During Kate’s recent Bay Area visit, we stopped by the Serena & Lily outlet. Although it’s a lot smaller than the one in Vacaville, it’s a lot more convenient as well. Like most outlets, it probably pays to be a regular visitor, to score the best deals.
The Serena & Lily outlets feel like “real” outlets- that is, they don’t produce a bunch of cheap stuff to sell at their outlets. The inventory consists of (as far as I can tell) samples, returns, and true overproduced items.
It’s actually nice that they offer a lot of this stuff for sale- some brands destroy anything that has been returned. Which seems like a horrible waste.
It’s usually a good idea to go into places like the Serena & Lily outlet with an idea of what you are looking for. Bonus points for actually having taken measurements before leaving your house. AND bringing a measuring tape with you to the store!
Of course it helps to be super familiar with current and past Serena & Lily items, so you can gauge whether you are getting a deal. The Berkeley location of the Serena & Lily outlet is a good source for some of the odds and ends returns, pillow cases (indoor and outdoor) and some standout pieces like the chandelier below.
And I loved this long bench- again, it would be amazing in the right space.
The Vacaville outlet was really much better on the rug selection. Makes sense- they take up a lot of space and it’s not practical to fill up half the Berkeley store with rugs. But they did have a few sisal ones. I’m off of sisal- just doesn’t make sense with a shedding dog- but they are pretty.
And there were a few items that would be a total bargain if they were just what you were looking for…
There were some bed and bath linens in stock in the back. But I wasn’t in the mood to fight the ladies that going through each item one by one. It was going to be a battle to find matching sets and I wasn’t up for it. 🙂
There was also some wallpaper in a big bin. Again, you are going to want to know what you want and the amount you will need for your space. And maybe matching dye lots is an issue; I’ve never wallpapered a space before.
We left after about 25 minutes- Kate had picked up some small area rugs and a lovely big basket. Overall, a successful outing!
Serena & Lily outlet, 2236 San Pablo Ave, Berkeley, CA 94702
