“We are both into fashion and building community”
When Derek and EJ were offered the opportunity to take over Pocket Monkey Vintage, they didn’t hesitate. “When we were graciously offered the opportunity to be the new owners by the previous owner, we were excited to go on a business venture together which me and Ej had talked about previously,” they said. “Additionally, we are both into fashion and building community so having a platform to make a positive impact as young business owners very much inspired us to take on this new journey.”
That sense of inspiration and community has carried through to every detail of their new space on Tyler Street. “Deciding the new location proved to be a challenge,” they admitted. “We knew what we wanted and how we wanted to use a new space. Between going back and forth with properties we stumbled upon the 940 Tyler streets location and at first the suites were interesting at most and then we saw studio 4. We both had a feeling at first glance looked at each other and we knew this was the spot! It had everything we needed, enough space for the showroom and a work space we needed to add all the other services we wanted.
We love the charm that other locations didn’t have. It’s got a sense of mystery and history to it that drew us in and we hope it does the same for more people!”
Pocket Monkey Vintage has long been a beloved part of Benicia’s small-town charm, and Derek and EJ are determined to keep that spirit alive. “We hope to continue making it a great community space by making vintage and thrifting accessible to everyone regardless of what your paydays look like and having a safe and creative environment for everyone to enjoy!”
Part of what makes shopping at Pocket Monkey special is the thrill of discovery.
“Shopping vintage is like a hunt,” they explained.
“You go out to your favorite spots with friends and family or even go on your own, looking for something that catches your eye and when you do find something, you get a different feeling than you get when you go out shopping at new retailers. The items you find aren’t something that can be replicated to exactly how you found it.”
That uniqueness also connects to a larger purpose. “We hope that customers when they come in and look at items and or purchase them that the pieces they walk out the door with help to reduce textile waste that the fashion industry has had minimal care for,” they said. “In a sense, we’re just trying to help make buying used clothes cool again, not only do you save some fabric from waste but having a unique piece that’s no longer available? How could you not want to buy vintage!”
Beyond fashion, Pocket Monkey Vintage is about creating a place where people feel welcome—whether they’re shopping or just hanging out. “Ideally, they just take a look around and enjoy the physical media we have like records, art books, old magazines, etc. We want people to also experience our lounge area featured with a small fridge with complimentary drinks, lounge furniture, an arcade machine and more pieces of media to make the trip to the store worth it. We don’t want people to feel like they have to shop to come to the store so we can just make it a safe and creative community space for everyone.”
That sense of creativity extends to their future plans, too. “With the screen printing we want to keep it simple and more of just service to offer but still stick to primarily vintage,” they said. “We want to experiment with new brand designs (details will be secret for now), and offer screen printing to any local business or person who needs their brands on different garments.”
And while the shop’s offerings might be carefully curated, there’s always room for a bit of whimsy. “The sometimes hidden monkey decorations that may or may not be making silly gestures :)” they teased.
Asked to describe the shop in three words, Derek said, “Clocks cease function. The reason I describe the shop as such is because no matter how old or new a garment, collectible, or even a person that walks in the store is. There is always a place for it/them.” EJ added, “Nostalgia Take Over. Every time I walk into open, I get hit with nostalgia and a feeling of comfort… it never fails to dig up more memories that I don’t even remember having.”
Pocket Monkey Vintage isn’t just a store—it’s an experience, a reflection of memory, creativity, and community where, as Derek put it, “there is always a place for it/them.”
Derek’s favorite item discovered in the shop:
“A 1985 Brown Leather Avirex Pilot Jacket. Great wear, perfect weight, and an iconic jacket silhouette that captures attention. Honestly surprised no one has bought it…yet (Update: The jacket sold 2 days after I wrote the answer to this question)”
EJ’s favorite item discovered in the shop:
“The item that drove me crazy is a 1993 Spawn T shirt. It was in great condition with an awesome large graphic of one of the coming book covers and an amazing back graphic with the original spawn logo… it has since departed from the store and I miss it a lot.”
