tucson
the downtown store
Buffalo Exchange
250 E. Congress St.
Tucson, AZ 85701
(520) 882-2939
Location: East of 6th Avenue.
Where to park Downtown.
Store Hours:
Monday–Saturday 11 am–7 pm
Sunday closed
*Open regular hours during streetcar construction*
Second Fridays & Saturdays 11 am–8 pm
the speedway & campbell store
Buffalo Exchange
2001 E. Speedway Blvd.
Tucson, AZ 85719
(520) 795-0508
Location: at Campbell, near the University of Arizona
Store Hours:
Monday-Saturday 10 am-8 pm
Sunday 11 am–7 pm
the eastside store
Buffalo Exchange
WE BUY MEN'S!!
6212 E. Speedway Blvd.
Tucson, AZ 85712
(520) 885-8392
Location: at Wilmot, in Monterey Village
Store Hours:
Monday–Wednesday 10 am–6 pm
Thursday–Saturday 10 am–7 pm
Sunday 11 am–6 pm
Company Headquarters
203 E. Helen St.
Tucson, AZ 85705
(520) 622-2711
Hours:
Monday–Friday 8:30 am–5 pm
coyote pause cafe
Coyote Pause Cafe
2740 S. Kinney Rd.
Tucson, AZ 85735
(520) 883-7297
Location: 2 miles N of Ajo Way (Hwy 86) at artisan shopping center Cat Mountain Station.
Info: Healthy innovative food with a Southwestern twist. www.coyotepausecafe.com
Hours:
Everyday 7:30 am-2:30 pm
cat mountain lodge
Cat Mountain Lodge
2720 S. Kinney Rd.
Tucson, AZ 85735
(520) 578-6085
Location: 2 miles N of Ajo (Hwy 86). Eco-friendly bed & breakfast in a vintage ranch setting with privately-owned observatory. www.catmountainlodge.com
Hours:
Everyday 8 am-5 pm
Innkeeper available until 8 pm when guests are present, also on-site during Spencer's Observatory Star Tours.
cat mountain station
Cat Mountain Station
2740 S. Kinney Rd.
Tucson, AZ 85735
(520) 578-8795
Location: 2 miles N of Ajo Way (Hwy 86).
Info: Artisan center by Buffalo Exchange owners. Includes cafe, Studio S’Evans, Affairs of the Art Gallery & Cat Mountain Emporium. www.catmountainstation.com
Hours:
Tuesday-Sunday 10 am-4 pm
See Coyote Pause Cafe hours above
COME IN, WE'RE OPEN REGULAR HOURS DURING CONSTRUCTION!
Downtown Buffalo Exchange, Tucson
Hooray! Congress Street is now open for through traffic! We will be open normal business hours during the streetcar construction. Use our handy parking map and don't hesitate to call us, (520) 882-2939. Come visit us!
[Posted Apr 10, 2012]
WE ARE DISCONTINUING THE USE OF PLASTIC BAGS!
All Locations
Buffalo Exchange has officially gone “bag-less.” The company plans to discontinue all orders of disposable plastic bags for its 47 stores nationwide. This keeps a good deal of plastic out of landfills and prompts customers to remember an earth-friendly alternative for the trip home. The company’s change in policy is expected to keep an estimated 350,000 bags out of landfills every year.
Sustainable living and environmental considerations are a big part of the Buffalo Exchange company culture. The company is a leader in the used fashion resale category, intrinsically highlighting the benefits of reselling and recycling clothing. However, Buffalo Exchange gained notoriety following the introduction of its Tokens for Bags® program; a fund-raising effort that incentivized customers to opt away from using plastic bags by offering a “token” valued at five cents (the cost of one disposable plastic bag) that the customer could donate to one of several local charities every time he or she declined a plastic bag. The program has generated over $420,000 for hundreds of local nonprofit organizations since 1994 and has saved an estimated 8.4 million bags from landfills.
The move to “bag-less” is a logical next step, said Kerstin Block, President and Founder of Buffalo Exchange. “The large majority of our customers will understand that this is a move that is being made in the interest of our environment and that it is intended to begin changing the way we think about how we use disposable products in our everyday lives.”
What about those local charities? No worries. Even without bags, the Tokens for Bags® program will continue. Any customer who brings in their own reusable bag or walks out with their purchase bundled in their arms will still receive a token to donate. “These local charities bring immense value to our communities through environmental protection, animal rescue, and in other ways,” says Block, “and they have served as incredible community partners. The Tokens for Bags® program will continue to provide a fund-raising channel for our community partners and at the same time will thank our customers for living in a socially — and environmentally — responsible manner.”
[Posted Nov 29, 2012]
open positions
ENTRY-LEVEL BUYERS
Speedway & Campbell - FT/PT
Downtown - PT
Love fashion? Why not apply today! Your local Buffalo Exchange is always accepting applications for entry-level Buyer positions. Looking for cheerful, dependable & energetic quick learners with knowledge of fabrics, styles, current retail trends and eras. Challenging, fun, fast-paced retail environment. As an employee, you'll receive on-the-job training in recycling fashion. No prior experience necessary. Must be able to work 3 days a week, including at least one weekend day (Friday, Saturday or Sunday). This is not your regular retail job!
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY ASSISTANT
Company Headquarters - FT
Don’t want to work in a stuffy corporate office? Buffalo Exchange is looking for a patient, friendly team player for the IT department at our Tucson headquarters. Tucson applicants only. Experience in PC hardware/software, MS Office, Windows XP required. IBM Point of Sale systems experience helpful. Excellent email communication and phone skills a must. Excellent customer service wanted. Duties include routine, entry-level computer support of our retail stores, company offices and warehouse.
FLOOR ASSISTANT
Speedway & Campbell - PT
Love fashion? Why not apply today! Your local Buffalo Exchange is always accepting applications for entry-level positions. Looking for cheerful, dependable & energetic quick learners with knowledge of fabrics, styles, current retail trends and eras. Challenging, fun, fast-paced retail environment. As an employee, you'll receive on-the-job training in recycling fashion. No prior experience necessary. Must be able to work 3 days a week, including at least one weekend day (Friday, Saturday or Sunday). This is not your regular retail job!
MARKETING INTERN
Company Headquarters - PT
Seeking a qualified Marketing Intern for market research, data entry, quality-assurance, and creative/strategic brainstorming to help meet the strategic marketing needs of 48 stores nationwide. Candidate must be a student currently enrolled in at least three credit hours at any Tucson-area accredited college. Emphasis in business, marketing, or retail management a plus. Proficiency in Microsoft Excel required. Four month minimum commitment beginning in May. Starting pay $8.56/hour, 10-15 hours weekly. Will schedule around school. Apply online at buffalo exchange.com/careers or in-person at 203 E. Helen St. Tucson, AZ 85705.
FRONT OFFICE ASSISTANT
Company Headquarters - PT
Don’t want to work in a stuffy corporate office? We are looking for a friendly, dependable professional to provide administrative support at our Tucson headquarters. Entry-level position. Candidates must be detail-oriented and have strong customer service and organizational skills. Excellent phone and multitasking abilities needed. Prior clerical and some computer experience (MS Word/Excel) preferred. Must have a valid driver’s license and a good driving record. Job will include data entry, filing and errands. PT with benefits. Receive business literacy training at a sustainable company that works to protect the environment by reusing and recycling clothing. Apply online at www.buffaloexchange.com or apply in person at 203 E. Helen St. between 9:00am and 5:00 pm M-F. EOE
BUFFALO EXCHANGE RECEIVES LUMIES ARTS & BUSINESS AWARD
The Tucson Pima Arts Council awarded Buffalo Exchange a 2012 Lumies Arts and Business Award for the Large Business Partner category on June 15, 2012 at Tucson's Historic El Casino Ballroom. Now in its 11th year, the Tucson Pima Arts Council created the Lumies to encourage everyone to celebrate the outstanding arts “luminaries” that contribute to Tucson and Pima County’s unique creative vitality. The Buffalo Exchange owners, have always believed in giving back to the community. They partnered with the Community Foundation of Southern Arizona to establish the annual Buffalo Exchange Arts Awards where emerging local artists are recognized for their creativity, innovation, and excellence in the arts. Since 1994, nearly $150,000 has been awarded to individuals in the arts community through the Buffalo Exchange Arts Award. Watch NPR's Arizona Public Media interview with Kerstin Block, Buffalo Exchange co-owner and President.
CALLED "A MODEL ENTREPRENEURIAL FIRM" BY BIZ TUCSON MAGAZINE
Biz Tucson Magazine includes Buffalo Exchange in “Startups Power New Economy,” Spring 2012 issue: “Eight Early Gazelles. In Southern Arizona, our economic prosperity now needs to be driven by human and knowledge-based assets – entrepreneurs and innovators working together to create and grow scalable, idea-based companies. We call them ‘gazelles’… Here are eight examples of eight extraordinary Tucson gazelles… 4. Buffalo Exchange was opened in 1974… Heralded as among the first to buy, sell, trade and take clothing items and accessories on consignment, Buffalo Exchange is a model entrepreneurial firm… Business model innovation, lifestyle and social purpose are keys to this highly successful, non-technological, scalable national enterprise.”
OH MY GD USA!
Buffalo Exchange's Holiday card won in the announcements, invitations and cards category in GD USA's American Graphic Design Awards 2011, published in December: "Nothing less than a display of first-rate work produced by professionals who are smart, talented, imaginative, innovative, solutions-oriented and entrepreneurial... generating the kind of creative energy that pushes limits, opens opportunities, drives growth... roughly 1,000 pieces are displayed... the cream of a competition that drew over 9,000 entries."
WAY COOL
Tucson Weekly published a book review on The Way of the Buffalo by Spencer Block, one of the founders of Buffalo Exchange, in "On Buffalo Wings," Nov 17, 2011: "The late Spencer Block details the history of the clothing-exchange chain that was born here in Tucson... Every city has parts of its heritage that earn it recognition throughout the country[, including] retail establishments... So it's about time that Buffalo Exchange has its own history told. Spencer's book... gives readers an intimate peek into the lives of the store's co-founders... The Way of the Buffalo... finally published this year as a hodgepodge of advice, stories, observations, opinions and even poetry. Kerstin and her daughter went through his typed-out ramblings and edited them into a quite readable -- in fact, delightful -- history of the store." The Way of the Buffalo is available at your local Buffalo Exchange and on Amazon for $10. Also available on Kindle and NOOK. See preview.
DESIGNING WOMEN
Buffalo Exchange won an advertising award in Graphic Design USA Magazine's American Inhouse Design Awards, July/August 2011 issue. The award was given for Buffalo Exchange’s magazine ad. There were 4,500+ entries in this year’s program nationwide, "the premier showcase for outstanding work by inhouse designers." This is Buffalo Exchange’s eighth year designing in-house; the team is composed of Michelle L. Livingston, creative direction, and Kristin L. Welk, graphic design.
BEST FASHION SHOP IN TREEHUGGER'S BEST OF GREEN!
TreeHugger.com named Buffalo Exchange "Best Fashion Shop" in their Best of Green on Apr 4, 2011: "When you have no budget for new clothes and want wearable, yet stylish, clothing on the fly, Buffalo Exchange is a one-stop-shop... The inventory, constantly changing, is carefully curated by Buffalo Exchange's skilled buyers. Plus, when shoppers bring their own bags, Buffalo Exchange donates five cents to a charity of the customer's choice."
DESIGNING WOMEN GET A GOLD ADDY FOR GREETING CARD
Buffalo Exchange won a Gold ADDY award, plus six Silver ADDYs, from American Advertising Federation Tucson on Feb 19, 2011. A Gold ADDY was awarded for our Holiday greeting card celebrating our East Village store in New York City, and we won Silver for our newspaper and magazine ads. This is Buffalo Exchange’s eighth year designing in-house; the team is composed of Michelle L. Livingston, creative direction, and Kristin L. Welk and Cynthia Rhea, graphic design. They have won a total of four Gold, twenty Silver and twelve Bronze ADDYs for Buffalo Exchange. The ADDYs are the advertising industry's largest and most representative competition, recognizing and rewarding creative excellence in the art of advertising. A Gold ADDY is recognition of the highest level of creative excellence and is judged to be superior to all other entries in the competition.
WHERE GUESTBOOK: "FOR THE DEAL-ADDICTED FASHIONISTA"
Where Guestbook Tucson features us in "The Way of the Buffalo," Jan 2011: "Tucson-based retailer of selectively recycled fashion, Buffalo Exchange is family-owned, eco-conscious and poised to keep on growing. For the deal-addicted fashionista, nothing compares to the thrill of an outrageously good buy... At Tucson's famed Buffalo Exchange, the scenario is repeated countless times every day... Block is largely credited with bringing 'green' out of the closet... Block, who runs the company from Tucson with her daughter, Rebecca, has won several awards for entrepreneurial excellence, social responsibility and community giveback."
HOW MARVELOUS
One of Buffalo Exchange's promotional campaigns is among 89 winning designs in HOW Magazine's In-House Design Awards, p. 64, Jan 2011 issue: "To promote its 35th anniversary, Buffalo Exchange needed to create a stand-alone logo for giveaways that conveyed the store's alternative mindset and key traits: an environmentally conscious buy-sell-trade clothing store. The creative solution involved tattoo-style details with maximum graphic impact." Our "Desde 1974 35th Anniversary Promotional Campaign" won a Merit award. HOW spotlights "the very best work from designers in top corporations, organizations and associations."
OH MY GD USA!
BuffaloExchange.com is a winner for Internet Design in GD USA's American Graphic Design Awards 2010, published in December, p. 174: "These are professionals who have produced work that is... fluent, direct and intelligent in promoting the brand and communicating the message. Who use this venue to assert the value effective graphic design brings to business, to society, to the marketplace of ideas... This year, roughly 1,000 pieces are showcased... from among a remarkable 9,000-plus entries."
buffalo bests
- Best Resale/Vintage Clothing and Best Clothing Fashions (Locally Owned), Readers Picks, Tucson Weekly, Best of Tucson 2012
- Best Resale/Vintage Clothing and Best Clothing Fashions (Locally Owned) Runner-Up, Readers Picks, Tucson Weekly, Best of Tucson 2011
- "The Buffalo Exchange closest to campus... always has a good selection of stylish finds.” -- “Wildcat style for anyone at any budget,” Arizona Daily Star, Tucson, Aug 25, 2011
- “If you are looking for a deal on accessories, this is where you will find it... They have a great selection of things like screen print tees for guys.” -- Zocalo Magazine, “Recycled Treasures,” June 2011
associations
- Women's Foundation of Southern Arizona
- Be Tucson!
- Better Business Bureau of Southern Arizona
- Local First Arizona
