"I feel like I try to hit every angle and stay true to the eras and the times. I believe that if you have a good product, people will keep coming back. I don't have a plan B - this is what I do."
"I've always thrifted. I was a little raver kid, and when Crossroads came here, it was exciting. We didn't have many vintage stores, and it had an alternative vibe that made me feel like I needed to work there."
"I was working too hard and realized at age 26 that I could open my own place. I was also working at a coffee shop at 3:30 or 4 in the morning, and would go to the shop from noon until 7 p.m. Sometimes we would stay until midnight. Those first three years were a struggle, and we weren't getting paid."
Monisha Murray, a San Jose native, established Black & Brown, a vintage clothing business that has expanded from a single 2,000-square-foot store to two adjacent locations featuring classic women's and men's clothing from the 1940s onward. Murray's career began at Crossroads, a buy-sell-trade chain, where she worked her way up to manager and buyer trainer over seven years. She later gained experience at Beacon's Closet in New York before returning to San Jose at age 26 to launch her own venture. The early years required significant sacrifice, including working at a coffee shop at 3:30 a.m. before spending afternoons and evenings at the store. Murray's success stems from her commitment to quality inventory and authenticity to each era represented in her collection.
Read at San Jose Spotlight
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