This favorite downtown Fresno thrift shop is closing — but not for long. What’s next?
Ask for a thrift shop recommendation in Fresno and Yoshi NOW! is usually one of the first places a Fresnan will suggest.
For 18 years, the store has operated out of a distinct building smothered in comic book-style murals at 648 Broadway St. in downtown Fresno. Inside, it’s loaded with 1970s dresses, mid-century modern end tables and Garfield stuffed animals.
But now that classic spot is closing. You have until Sunday to hit up the resale shop and its 50% off sale. It’s open from noon to 5 p.m. Friday and this weekend.
Yoshi NOW! is not going out of business, however.
It’s moving to the other Yoshi business that’s been operating under the radar for months in Chinatown.
Yoshi WORLD
Yoshi WORLD is at 1410 Kern St. — across the street from the award-winning La Elegante Taqueria. Yoshi WORLD is a nondescript building you can find mostly by looking for the used stuff stacked out front.
Inside is a traditional Yoshi experience. Longtime Fresnans may remember the now-closed Yoshi’s Vintage/Thrift Warehouse in the former Nabisco warehouse on E Street. Yoshi WORLD is similar to that.
It’s not quite as chaotic, but you’ve got to be willing to search for treasures and not mind the lack of air conditioning. While Yoshi NOW! was more focused on clothing, Yoshi WORLD is all about the housewares, furniture and collectibles, with everything from dishes to vintage chandeliers hanging from the ceiling in the basement.
“I’ve had a lot of people say, ‘Oh, the abandoned building has thrift store in it,’” said Rio Toi. “It’s packed, we are definitely at capacity right now.”
She’s the daughter of Yoshi Toi, who, along with family, has been running all the Yoshi businesses, including a thriving estate sale operation.
He is semi-retired now and his daughter is stepping up her role. She’s driving some of the changes.
“We realized a lot of our Yoshi NOW! customers weren’t even aware of Yoshi WORLD,” she said. “It would be a nice thing to do for our customers to have a one-stop shop.”
The businesses will have separate entrances and maintain their own identities.
While the modest Yoshi Toi was not big on things like signs for his businesses — preferring to rely on word of mouth so he didn’t run out of inventory — his daughter is all about marketing through social media such as Instagram.
The new Yoshi NOW! will probably open in September. And it won’t be the inventory from the old location.
“We’ve been pretty much just hoarding and getting ready to bring something new to Fresno,” she said.
The new spot is a former Yaohan, a Japanese grocery store. It was the major chain’s first American store, and closed in 1988, according to Bee archives. (It also had another location that lasted a little longer at C and Stanislaus streets.)
The building is owned by a family member, which gives the business owners a little more flexibility to paint and make other changes. They’re planning some big murals, inside and out.
Yoshi WORLD also recently received a grant to redo its facade.
And the current Yoshi NOW! building on Broadway? Toi won’t reveal details, but is teasing something new in the space.
“We’re going to keep the 648 location and do something new with it,” she said.
Details: Yoshi NOW! is at 648 Broadway St. until Sunday. Hours: Noon to 5 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Yoshi WORLD is at 1410 Kern St. Hours: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.
