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Buffalo Exchange
Category: Shopping Fashion Used, Vintage & Consignment Used, Vintage & Consignment
504 Driggs Ave(between 10th St & 9th St)
Brooklyn, NY 11211
Neighborhood: Williamsburg - North Side
(718) 384-6901
- Nearest Transit:
-
Bedford Av (L)
Lorimer St (L)
Metropolitan Av (G)
- Hours:
Mon-Sat 11 am - 8 pm
Sun 12 pm - 7 pm
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
Jess W. said: "Vivid, funky, and eclectic wrap up this vintage fashion boutique. Amarcord's selection consists of pieces from the 1940s to 1980s, with most pieces from European designers. The lacquered white walls and shelves of their SoHo location…" read more »
143 reviews for Buffalo Exchange
Review Highlights
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"Beacon's Closet organizes their clothing by color." In 17 reviews -
"She complimented my clothes and made me comfortable." In 62 reviews -
"I always find something unique." In 4 reviews
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143 reviews in English
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Review from Elif I.
Coppell, TX
3/29/2012
I visited this store in my recent trip to NY... Did not get anything but I still liked it...
See my trip details...
http://dailydoseofdome... -
Review from Morgen B.
4/21/2012
The selection here is decent for women, sparring for men. Nonetheless, I did find an awesome G-Star Raw jacket for $32, when they normally go for $200 plus...so, I'll take that as a win.
The fitting rooms are spacy enough and the staff are pretty friendly. Check it out for shopping but I would never consign here, saw plenty of people leaving with bags still full of clothes.Listed in: Thrift Stores Are For Cool…
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Review from Finlay L.
Brooklyn, NY
3/16/2012
Came in with a bag of old clothing that had been weighing me down, albatross-style, for way too long. Things that don't fit, or that never fit, or that really just needed a new home elsewhere. The girl at the buying counter was very helpful about explaining everything, and we bonded over having tattoos by the same artist :)
They ended up taking about half my stuff, and what they didn't want I was able to donate to charity. Goodbye, old clothes, goodbye! As for me, I was given the choice of $46 in credit or $27 in cash...hmm.
"I'll just take a quick look around," I thought to myself. Let's see...Tacky blouse, ugly sweater...
Suddenly after looking through the dresses and skirts I found myself with an armful of designer and might-as-well-be-designer swishy skirts and sundresses, none priced more than $28 (and a few that originally had far heftier price tags). While I was trying things on I overheard one of the employees doling out very helpful fashion advice to another customer, and suggesting ways to spice up her new look. Totally sweet.
In the end I ended up with two hip new skirts and a cute dress, spent about $25 AND got rid of old baggage to boot. The dress needed a little scissor surgery but when your clothes are so cheap it's hard to feel bad about making alterations.
In short, there is nothing not to like about this place -- assuming people with better fashion sense and more $ in their clothing budget keep dropping off their castaways here. -
Review from Brooklyn V.
Brooklyn, NY
5/21/2012 1 Check-in Here
I personally feel like I get a different experience every time I walk in here. One day the employees will be friendly and help you out, the next they'll ignore you. Same goes with the merchandise, there are good days and bad days. Did manage to find a few good items on certain occasions. ($185 jeans bought for $10, ect.) Most of the time I walk out empty handed and itchy.
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Review from Samantha M.
San Francisco, CA
5/10/2012
I always visit this location whenever I am in NYC and I am never disappointed. This place always puts me over the luggage weight limit trying to carry all my wonderful new clothes and shoes back to San Francisco. I've found some true gems here and everything is so moderately priced.
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Review from Katie K.
1/25/2012
Much better than Beacon's Closet for several reasons:
1) the staff is really upbeat and friendly, and TALKS to you! They will even offer to start you a fitting room if you are overburdened with your finds.
2) the racks aren't ridiculously overstuffed and dark. I like that you can SEE in here, and there is room to move around.
3) the quality of merchandise is better picked overall, and you don't have to worry as much about damaged goods as you do at Beacon's.
4) They actually organize the racks by size!
5) They don't blare the music so loud so that it is unpleasant to shop here, and the music is upbeat and fun.
6) Selling is not an unpleasant experience here. I sold a bit of stuff here recently and they went out of their way to let me know, in a friendly way, why they were taking some stuff and why they weren't taking other stuff. I didn't need them to do that, but they were so sweet about it.
It's almost as if they are deliberately trying to work against the kind of bad reputation that Beacon's has. It's really nice, and pleasant.
I can not beat the fact that I found SIX pairs of jeans that actually fit me, and I am challenged to find ONE that does in a retail store. But maybe I just got lucky and some girl with my shape sold a bunch to them before I arrived :-D -
Review from Shantia B.
Brooklyn, NY
4/25/2012
Buffalo Exchange is one of the best thrift shops in Williamsburg. I LOVE that everything is organized by size. It's so convenient. There are so many cute and affordable clothes, and everything is nicely organized in the store. You can take 10 items in the dressing room which is also nice. I got a pair of shorts, a pair of jeans, and 2 tank tops for 39 dollars which is reasonable. the only thing i would change is the way the shoes are organized. they are all over the store instead of just being in one area. I will definitely be coming back here again as well as checking out the Cobble Hill location.
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Review from Maddie A.
JACKSON HTS, NY
4/9/2012
Loved it! Staff is super friendly and the clothes were trendy. Like any thrift shop, at a glance its not gonna be like your favorite store. You have to look! I got a Blu Pepper green tank with good buttons and a pair of light wash jeans. Again, this thrift store is not for everyone. Most of their clothes are youthful and some can be on the extreme hipster side. Good for high school kids, college kids and up. My mom was able to find a nice leather blue clutch by kooba. Oh, and I went to beacon's closet afterward and I was not a fan. Even though its bigger, its hard to find cuter stuff.
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Review from Vanessa W.
Bedford Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, NY
3/27/2012
Armani Exchange ankle pants for $11.75? YES PLEASE! Staff is helpful and friendly, and there is always room to breathe in here, unlike a lot of the other vintage stores in W'burg.
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Review from Liza M.
1/29/2012
Stop 2 on my get-rid-of-shit thrift tour thru Brooklyn. Um, I dunno. SELLING: you have to wait in line down the steps, it's crowded and inconvenient. They were actually the more picky than Beacons for buying. Turned down a marc jacobs sweater because "Honestly, its the color" Ha Ha I dont care tho -- other peeps seem to identify with their clothes when selling, I say - Dont Get it Twisted.
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Review from Yen P.
Brooklyn, NY
12/2/2011
I cannot praise this Buffalo Exchange enough!
I shop here constantly because i dont know about you but im a bit cheap..ok im kind of really cheap! haha. I have found SOOO many unique pieces for amazing prices! While some of the stuff is over priced considering it is used, you can really find some great pieces if you look and i feel great when i can browse around for a while and leave with some great finds! There's times when I have found nothing but i always come back. The staff is super friendly and im not the type to chit chat back so its awesome when they dont take my response ( just a smile) personal! It's a small store but very organized. I've seen very few clothes with dirt stains and such but i wouldnt mind it because either way you would wash it before wearing it right?
Some of my recent finds include:
- two American Apparel jeans in great condition for $15 bucks each! are you kidding me?? NO?? yay me!
-Urban Outfitters high waist skinny jeans for $14.50
-Batwing fall coat for $17!
-4 American Apparel cropped tees in great condition ranging from $6-$8!
I definitely recommend this place and will keep visiting because im a sucker for bargains and unique clothing! If you love looking like you spend a lot for a portion of the price this place is a MUST! and if you have a bad first experience here, i highly recommend you go back! TRUST ME! -
Review from S. V.
Brooklyn, NY
9/17/2011
I like BE okay. There clothing selection isn't my thing and it's a bit overpriced for the items they are trying to sell.
The staff is really nice though!
I had a good selling experience recently. I always take my clothes to BE after Beacon's Closet. I only made $12 in store credit at Beacon's, but Buffalo took 2 pairs of shoes and a skirt, for about $40 in store credit.
I had a really hard time finding anything to buy with my store credit but eventually found an amazzzzing Chloe skirt. I thought it was a little overpriced at $45, but it was a perfect skirt and I basically got it free with my store credit.
Pros: Very friendly staff, seem to offer more for consignments, not super crowded
Cons: Can't drop off bags to sell, minimal clothing selection, a little pricey -
Review from Christine M.
Kew Gardens, NY
1/14/2012
Checked this place out last weekend as I enjoy the thrill of thrift shopping. I really loved their selection, that's the great thing about Buffalo Exchange being picky. As a shopper, I know there's some pretty cute stuff to be had. I found a great top for $8 and all my friends each found a piece as well. The sales people were incredibly friendly. It's also really easy to get to from the L train. Will definitely drop by here on the regular now!
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Review from Emily B.
8/22/2011 1 Check-in Here
I've really come to love Buffalo Exchange, I was at the one in Philly before and really wasn't too much of a fan so didn't get that into it until recently. I love how you can honestly find anything you need here. You need some black pants for work no problem they'll definitely have them, unlike a normal retail store that may be featuring a style or may not at the moment. It's much more organized than a thrift store but a little messier than a boutique, it's that perfect in between that gives you the thrill of hunting but not the aggravation of being lost.
The staff is really friendly and has on more than one occasion helped me piece together outfits for all different occasions. I think they really enjoy it actually so if you aren't too sure about something just ask! They'll be grabbing you alternatives to try and they always know where the hidden gems are.
As for selling I haven't had too much luck here but let's face it I don't really take them what I love, it's all stuff I don't wear so it's to be expected that they pass over most of it and those few they buy are just an exciting way for me to get a discount on the goods I'd probably be buying anyway. -
Review from megan p.
Brooklyn, NY
8/23/2011
I just went into this Buffalo Exchange this morning, and I was compelled to write a yelp review (which I rarely do) because I had such a wonderful experience.
I took a small bag of items in to sell and they thoroughly looked through each piece. Many times when I've sold in the past to other stores, the buyers seemed annoyed and disdainful. But at this Buffalo Exchange, they really seem to enjoy looking through your clothes and enjoy the "find" if you will.
After they finished looking through my things, the buyer let me take a pair of pants from the previous person ahead of me to try on. (SCORE!) Also, when I was looking around, one of the sales associates was also super-friendly and helpful.
Basically, this Buffalo Exchange is just fantastic and a welcome change from the usual drag of hocking your stuff. -
Review from Lynn d.
Brooklyn, NY
10/12/2011
"Meh, I've experienced better"... that pretty much sums it up.
The staff is very nice, very upbeat. 3stars
They buying (trade-in) section is much more fair, well priced and consistent than let's say Beacon's Closet. 3 stars as well
The shopping.... the whole reason you go there... is just Meh. 2 stars
The store is small. The racks are way over packed. The clothes just seem like nothing special. Plain Jane brands. The price points are generally between $18-$50. I just can't love them, love them, but I do stop in on occasion and have found a few gems over the years. -
Review from H V.
Flushing, NY
1/28/2012
I came in to sell some clothes. I followed the guidelines, as far as no rips,stains,loose threads,etc. All my clothes were in perfect condition. Even the shoes. She didnt want any of them except for a vintage drummers shirt that i reconstructed. She offered me $3 (I ended up selling it for $35 on ebay). Then she asked if I wanted to donate them instead...which made it all seem like a huge scam. How do I know they arent taking my donations and selling them? Me and my mom shopped anyway..the place was well organized and clean, not overly compacted with merchandise. Alot of the clothes werent vintage at all and overpriced. My mom bought a shirt that was from forever 21 for $13. Seriously??? Dont people understand loss of value when something is used?
The people were helpful, the store looked awesome..fitting rooms, benches for trying on shoes. I went to a buffalo exchange in denver as well, MUCH more reasonable with prices x1000. -
Review from Lauren L.
New York, NY
1/16/2011
Definitely worth a stop when in the area! I definitely prefer this location to the one in the East Village, and for a multitude of reasons.
Reason #1: Not claustrophobic. The space is large and fairly well organized. There were no clothes on the floor or flung carelessly on the racks. It also wasn't as crowded!
Reason #2: Kind employees. I didn't need any help as I was just browsing, but I had two very pleasant ladies chatting me up and offering to help. I spent a good 10 minutes talking to one of them about Marc Jacobs and the mess of his "junk stores" in the West Village. We talked about his bags and how many of them each of us owned.... (I only have 3, don't judge me!) Anyway, it was nice to randomly talk to someone about my Marc Jacobs bag obsession and know I'm not alone!
Reason #3: Bigger selection. Probably because the store itself is bigger. Duh.
Reason #4: It's clean and everything I saw was in good condition, even the shoes!
Anyway, I saw some cute jackets for ~ $20, American Apparel "dresses" (you know they're just long shirts) for ~$8, reasonably priced shoes, and a decent selection of jeans. I ended up snagging a great pair of Joe's Jeans for $14!!! They fit wonderfully, and did I mention they were $14? Yeah.Listed in: Used Garb.
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Review from Tamara H.
Brooklyn, NY
12/14/2011
I have only good things to say about Buffalo Exchange! I live nearby, so I stop in frequently, and whether I am selling, buying, or just fruitlessly browsing, the staff has never been anything less than genuine and helpful. That is the crown jewel of this place, and that's why they get my business more than other used clothing shops in the area (and I LOVE thrift shopping).
The line to sell your stuff can be long at times, so make life easier on yourself and bring a book, game, or music if you come to sell. The accessory selection in the front is small, but worth scanning every time because I've definitely picked up some treasures from the glass case!
Good selection in general, I feel that the space is used well and turnover of items is fast enough that you can go back fairly often. Good amount of dressing rooms and attentive attendants. Wish they had more shoes sizes 9 and up. Come on, ladies with big feet, sell your awesome, gently-used shoes there! -
Review from Diane D.
Brooklyn, NY
12/26/2011
Fond if the clothing store cuz it has decent diamond in the rough items. I would definitively go there for accessories and bags. I've also sold clothes I've never worn here as well. I'm just glad they have more locations to go to other than williamsburg. Must warn you if you're not into the hipster or vintage look it might not be the best place for you.
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Review from Kristen B.
Astoria, Queens, NY
2/8/2011
I headed down to Brooklyn for some thrift shopping on a Sunday afternoon. I first headed over to Beacon's Closet, which turned out to be a bit of a disappointment. Buffalo Exchange was surprisingly refreshing! The store wasn't nearly as crowded and I was actually able to browse the racks as the store is laid out much better (and the clothes are organized by size! what a novel concept!). The lighting was also so much better than Beacon's, and the place didn't smell or otherwise give me the heebie jeebies.
I didn't find anything I wanted to purchase, but I have a feeling it's one of those places you need to hit up every so often in order to find the real gems. I'll definitely be back!Listed in: Small Budget Big Apple: Used…
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Review from Beau M.
Brooklyn, NY
10/10/2010
I have an idea. If you're going to force people to wait in line for 35 minutes to sell back their clothes, how about placing an employee in the line to sift through everyone's belongings and weeding out those whose clothing you deem "unacceptable" for Buffalo Exchange's "high quality standards". THAT WAY we don't have to waste half an hour in your store that smells like a combination of a Subway sandwich and unwashed hipsters.
Furthermore, when I wade through the unwanted garbage that you call merchandise and find faded denim button-ups and rhinestone-covered skirts that my own mother would turn down (and, trust me, she has bad taste) I find it a little hard to believe that my brown leather jacket and denim jacket..both in excellent shape...are turned down by your prissy "buyer" (honey, you work at Buffalo Exchange, not Marc Jacobs...tone down the uppity).
Get over yourselves, Buffalo Exchange. I realize you're located in the heart of Hipsterville in Unemployment Proper, but not everyone wants to purchase faded jeggings and well-worn ballerina flats...mix it up a little. You're a fail...at life. -
Review from Jason S.
Brooklyn, NY
3/11/2012
Friendly, helpful staff. Unfortunately, the men's selection isn't very large. It's a shame because I'm sure they get so many good clothes from all the people who try to sell there, they just don't have the space.
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Review from L F.
Brooklyn, NY
11/19/2011
Nice staff, good selection, open all the time, but they really need more buyer counters or buyers on staff. I've been in line for 15 minutes and this shit hasn't moved an inch. Wack.
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Review from Kassy M.
2/15/2011 13 Check-ins Here
This Brooklyn location is way better than the one in the East Village. The workers are EXTREMELY friendly and not pretentious like the staff in the other store. The tall blonde guy is ridiculously helpful and friendly...he deserves a reward for excellent customer service.
Another reason why I love this store is because most of the clothes they have are size small. There is so much to choose from and everything is very organized so I know where to go if I'm looking for something specific. -
Review from Yelena K.
Woodland Hills, Los Angeles, CA
Updated - 4/11/2011
Now that I've been here a few more times, I like this location more. They have a wide variety of shoes, belts, and even HATS. The staff is friendly enough and I don't have to wait for a fitting room, even when it's crowded, which is ALWAYS.
The prices are definitely reasonable and now that it's not FREEZING outside, they definitely have a lot more interesting and wearable pieces. Yay for dresses! The racks in the store are squeezed a little close together, but nothing I can't handle -- it allows them to get more clothes into the store and give me more things to browse. Still not my favorite location, but definitely up there.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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2/22/2011
I really want to like this Buffalo, but the more I think about it, I've been to better ones. I've… Read more »
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Review from Michelle L.
Brooklyn, NY
4/22/2011
I walked in here on a Thursday evening, initially coming to sell, but there was a line that was almost to the door. In retrospect, it probably wasn't really that long of a wait, but at that moment I was all, "Eh, screw it" and decided to do a quick browse instead.
Since I really wasn't looking to buy anything (at first), I did a cursory look at the racks which means I can't give good commentary on the selection of designers. But I must say that 10 minutes and $18.50 later I was the owner of this really cute D&G top. Score! (I guess you could say I move fast on a first date?)
Staff was really nice and the store was buzzing with a good amount of customers for a Thursday night. I would recommend checking it out if you're in the mood for adventure, or a treasure hunt! -
Review from Sharon C.
9/28/2011 1 Check-in Here
Buffalo Exchange is busy! On an average weekday there's lots of buying and sellling going on. The selection of womens clothes is a mix of trendy, casual and career up to about size 14/15. I didn't see much mens clothing. There's a lot of mens and womens shoes and boots. Many items caught my interest. Everything on display was in very good condition, so good that I might have been tempted to forego a rigorous inspection, but I reminded myself that it's used stuff and I shouldn't let my guard down. I thought some of the prices were high for used things. I guess that's fair considering that the place is clean, bright and air-conditioned, and the items are well-chosen and organized.
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Review from Renvie R.
8/24/2011
Buffalo Exchange is my favoritest thrift store next to Unique thrift store. I love love love it here. The staff is always so helpful and the items are always so organized. My favorite find that I got here is a men's Member's Only leather jacket that was only for 15 bucks. Even though it wasn't for me I loved the look on my bf's face when I gave it to him. He actually wore it to death this past spring. This place is awesome!
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Review from Peggy C.
Queens, NY
9/23/2010
Earlier this week, I stopped into Buffalo Exchange because I found that I had a bunch of unworn clothes, shoes & handbags for sale. I was hoping to get more out of BE but I walked out with $89 dollar instead of using their store credit of $144.
So this is how BE works, They look at your items. They tell you how much it's worth when they sell it back. For example, I had a DNKY down jacket it's basically NEW and worn once. The lady told me the value is worth $60. I can either get 30% of cash out of $60 or a store credit that's worth 50% of $60. Needless to say, I took the cash because there's no way in hell, I'm bringing more crap home. LOL
One flaw, I did notice about this BE is that, Brand new items aren't really worth much. I brought a bunch of UNUSED COACH & GUESS ITEMS. They were only going to give me $5-$10 back. Are you serious? It's untouched? They did sacrastically mention, "You won't make much money here by selling expensive items, you should try ebay". If I wasn't lazy, I'll do Ebay. But who has the time to run to the UPS store every so often?
Regardless, if you have a bag of unused shoes, bags and accessories, I would recommend this place before you donate your clothes! Give it a try and earn a few extra bucks! Why not? I notice that they do tend to turn down a lot of clothes. So bring all your used shoes & bags and make that $2-$3. Eh... why not? -
Review from Peter D.
8/7/2009
I'm not sure how to break this to you. Here goes: I'm not a hipster.
As such, the clothes I have really aren't the ones Buffalo Exchange wants to buy. I love the idea that this place will take your cast-off clothes (if in good condition), and buy them off you. They slap their price-tags on the items they approve, and you can either have 30% of that price in cash, or 50% in store credit. That seems pretty fair.
The problem (for me) is, they sift through your clothes for the ones that will probably sell in Billville. I used to have a "business casual" job. Buffalo Exchange has no use for the dress slacks, button-downs, and sweaters that I was getting rid of. Out of a fifty-pound sack of clothes, I made $13.
Now, I can't blame them for not buying clothes they don't think will sell, because that just wouldn't make good business sense. However, you should be aware that they seem to cater to a certain segment of the population, and if you're not it, you don't have much use for Buffalo Exchange. Buying or selling.Listed in: ah, williamsburg (north/east…, clothes are good.
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Review from Kara G.
Queens, NY
8/22/2010
I came here with a big bag of clothes and walked out with $83 (would have been $138 in store credit). I was surprised that they took as much of it as they did. The girl who went through my clothes (Ali I think was her name) was really nice and friendly. She complimented my clothes and made me comfortable. I have tried selling clothes on craigslist and ebay before to no avail and usually I just donate to a thrift store. I was happy to get some $$ in return.
I looked around the store briefly and they had some cute stuff. It did seem somewhat overpriced though. -
Review from Madeline L.
Astoria, NY
4/27/2010 1 photo
I got a Ruffian dress for $30. At the time I didn't know the brand Ruffian, until I got home and googled it. http://www.ruffian.com/
Granted I can't actually zip the dress up all the way (almost there though). I got it anyways. So, I either need to shell out another $60 for a waist cincher or work on losing 2 inches.
Point being that there is a lot of great finds here (though you may or maynot be able to wear it out just yet). It is well organized and the staff are friendly. You may come away with a designer dress and not even know it.Listed in: Used Clothing
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Review from Danielle C.
San Diego, CA
3/20/2008
Came across this place completely by accident.
To be honest I've never really shopped in a thrift store before.
So much fun!
But I did not like while looking through a rack of clothes having some crazy lady push all the clothes on her end to one side, completely closing out my little nook I had going which made me lose my spot while digging for something good.
Not so much fun.
So I just walked away making a note to myself: to find her later and ruin her nook.
Other then that the variety in crazy clothes were fun to browse through. Shoes not so much. I have a weird thing about wearing shoes from unknown people. Still for a virgin thrift shopper, I found some cute things.
Sky* -
Review from Raven W.
New York, NY
2/10/2011 2 Check-ins Here
I've only purchased things here, so I don't have a review for the consignment part of the store.
As with any second hand clothing store, Buffalo Exchange is hit or miss though I have had great luck at this Williamsburg location. I've found several great deals on things (some clothing and shoes with tags still on them) and been very happy with the helpfulness of the employees. -
Review from Rozz N.
Brooklyn, NY
10/16/2006
Okay, let me just start off by saying that I truly love Buffalo Exchange. It's a northern cali based store that i grew up on. All my best vintage goods have come from this lovely establishment. So imagine my joy when I found out that one was opening right in my fab lil hood!
I have gotten some great little finds, and its sucks cuz its just around the corner (literally in the same building) as the gym I teach at. So I seriously have to bee-line for my bike and peddle my ass home before I get too curious about what lies on the racks around the way. Cute little tops and dresses abound!
On another note, I have recently felt jilted by B.E. They offer a clothing exchange and lately they've become even pickier than Beacon's! And Beacon's is just ridiculous when it comes to trying to sell your stuff. And my shit is cute, damn it! Anyhow, I'm over it now, but just be aware that if you decide to try to exchange or sell your clothes....they just might diss ya!Listed in: The boutiques in NYC that…
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Review from Kelly S.
Brooklyn, NY
11/3/2009
I found perfectly functional $18 quad roller skates in my size here. My life is quite arguably sad, but that is the best thing to happen to me in weeks. Thanks to Buffalo Exchange, I'm putting this sexy betch on wheels.
In other news, this is also my favorite place to guiltlessly scratch my shopping itch. I always find something, and I always spend less than 50 bucks. Yes, the "clientele" can be annoying, and you have to sift through a lot of unflattering crap to find the good stuff, but it is well-organized, and sometimes the thrill of the chase makes it all worthwhile. Especially if you are on the most awesome pair of skates ever. -
Review from Kat H.
Brooklyn, NY
4/13/2009
I don't like having too many choices. Even buying toothpaste from the drugstore gets to be a hassle when there are fifty different brands available, which is the main reason why I really, really, really like this particular Buffalo Exchange: there aren't racks and racks of clothing packed to the gills like Beacon's Closet, which can make thrifting more akin to physical exercise than shopping. Sure, there are plenty of crappy t-shirts and mediocre jeans to get through, but there are also Watermelon-printed Vans for $17 and lots of adorable summer dresses.
As far as selling clothes here, I'm an even bigger fan. The salespeople are always friendly and fair about their choices. I sold a bag of items today and received, along with those aforementioned goofy Vans, about $60 in cold, hard cash. Some of the items the manager bought from me had been rejected by another BE salesgirl only two weeks prior, so be persistent, but also sensible. Nobody but nobody wants your octogenarian mother's size 14 flowered pantsuits.Listed in: $$$ Death by Shopping $$$
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Review from Amanda L.
Queens, NY
10/27/2009
This place is so backwards sometimes. They are very picky here and that's fair, they sell what they think would sell according to the season. It seems like they buy name brands a lot. or hipster vintage clothes. On a good day, they take maybe one or two items at most with the bag loads I bring in. Not to toot my own horn, but my stuff is not THAT bad or inappropriate for the given season.
Once I was there selling stuff, and a manager-ish girl walked by and picked up an unworn dress of mine that the buyer already credited me for, and SCOLDED the girl saying, "WHY did you take this? This is a summer dress and this is OLD, I had this dress years ago." She made the girl un-credit me for the dress and gave it back to me. That was so unprofessional. The damage was done. Just take the damn dress and scold the girl later. But yelling at staff AND making her give the dress back in front of the customer? Ridiculous.
Anyways, their racks are a mixed bag. You can tell that they get a whole bunch of cheapo clothes (think juniors clothes from the mall) from somewhere else and distribute them amongst the racks. So if you see doubles as you are browsing through the racks, you know why. It kind of defeats the purpose of the store, but whatever floats their boat... -
Review from Heather D.
Brooklyn, NY
2/4/2007
Much like a lot of people, I have a love/hate relationship with Buffalo Exchange. I've lived in 3 different cities with them over the past 12 years so I'd say I've bought and sold a couple hundred times easily.
Overall, yeah you can find cute stuff - but you're definitely paying for it. You're probably better off hitting a real thrift store if you're honestly budget conscious. The best finds are sometimes the accessories - B.E. is great for sunglasses, necklaces, belts, handbags, and even shoes most of the time. But I often see clothing items in there which I recognize from old sale racks of major retailers - and I often see them asking more than what I remember the original retailer asking for last-seasons item on sale.
Also, they're weird about buying. In Denver I got into the habit of taking the same stuff back to sell every few months, and sure enough if its decently hip and you get the right person and the right season they will usually eventually buy it. Unfortunately it all just depends on who is buying and what their taste is.
Case in point - A few years ago in the height of the designer denim craze (wait - is that over?), I tried to sell a newer pair of Joie and a pair of Blue Cult jeans to them and they passed on both. I couldn't believe it so instead of just leaving I asked him why he would pass on those brands and modern cuts and the girl working next to him heard me and was like "Woa! why aren't we buying those!?" and it turns out he didn't even know the brands or what he was doing and I got $50 for them after all.
Go to buy if you're short on time and want minimal effort - go to sell if you want to feel extremely un-hip and like you have the ugliest most undesirable clothes in the world (even though you probably don't).
[Update: I went back and got $5 for some CURRENT season $160 Diesel Jeans which I had never worn. Grrr. I'm just about done selling to this place.]
