Winner: $100 Gift Certificate
Jackie Mirek
I’m reluctant to admit it, but I’m not a natural born risk taker. I love the familiar. And of course I love Crossroads, especially since I credit it for an exciting experience of the collision of routine and a rare risk.
I often stop by my Crossroads after a day at work and the gym. The tightly packed rainbow racks and salesgirls who know me help me unwind. So I was up to this trusted ritual one rainy day when l found an amazing t-shirt: brand new, with the sequin-strewn cover of David Bowie’s Aladdin Sane shining on the back. Beautiful and exciting, but not “me.” The next day, however, it was still dancing in my mind. I returned and it was there. Again, I passed. That Friday my friend was calling me, begging me to go out that night. I was in Crossroads yet again, looking at those red and orange sequins whispering my name. I resisted but eventually conceded to go, hung up, and grabbed the shirt. What the hell.
I threw the shirt on, my raincoat over it, and headed to the lounge. She had brought a few people I didn’t know. A gorgeous dark haired boy in glasses caught my eye. I was instantly nervous; what would I say? Everyone took their rain jackets off. The boy in the glasses was wearing a vintage Aladdin Sane shirt! A couple days later he called me. This time I didn’t have as much trouble taking a risk.
Runner-Up: $20 Gift Certificate
Greg Buckner
I am very happy to tell you that a single purchase at Crossroads Trading Company four years ago led me, in a funny way, to true love! In 2007, I had just moved up here to Washington from California. I needed a few new shirts and jeans, so I stopped in to Crossroads. I was browsing around and found this excellent pair of gray Levi’s for only $16! They were so awesome that after I bought them, I went and put them on in the dressing room. I then left and went to the bus stop to head home. At the bus stop, this sweet girl was smiling at me. I grinned back. Then, I kid you not, she said, “Nice jeans.” I went on to talk about how I just moved to Seattle and where my hometown was, and so on. We ended up having lunch a few days later and she laughed about how she was trying to have a cute icebreaker to talk to me. I thought it was adorable. We have now been together for four years and she is the love of my life!
I still have the jeans.
Runner-Up: $20 Gift Certificate
Karen J Hossfeld
This year, both my life and my closet were at a crossroads, and Crossroads Trading helped me out. I left a relationship, lost 65 extra pounds and re-launched myself.
After trading in a few items and donating the rest of my old plus-sized clothes to charity, this past summer I needed an entire new wardrobe. I also wanted a new style, all without breaking the bank. A few, fun, long trips to the Crossroads Trading stores in Oakland and Berkeley did the trick.
The stores had a fantastic selection in my current size 10. I am now newly outfitted for every occasion, including work, gym, hanging-out-at-home, hiking trails, lunch with grandma, political rabble rousing and night life. And with the money I saved, I can actually still afford to go out to places in my new clothes. I also love that trading and buying “resale” helps the environment, as well as my wallet. Thanks to the great Crossroads staff for all of your help and advice in creating my new look!
Runner-Up: $20 Gift Certificate
Michelle Mirek
With sore feet pounding the puddles of Seattle’s Broadway Ave., my last hope of catching the tow truck that pulled my Jeep was lost. Just great, what else could go wrong? As if in answer, rain restarted in earnest. And my rain jacket was prisoner in my Jeep. Oh well, thank you, universe. With rain quickening, I had to find a dry refuge for my frazzled self. Bars spilled people onto the street, but their loud and pungent welcome only seemed grating. I walked on, more sodden with each passing moment, when a bright orange beacon of light caught my eye. And what was that in the window? Stately mannequins dressed in a delightful array of coats- raincoats. I yanked the door open to find a sunny scene inside, bright wooden floors containing racks of brilliant rainbows. As if the beacon had summoned me to a place where the sun had broken free of the storm. I needed a raincoat, but I was suddenly, happily distracted by fuchsia and bright orange Juicy velour hoodies, brilliant blue and forest green J. Crew cashmere cardigans and the lure of a baby pink, supple leather Coach bag. My sad, wet state forgotten, I grabbed all I could hold, hoping the price tags wouldn’t hurt my already injured wallet. Seventeen-fifty for the Juicy hoodie? Surely I was imagining things. Where was I? I looked to the register, behind it embossed in metal was “Crossroads Trading Co.” Oh, well, THANK YOU, universe!
Runner-Up: $20 Gift Certificate
Nicole Richards
My stepsister and best friend, Kelly, finally came home to visit and it had been a year since I had seen her last. We grew up attached at the hip and whenever she visited we spent every waking minute together.
Unfortunately, we were not children anymore and I was a full-time college student working a full-time job. I barely had any time to spend with her and when I did, we just hung out around the house. Expenses were tight and I couldn’t afford to take us out to eat or shop.
One day before she left, we decided to go catch a dollar movie. After getting off on the wrong exit, we spotted Crossroads and Kelly began gushing about how much she loved the store. Since we had already missed the movie, I gave it a shot.
When we walked it, we were SURROUNDED by clothes. I looked at the price tags first (as I always do) and was stunned to find that I could actually afford what I wanted. We literally spent hours in that store giggling and trying on clothes. The associates were just as happy as we were and, for one afternoon, we became kids again. And when we checked out and each went home with an armful of clothes, we yelled and laughed and, quite simply, had fun. I want to thank you, Crossroads, for letting me reconnect with my sister and giving us a tradition that we follow every time she visits.
Runner-Up: $20 Gift Certificate
Lexi Osalla, age 8
My Auntie Eli is 23. She LOVES shopping a lot—especially at Crossroads! She says Crossroads has a lot of fashion things she can wear. She loves everything—she loves the belts, purses, shirts, pants, and boots. Another thing I have to mention is that she lives in Ecuador and there aren’t really the same clothes there as here and that’s why she is crazy for shopping. She tells me what she wants and then I run to find it! Plus, it’s the first time I’ve met her so this is my very first time meeting her. And plus, she didn’t even bring a suitcase full of clothes—it was empty! So that’s why she’s going crazy for Crossroads. Even I like Crossroads, even though I am little, but when I get older I’m going to be crazy for Crossroads, too.
