A passion does wonders

By Kayla P

We’re often told to follow your dreams or follow your passion. 

Classic Loot is the creation of someone who did. It’s an endearing location in San Jose under the genre of thrift store. It has quantities of clothing, accessories, and items to choose from that anyone will love. There’s always something for everyone.

Tam Tran, owner of Classic Loot, has enjoyed thrifting since she was in high school. She’s now an adult whose passion for thrifting has never left. 

Classic Loot officially opened back in December of 2012 online but in August 2020, Tran opened her newest store. As we all know, 2020 is when the world got exposed to Covid-19. Like most businesses, they got affected. Especially being a small business, it affected them difficulty leading Classic Loot to close down. 

Tran: “The pandemic really hurt us. We had to close down and I was sewing face masks with some of the clothes I couldn’t sell. I made money to survive for a few months like that.”

Classic Loot has done a great job with setting a fantastic and safe environment with shoppers or with anyone in general. When you walk by, you get pulled in by the interior and music playing from the inside. It’s personally decorated by Tran who wanted it to represent herself; fun, colorful, and to make sure everyone will have a wonderful experience.

According to Prizzy Boseugo, setting music in the store is one of her favorite things as an employee.

Boseugo enjoys her job here at Classic Loot even when only working here for around a year. It still draws her enjoyment to wake up and go to work. 

Boseugo: “Leading up to me finding that this job was hiring, I had already started being interested in vintage clothing and shopping. I guess what caught my eye was that it’s very open and friendly and it targets towards, I guess, feminism. Which I feel like that’s not very popular in the Bay Area, at least, the shops I’ve seen. It has been growing but this is one of the few shops that I feel is very bubbly and fun to just to always visit.” 

As Boseugo described Classic Loot, it has always and remains an amusing location to hang out or shop. That being one of the details shared to describe the store, it would be great for them to move on and progress as a business. Luckily, Tran has already thought of opening up more Classic Loots or different businesses but currently, she’s still working on this project. 

Tran: “I’d love to one day open different businesses that are FUN to me. Maybe a fun hanging out spot for teens and young adults that also has a little shopping and some snacks would be cool. A different location for Classic Loot? Maybe! I am still learning how to operate this one everyday, so once I master this one, I’d love to.”

To Tran, as being any other business owner, Classic Loot means a lot to her. She expressed that this store is a creative space where she could connect with the community and people who supported her journey doing what she truly loves, thrifting. And Classic Loot fulfilled her exact wishes. A wonderful passion that turned into a wonderful future. 

For the Warrior Times, I am Kayla Phan.