Brothers Luis and Salvador Salado-Herrera balance full-time Best Buy careers with running their own vintage streetwear store with their younger brother, Daniel.
The store, called Bro Bros Closet, has expanded over the last seven years from an online-only operation to a physical location in south Minneapolis where the brothers focus on building relationships with customers and their community.
“When we’re able to help customers find a nostalgic item or something that brings a smile to their face, that’s the most rewarding thing,” Daniel said.
Making it happen
Salvador, the middle brother and a Best Buy finance analyst, brought the idea to his brothers when he sold a vintage jersey online. Luis, the oldest brother and a social impact associate manager, and Daniel immediately got on board.
The brothers began sourcing clothing and storing their finds in Luis’ basement. Then, they’d sell the items online.
When choosing products, the brothers take inspiration from what they were surrounded by growing up in the Minneapolis metro area. They began by finding 1990s streetwear, mostly focused on sports or bands.
As the business began to grow, the brothers would write their goals on sticky notes posted on the walls and check them off as they accomplished each one. In 2020, Bro Bros Closet checked off one more goal when they signed a lease for their first brick-and-mortar operations in south Minneapolis.
Having hosted vintage pop-up shops in the past, the brothers knew a face-to-face element would be exciting for customers.
“Each piece we carry is unique, and having an in-person experience with someone to help in the store makes a huge difference,” Luis said.
The store opened in early 2021 and has allowed the Salado-Herrera brothers to express more of who they are by more authentically connecting with customers and curating products they love. In addition to clothing, Bro Bros Closet offers vinyl records and CDs and features work from artists in Minnesota and the greater Midwest.
“Seeing other people happy in our store and hearing all the nice things they have to say brings me joy,” Salvador said.
Balancing Bro Bros Closet and Best Buy
While Daniel works full-time at Bro Bros Closet, Luis and Salvador balance their full-time jobs at Best Buy and time with the family business.
Luis first joined the company in 2019. He said the values and culture at Best Buy are important to him and are why he encouraged his brothers to also come work at Best Buy. Salvador joined the company in 2021, and Daniel completed an internship with Best Buy last summer.
“We have a similar approach to Bro Bros Closet that Best Buy has, which is to put the customer at the heart of what we do,” Luis said. “We want our customers to have true self-expression and to feel like they’re part of something.”
Salvador is also grateful for his colleagues’ support.
“We give it 100% at Best Buy and 100% at Bro Bros Closet,” he said. “Everyone at Best Buy is understanding and wants us to succeed at both.”
Now that their physical store has been opened for over a year, the brothers are focused on expanding their presence online outside of Minneapolis and launching a website.
“It makes me so proud when I think about what we have accomplished in the last six years,” Luis said.
You can follow Bro Bros Closet on Instagram or visit their store at 118 E 26th St Suite 101, in Minneapolis.