie swimming with sea life; for my hipster nephew (one year old and completely unaware that he’s been hipster-​ized), a lime green t-​shirt with glow-​in-​the-​dark headphones; and for the newest mom I know, a Baby Book bedecked with owls and ample space for stories and photos. The store owners are well aware that these purchases are often gifts, and as such offer free gift wrapping. They have a beautiful selection of wrapping paper and ribbons, and do an infinitely better job than I could ever do myself.

In honor of my dear friend’s second child, a precious little baby boy, who I have yet to meet he’s so new, I write a review of Ruby’s.
My pal is really into organic stuff, as am I, but after your first child, you sort of… fizzle out with all of the baby stuff… all of the carefully laid plans of the first child seem hardly necessary and taxing for the second. It kind of reminds me of the outfit I was photographed in at my Christening Party, age 6 months. It was a rather haggard number– A Yellow Sesame Street Onesie that my Dad thew on after we got home from church. Who knows what had occurred that necessitated the change, but despite being cute as hell, I was in that damn frumpy onsie! See, I was #2– I didn’t even get photographed in any pretty christening dress.
So, much like the raggedly onesie my Dad put me in, I waited until the last minute to get stuff for baby #2. I was shopping online for organic cotton stuff on Saturday. It was all incredibly tiny and expensive, but I found a sale. Well, for 6 things, even with a sale + the S&H (ugh, and tax!) total was $ 75. I decided, damn, If I’m going to spend $ 75, maybe I should put it back into the Local economy, rather than some online operation.
Enter the awesomeness of Ruby’s! It’s close to my home, totally cute, and you can actually find parking in the lot if you are lucky. I know this might be slightly tacky, but I don’t care– I think my friend will be fine with it… I found a TON of infant baby clothing, USED. Each piece was like $ 2 – 3. Yep, and I think that’s more eco than buying Organic Cotton. I got two hats, a couple of onesies, little baby clothes of all sorts for 0 through 12 months, all for $ 38. All of it is adorable, and in great condition! Super cute. I have to confess I have laid it out and looked at it all a couple of times since I bought it. Sigh.
Ruby’s is great, awesome selection, super cool stuffed animals, gifts, baby needs met. They have older kids stuff, too. Now I have another $ 37 in my budget to spend on baby #2! Yay to second borns!

Excellent selection of super cute stuff for kids — not even what I would consider normal kid stuff from my childhood but stuff that is so cute that I said to my friend Alison W, «I wish they made that in MY size!» They even have these adorable super-​hero capes which definitely look better than the ratty blankie my little brother used to wear around his neck for his bouts as «SuperIntendent»! (I am not kidding — not superman — superintendent — we thought he was destined for a career in local politics at a young age).
I would give 5 stars but the first thing out of the cashier’s mouth when I commented on how cute stuff was in the shop: «Have you had children YET?» Wow, lady — check that assumption at the door or you don’t get my money! LOL!
Now I know where to shop for Godzilla Nephew for his 2^nd birthday in April — but since he’s already in 3T, I better wait til it’s closer to his birthday before picking out anything he might wear!