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By Heidi Hope
November 13, 2025 (La Mesa) – If you’re looking for men’s and women’s vintage and contemporary fashions, you’ll find a treasure trove of resale clothing and accessories at The Vault. Run by Michelle La Bruno, The Vault is located at the corner of Lemon Avenue and Nebo Drive in La Mesa’s downtown village, tucked behind the train locomotive museum in the storefront formerly occupied by Unique Boutique.
Asked how her vision for the boutique arose, La Bruno explained, “I was actually trying to figure out what kind of business I wanted to do. My youngest daughter started doing pop ups and reselling clothes and I was helping her and enjoying it.”
So, when the owner of Unique Boutique offered her the space, La Bruno eagerly agreed. . “My hopes and dreams are just to have fun and enjoy what I’m doing right now and work hard,” she said, adding that she hopes to eventually open a second location.
“My dreams are to have a legacy of some sorts for my girls.”
La Bruno’s love for fashion also emerged from the fascination she got through shopping at secondhand stores with her grandmothers and aunts at a young age, where she got to experience purchasing gently used clothes and still dressing well in them.
“I started thinking back in my life and realized that it started very young. I remember going to Thrift stores with my mom and grandma. We used to go to one in Santee in the 70’s...I thought it was so cool. I didn’t know it was gently used clothes,” La Bruno shared.
The boutique’s name, The Vault, stemmed from inspiration arising from people's stories about the clothing items.
“Every piece is unique, and it all has a story. Everybody that I have come across, shopped with, they all have stories, and I feel like these things get to continue and people get to enjoy these things that these people treasure.” La Bruno explained.
La Bruno uses a couple of vendors to find her garments and focuses on garments that are well-kept.
“I try to buy garments that are nice and people take care of.” La Bruno said. “I have men’s and women's. I have a little bit of everything. I have shoes, purses, and bolos. I carry everything, small, medium, large, extra large” La Bruno said.
La Bruno offers 20% off on Farmer’s Market Friday for anything in the store, except designer items.
To La Bruno, fashion is always a comeback and can endure through many eras.
“I see fashion as always going to be there. You’re always going to recycle it. It’s always going to come back. We are wearing things from the ‘80s, the ‘90s, and the 2000s right now, even back down to the ‘60s.” La Bruno said.
When I visited, I found leather, suede and corduroy jackets, cute and colorful shoes, Western boots and a fringed leather purse, affordable scarves, and even a men’s Tribe America fringed leather jacket at $150; similar new ones retail for up to $2,700. I was able to purchase my first ever scarf for $10, which was a big discount. This is a good example of the reasonable pricing that The Vault offers.
La Bruno is also trying to protect the environment through her business, along with the excitement of wearing something new. “That’s what I’m trying to do. I feel like you can take anything and put it together and make it look cute. If everybody’s wearing the same thing because there’s a million of one item, it’s not as fun,” La Bruno concluded.
The Vault is located at 4674 Nebo Drive, La Mesa, CA. It is open from Monday to Friday 11 a.m.- 6 p.m. along with Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. You can also check them out on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/p/DNl4x39y3Lr/.
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