Fresno Mayor Jerry Dyer examines a pair of red Puma sneakers with Thrift Vault owner Brandon Bottoms during the store's grand opening Friday at 7034 N. Cedar Ave. Photo by Ben Hensley

A startup secondhand storefront opened in Fresno Friday, promising a curated thrifting experience focused on designer and name-brand items.

Fresno Mayor Jerry Dyer and the Fresno Chamber of Commerce joined The Thrift Vault for a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Friday, April 3, celebrating the grand opening of the store located at 7034 N. Cedar Ave. north of Herndon Avenue. It is the first brick-and-mortar retail venture for owner Brandon Bottoms, a longtime Fresno resident and former Realtor.

Bottoms said the storefront is only a small part of the business. Starting Sunday, The Thrift Vault will offer its full inventory through its online store. 

The opportunity to jump into the retail sector after two decades of work in real estate stemmed from both Bottoms’ desire to interact with customers as well as filling a niche interest in thrifting and resale.

 

“I’ve always done it on the side,” Bottoms said. “Out of the house, out of the garage, just meeting people.”

Bottoms said the store focuses on sourcing the kinds of items that thrift shoppers often search for but rarely find under one roof.

“Everybody’s going out and they’re looking for the gem, the home run,” Bottoms said. “They want to find that Gucci shirt. They want to find the Fendi pair of shoes.”

The Thrift Vault sources merchandise through auctions, estate sales, thrift stores and individual sellers across the country.