Check Out Brian McBroom’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Brian McBroom. 

Hi Brian, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself
I’ve always loved to keep an expressive wardrobe and am obsessed with retro pop culture. Back in 2012, you could only find what I wanted to wear at second-hand stores. I wanted to change that! So, I tooled and kitted my first mold- the visor shades and then quickly put the profits from visor shade sales into fanny packs and hats. I invested all my cash flow into product which meant I didn’t have enough money for a website or a booth at markets and festivals. Needing to figure out a way to sell my fresh gear, I decided to purchase a foldable table and set up under the street lamps. So yeah, the first official place B fresh was sold was on the street corner outside of packed venues. After a few nights out and some serious sales (or so I thought at the time), I learned I needed to purchase a peddler’s license. So, I did, and I popped my table up outside of Broncos games, Rockies games, concerts at the Fillmore- you name it! Anywhere a few thousand people would be congregated in a public space, there I was. Eventually, I had enough profit to purchase booths at makers markets. Then festivals. Then a website. Then trade shows. Now we’ve worked our way all the up to the event sponsorship level and even merchandise for a lot of activations. Humble beginnings for sure. I just knew I needed to hustle hard and everything would just somehow work out. 

I should also mention that I launched this brand in tangent with my rap carrier. B fresh was my answer to having an artist merch table. As a local rapper, money is hard to come by. I learned how to get paid with my unique line of merchandise. But that’s a whole story unto itself! 

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Hell no! I’ve had to sacrifice a lot. From starving artist to paying all your bills, anyone who has experienced this path can relate. You will lose sleep, relationship, probs fall behind on a bill or two, and wake up plenty of times in the middle of the night wondering what the actual fu*k you are doing with your life. I just kept believing and kept pushing forward. As a young business owner, accounting and properly filing taxes along with solving cash flow issues have been my biggest hurdles. 

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
Retro Fashion vibes! We are most known for our visor shades and fanny packs. In a lot of ways, B fresh beat the mainstream to the retro fashion trend. When we first started, a lot of people didn’t see the vision. I’d go so far as saying most thought it was ridiculous! Then we started picking up press. In 2016 the Huff Post included us in a top 10 article titled ‘The Fanny Pack is Back and There’s Nothing You Can Do About It’. They named us a top 10 brand to watch for our early contributions to bringing the fanny pack back. Then we became Etsy’s #1 selling fanny pack. Then we went to trade shows and landed contracts with Shinesty and Arapahoe Basin within the first hour. It was all pretty unreal to us at the time. I’m best known for my loud dress, work ethic (hustle hard), and passion for everything retro! From movies/tv, music, and fashion. To this day I still consume more 80’s and 90’s pop culture on a daily basis than anything current. 

What do you like best about our city? What do you like least?
The opportunity! Denver has a ton of opportunities to offer those who are paying attention. Further, it has a strong sense of community and the support for local businesses is strong! 

It’s becoming overcrowded and not so friendly. If you’re a native like me, you might remember Denver as a big city with a small-town vibe. Everyone said hello to you and you rarely heard about random acts of violence. Sadly, those days are long gone. 

Pricing:

• It is important to our ethos to remain affordable to our blue-collar roots.
• We have never priced an item over $100
• We offer one of the best quality most affordable sunglasses on the market.
• Readers of Voyage Denver can enjoy 20% off their purchase with code: voyagedenver

Contact Info:

• Email: info@bfreshgear.com
• Website: www.bfreshgear.com
• Instagram: @bfreshgear
• Facebook: @b fresh gear OR www.facebook.com/bfreshgear
• Twitter: @bfreshgear
• Youtube: @bfreshgear
• Other: TikTok @bfreshgear

Image Credits
John Apsey