We recently connected with Elizabeth Murphy Ben Malik and have shared our conversation below.

Elizabeth Murphy , appreciate you joining us today. Any thoughts around creating more inclusive workplaces?

As a company, we understand the importance of representation and inclusivity in the retail industry. Our clients are a reflection of our products and vice versa. For over 25 years, our thrift shops have been a destination for individuals to express themselves and shop without any gender biases.

To ensure that our stores accurately represent our clientele, we have carefully curated our team across all of our locations. We strive to create an environment where shoppers can see themselves in the store, feel seen and heard, and know that we have prices and items for everyone. Our sales professionals are relatable to our clients and able to speak to each individual and garment in a meaningful way.

As co-owner and wife to Ben Malik, Lizabeth firmly believes that in order to give life to the clothing, the store should accurately reflect the lives of its clients and team. This philosophy is reflected in our hiring practices, where we prioritize diversity and inclusivity in all aspects of our business. It is crucial that the store is not a reflection of ourselves, but rather of those we serve, as without our team and clients, there would be no store.

We view clothing as a story and take great pleasure in hearing each item’s story, as well as the next story it is about to have. From someone’s first Chanel bag to someone selling their first bag from their grandma, there is a story behind each dress and we strive to ensure that we put our clients in a dress that tells their story best.

Elizabeth Murphy , love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

The company’s origins date back to 1998, when Ben Malik came to New York from Burkina Faso with only $100 in his pocket. Through working odd jobs, he was able to save enough money to become a small business owner. While working in thrift shops in the 1990s, he honed his skills and knowledge of the trade. In 2010, he met Elizabeth Murphy and the duo decided to join forces to open high-end consignment shops throughout New York.

For over 25 years, the company has served over 3,000 consigners and handled a wide range of products, from designer bags from Chanel and Coach to Rolex watches and H&M clothing. Elizabeth has always had a passion for flipping and business, making her a natural fit for the company.

The company’s success can be attributed to the dedication and loyalty of its staff. In the retail industry, employees often stay for just 6 months, but our stores have retained employees for 5-10 years, which is rare in this industry. We attribute this to the friendships fostered within the stores’ walls, as our team truly became a part of our family. They were not just working for us, they were a part of our homes, were taken out to lunch by our parents and community, and were even hired from among our clients.

We always supported our team members’ growth and development, and if they had an idea or a thought, we let them run with it. Diversity and inclusion were not formalized in our company 10 years ago, but our weekly to monthly meetings always allowed for their voices to be heard. We built this company to work for the team, not the other way around, and this is what sets us apart from other local thrift shops at our core.

We’d love to hear about you met your business partner.

In 2010, Elizabeth Murphy was set to go on a blind date in Tribeca, but her date ended up being a no-show. She ended up having dinner at the bar with Ben Malik, who she had just met that evening. Two weeks later, he moved in with her. After completing her graduate studies, Elizabeth and Ben decided to join forces to open more stores together and the rest is history.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

Our system was hand written price tags and it was leaving for a lot of errors. We needed to switch to a POS system and it took a lot of time . I wish we can done that transition in a more seamless manner . There could have been a way to batch print labels and we didn’t take the time to learn that system.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.slopevintage.com
• Instagram: slopevintage
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lizabethmurphymalik/