|
|

BEST STYLE SWAP IN NEW YORK
Shecky's names Buffalo Exchange "Best Style Swap" in their guide Best In New York, featuring over 600 of the city's greatest treasures (published Dec 2006; available as of May 2007): "It's about time NYC got an outpost of this brilliant fashion recycling center... The inventory is always in flux and always amazing, so stop by often to score vintage finds and deep discounts... Buffalo Exchange is founded on do-good principles that encourage clothes-swapping as a means of recycling and protecting the environment."
OUR MARKETING DIRECTOR ONE OF 40 UNDER 40
Tucson Business Edge recognized Buffalo Exchange’s Marketing Director Michelle Livingston at the 3rd Annual 40 Under 40 Edgie Awards on Aug 8, 2007 in Tucson. Ms. Livingston was honored as one of 40 dynamic individuals under the age of 40 that excel in business and contribute to the betterment of the Tucson community. More than 110 nominations were received from Tucson’s CEOs, top executives and community leaders and an independent panel of five judges selected the finalists and winners. Buffalo Exchange’s Human Resource Director Lydia Kennedy was selected last year as one of the 40 Under 40.
TIME MAGAZINE: "FIND TRENDY FASHIONS AT A FAIR PRICE"
TIME Magazine profiles Buffalo Exchange in "The New Trend of Used Clothes," Jun 11, 2007 issue: "A secondhand-clothing shop called Buffalo Exchange [is] part of a growing chain of stores in a growing industry, and it just may be the cool place to find trendy fashions at a fair price this summer... Recycled clothes look fresher than ever these days... Buffalo Exchange, which earned more than $3 million last year on $43 million in revenue, has 32 stores nationally, making it one of the largest purveyors of recycled clothing in the country."
SILVER QUILL AWARD FOR MEDIA RELATIONS
The International Association of Business Communicators, Pacific Plains Region, awarded Buffalo Exchange its first-ever 2007 Silver Quill Award of Excellence on Jun 25 at IABC's International Conference in New Orleans. Buffalo Exchange's marketing director Michelle Livingston was the only winner representing Arizona at the Silver Quill awards. A total of 50 Excellence winners were chosen from 156 entries from 10 states, including chapters in Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle and more. Silver Quill awards recognize outstanding communication programs proven to boost revenues, save costs or otherwise contribute to their organization's success. Michelle also won Buffalo Exchange's first-ever Cactus Quill 2007 Award of Merit from IABC Tucson on Jun 7. Both awards recognize media relations tactics for Buffalo Exchange's first store in New York City.
FAIRCOMPANIES.COM: "OPT FOR A RECYCLED FASHION SHOPPING SPREE"
Faircompanies.com recommends shoppers "opt for a recycled fashion shopping spree," in the video “Beyond H&M or vintage: how to buy/sell/trade last month's impulse buys,” filmed at Buffalo Exchange's Haight Street store in San Francisco (as of May 7, 2007). Faircompanies.com says, "If you think buying used is not in fashion, think again." Watch Faircompanies.com's video.
LISTED FOR SUSTAINABLE STYLE BY VOGUE
In the May 2007 issue of Vogue, View - Sustainable Style section, Buffalo Exchange is listed as one of the "vintage stores in Williamsburg" visited by Jill Fehrenbacher, founder of environmental-design site Inhabitat.com. Jill recommends: "Wearing pieces from thrift stores is eco-friendly."
RESALE PRINCESS OF CHEAP

Source: The Tyra Banks Show
|
Tyra Banks crowned Selena of Portland, OR as the first "Princess of Cheap" on The Tyra Banks Show on Jan 22, 2007. Selena explained to Tyra how she sells clothing to Buffalo Exchange for trade or cash, and Tyra said she has gone to a Buffalo Exchange store in L.A. From The Tyra Banks Show website: "Selena found a great new way to have fun with her girls and earn extra cash at the same time. Together they would make a trip to the Goodwill, where clothes are sold by weight. They’d purchase 50 pounds of clothes at 59¢ per pound and divvy up the total amount. But it doesn’t end there. They would take their new purchases and resell them at thrift stores, like Buffalo Exchange, where clothes are innovatively reworked into new fashions and resold." The live audience voted on four Princess of Cheap contestants: "With 69 votes, Selena’s buy and resell idea earned her the honor. Tyra put a tiara on her head embellished with $117 dollars, which could buy her 198 pounds of clothing to resell!"
INK IN INC. 5,000
Buffalo Exchange has been awarded a rank of 4,412 by Inc. magazine in its first-ever Inc. 5,000 list of the fastest growing private companies in America, Sep 2007 issue. The Inc. 5,000, an extension of Inc. magazine's annual Inc. 500 list, recognizes the most dynamic, growing entrepreneurial companies that are changing the business landscape. Companies are ranked according to the percentage growth of their revenue from 2003 through 2006. Companies must be based in the U.S., independent and privately held, with a full four-year sales history. Buffalo Exchange is one of 142 Arizona companies on the Inc. 5,000, and one of only 10 Arizona retailers on the list. Eleven Tucson companies made the 2007 Inc. 5,000 list. Buffalo Exchange leads Tucson businesses in the revenue category, ranking second only to recently closed First Magnus. Among Arizona retailers, Buffalo Exchange ranks second in highest revenue. According to Inc.com, Buffalo Exchange is growing because “constantly changing and hand-picked inventories keep customers coming back on a regular basis. And the company has been opening stores in new areas, including New York and Chicago.”
WOMAN OF INFLUENCE
Buffalo Exchange president Kerstin Block was honored as one of ten "Women of Influence" by Inside Tucson Business on Jun 7, 2007: "These are 10 women [who] have stepped outside what might be considered 'expected' career paths to do something more. Not only for themselves, but for the community as well... Block restructured the used clothing industry by giving customers the option to sell or trade clothing items and accessories on consignment" (Inside Tucson Business, Apr 30, 2007).
SASIE IN SALES & MARKETING

Spencer & Kerstin Block
|
Buffalo Exchange won the Southern Arizona Smart Inspiring Enterprise (SASIE) 2007 Award for Sales and Marketing, 26+ employees category, at a ceremony hosted by The Arizona Small Business Association and Tucson Business Edge on Mar 6, 2007. SASIE Awards recognize and honor outstanding entrepreneurs in the Southern Arizona region whose innovative, enterprising approach to business deserves special recognition. Buffalo Exchange was honored for demonstrating its strengths in terms of a clear marketing plan, promoting itself readily to its target markets, and for its selling process, pricing its products and/or services accordingly. Buffalo Exchange was one of 12 companies chosen from 102 nominees this year.
DESIGNING WOMEN

Michelle & Kristin
|
In its first year as a member, Buffalo Exchange won two silver and three bronze ADDY awards from the Tucson Advertising Federation on February 17, 2007, winning two (bronzes) of the three ADDYs awarded this year for specialty advertising in direct marketing. Silver ADDYs were awarded for our color newspaper ads and national consumer mixed media campaigns, and we won a bronze for our fashion features in the web campaign category. This is Buffalo Exchange’s fourth year designing in-house; the team is composed of Michelle L. Livingston, creative direction, and Kristin L. Welk, graphic design. They have now won a total of six silver ADDYs and nine 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. Entries considered outstanding and worthy of recognition receive a silver ADDY.
ONE OF 5 HOT GROWTH COMPANIES
Phoenix’s bizAZ Magazine named Buffalo Exchange one of “Our 5 Hot Growth Companies,” cover story, Jan/Feb 2007 issue: “Winners share common focus: better serving their customers… each business, in its own way, demonstrates a commitment to innovation and a willingness to perfect its products and services... Final selections from more than 35 nominees were based on the companies’ financial strength, including revenue and employee growth, and advancements made in their respective fields." Interview and full-page color photo of Kerstin Block, Buffalo Exchange's President. Also published in The Arizona Republic’s Business section with companion article “Clothing reseller expanding ‘organically’ to other states,” Jan 14.
AW, SHECKY'S
Shecky’s Chicago recommends Buffalo Exchange for Resale Retail in their Fashion Hot Lists on Jan 12, 2007: "If you're after vintage and modern looks at consignment prices, comb the racks of Buffalo Exchange. With an eclectic mix of low- and high-end finds (Old Navy and Prada - together at last!), you're bound to walk out with something just your style." Shecky's Chicago Fashion blog “Straight Up” mentions us in “New Shop on the Block: Buffalo Exchange” on Nov 21, 2006: “Buffalo Exchange carries pricey designers like Diane von Furstenberg, La Rok, Marc Jacobs, and Cynthia Steffe, gently worn at a fraction of the price.”
LESSONS LEARNED
Buffalo Exchange is included in Marketing Wisdom for 2007: 110 Marketers & Agencies Share Real-Life Tips, published online by Marketing Sherpa on Jan 9, 2007. Marketers from 110 organizations worldwide contributed test results and lessons-learned stories for this fifth annual Wisdom Report. Michelle Livingston, Buffalo Exchange’s marketing director, is the thirty-fifth marketer quoted, sharing how partnering with a well-known nonprofit organization for a good cause can attract attention from major publications and positively impact revenue (pp. 20-22). Download Marketing Wisdom for 2007: 110 Marketers & Agencies Share Real-Life Tips, a 60-page PDF.
THRIFT SHOPPING 101
Shojo Beat, a Manga magazine, recommends Buffalo Exchange in “High style, low budget: Thrift Shopping 101” Jan 2007, p. 15: “Thrift shops breakdown: ...4. Resale shops and chains. These run the gamut from tiny dives to upscale boutiques and are good places to find specific items. They do all the digging for you and the prices will reflect it, but there are some great places out there – try Buffalo Exchange.”
TAKING TIME OUT IN CHICAGO
Time Out Chicago profiles Buffalo Exchange in "Just Opened: Token Entry" on Nov 23, 2006: “The city’s newest player in the clothes-recycling business, Buffalo Exchange, buys and sells used designer outfits. But the Arizona-based chain has a heart softer than its cashmere sweaters. Through its Tokens for Bags program, if you use your own bag instead of hauling your loot in one of theirs, the store gives you a token to show that it’ll donate five cents to a charity of your choice. The do-gooding doesn’t end there: Through Earth Day 2007, the store is accepting donations of real fur apparel... which will be turned into bedding for orphaned and injured wildlife. So while shoppers cozy up to affordably priced brand-name clothing, their animal friends get some much-needed comfort, too.”
RECOMMENDED BY NEW YORK POST
The New York Post recommends Buffalo Exchange in “Let’s Make a Deal: Turn your trash into cash at N.Y.C. consignment stores” on Nov 18, 2006: “If your tiny closet refuses to support your shopaholic habits during the holidays, then it’s time to take steps toward recovery. Fortunately, you don’t need to break the addiction to cram those long awaited gifts into your clothing stash. Instead of overstuffing, head out to places (and Web sites) that will happily absorb your castoffs and even provide you with more of that desperately needed holiday shopping cash... Buffalo Exchange... The year-old B-Burg thrift store sells brands like H&M, Forever 21 and Diesel.”
IT'S THAT QUICK & SIMPLE
Quick & Simple, a new weekly from Good Housekeeping, recommends Buffalo Exchange in “Secondhand Scores: Best Bargains” on Oct 17, 2006: “Is your fashion-fickle teen already sick of her back-to-school outfits? Tell her to swap out those tired togs at one of these style-savvy used-clothing chains... Buffalo Exchange: Scoop up hip vintage finds or swap still-good castoffs for cash or credit at one of this ‘buy, sell or trade’ emporium’s 30-plus locations.”
"PRICES WERE SO GOOD, I THOUGHT THEY MUST BE MISTAKES"
New York City’s Cititour.com recommends Buffalo Exchange in SHOPS Places, Second Hand on Sep 11, 2006: “You might not think that Brooklyn’s hipster-heavy Williamsburg neighborhood would offer any cost relief along these lines; but its vintage inventory can be surprisingly affordable... Buffalo Exchange has arrived in the neighborhood as another solid vintage option... Though it’s a chain, and I usually avoid covering them, Buffalo has qualities that made me declare an exception: a cheerful, homegrown spirit and a dedication to involvement in local community... Yesterday at Buffalo, I saw a cute Marc Jacobs top, a pair of Michael Kors sandals, and a Chloe blouse, all very reasonably priced, and any of which could get you through a Fashion Week event with increased confidence... The prices were so good, I thought they must be mistakes, but apparently not.”
DESIGNER FOR CHEAP IN DALLAS

Watch "Designer for Cheap" video clip
|
NBC's “DFW Today” on Dallas’ KXAS-TV5 featured Buffalo Exchange in “Designer for Cheap: A Dallas consignment shop offers gently used designer jeans at deep discounts” on May 9, 2006: “How much have you ever paid for a pair of designer jeans? ...Dig deep no more. Lauriela Hernandez found jeans at one-third of the price... Many others have found a better way to get their hands on the latest designer jeans without going broke.” Jeans shown included Citizens of Humanity (mid $50s), James jeans $65, Sevens $70, True Religion. “Wondering where you can get in on these deep discounts? Buffalo Exchange... a reseller of used clothes.” Rebroadcast on same station and on Telemundo KXTX-TV CH39. View “Designer for Cheap" video clip.
LUCKY: "ONE-UPS MOST USED-CLOTHING SHOPS"
Lucky magazine online recommends Buffalo Exchange in “Local shopping guides: New York City,” Favorite Shops section, as of May 8, 2006: “This national chain one-ups most used-clothing shops by making direct trades a payment option. Stock rotates regularly, so diehard hunters know to go often.”
TIME OUT NEW YORK: LET'S SHOP!
Time Out New York recommends Buffalo Exchange in their Let’s Shop! issue, Tactical Shopping: Fashion section, “For Fickle Fashionistas” on Apr 13, 2006: “The prevailing wisdom at Williamsburg buy-sell-trade warehouse Buffalo Exchange is that one man’s garbage is another man’s gear. At this veritable revolving door of inventory, shoppers acquire cash or trade value for their castoffs... It’s not uncommon to unearth gems from on-trend labels like Penguin or Diesel.”
ELLE JAPON: "FAMOUS FROM LA TO NY"
Elle Japon includes Buffalo Exchange in “New York,” Elle Planet section, Apr 2006 issue, p. 74. "An unusual secondhand clothing shop is now open in Brooklyn. Buffalo Exchange is a used clothing store that is famous from LA to NY. The [trading] system is safe and easy...You can find vintage stuff from the 50s and important designer brands... a wide variety of things to purchase."
THE LOOK FOR LESS FOUND BUFFALO EXCHANGE
“The Look for Less” on the Style Network profiled Buffalo Exchange in “Stylin’ in San Francisco” episode: “Jess Zaino prepares Tiffany Gragg for her big 3-0. Tiffany wants to transform her current conservative look for a sexy and chic new style.” On Haight Street, shopper and stylist end up at Buffalo Exchange looking for a skirt similar to a Tracy Reese skirt. "And magically, their luck changes. A thrift-store special with the pattern and style to match the original look for just $16.28 and just in the nick of time." Aired Mar 13, 2006 at 9:30 am with rebroadcasts.
SUNSET: "VINTAGE NIRVANA FOR TEENS AND 20-SOMETHINGS"
Sunset Magazine recommends Buffalo Exchange in “Phoenix for girls,” March 2006 issue: “To distract my daughters from thoughts of the mall, as well as to save my wallet, we headed to Buffalo Exchange, vintage nirvana for teens and 20-somethings... this clothing resaler now has locations around the country, and each store has enough unique merchandise to put together a buzz-worthy look. During our visit we scored 7 for All Mankind jeans for $42, Guess jeans for $18, plus some retro-style belts... Natalia: A- ‘Designer stuff at good prices.’ Anjelica: B+ ‘I liked their weird shoes.’”
ABC-TV NEW YORK PROFILES BUFFALO EXCHANGE

WABC-TV CH 7 New York
|
New York City's ABC-TV Eyewitness News recommends Buffalo Exchange in "Why buy? It's all about the swap!" on Feb 21, 2006: "Get the hottest fashions without having to buy anything. It's all about the trade... It's like trading baseball cards, you give up a great player for another one. Or in this case a great pair of jeans for a great sweater... At the Buffalo Exchange, a store new to New York, but one that started 32 years ago in Arizona, what you'll find are clothes and shoes, most worn before, but most, still in style."
TOP 10 PARA JÓVENES: ROPA VINTAGE
Univision’s Premios Juventud “Top 10 para jóvenes” (for the young) National TV program awarded Buffalo Exchange the number two spots for "mejor sitio para comprar ropa vintage" in both Dallas and Houston, listed online as of Jan 20, 2006. The program aired on Sep 22, 2005 at 9 pm PST. On Houston: "A este lugar puedes llevar tu ropa vieja que esté en buenas condiciones, la puedes intercambiar por mercancía de este lugar o te dan una pequeña cantidad de dinero. Es un buen lugar para buscar ropa retro." On Dallas: "Ropa, ropa y más ropa. Tienen un gran surtido de prendas de vestir para hombre y para mujer. Aunque las prendas de vestir no tienen un orden dentro de la tienda, las instalaciones son muy acogedoras incluso hay una pequeña cafetería donde puedes sentarte a descansar."
NEW YORK MAGAZINE: ROCK-BOTTOM DEALS ON MEN'S DESIGNER JEANS
New York Magazine recommends Buffalo Exchange for Rock-Bottom Deals on Men’s Designer Jeans in their Read This Magazine and Save a Fortune issue, Jan 23, 2006. Buffalo Exchange is listed in the Ultimate Price-Warrior’s Guide to Sales & Bargains, Deal Finder section, “Where to find the best buys, biggest bargains, and downright cheapest stuff in the city”: “The ever-changing inventory at this new resaler benefits from Williamsburg hipsters’ exchanging clothes for cash or store credit. A pair of men’s Original Penguin jeans could be hidden in the racks for $75 instead of $140; perfectly worn True Religions and Evisus were in stock at $70 to $100 (as much as 70 percent savings) when we called, but don’t expect them to last till you read this. You can find labels like Japanese-style G-Star Raw Denim, organic Loomstate, and the ubiquitous Diesel for $30 to $60 (if you don’t mind last year’s wash). Abercrombie & Fitch goes as low as $15.”
CALLED "POPULAR" BY THE NEW YORK TIMES
The New York Times mentioned Buffalo Exchange in Thursday Styles, Open for Business section, on Jan 12, 2006: "Last month Buffalo Exchange, a Tucson-based clothing chain popular in Los Angeles and in college towns like Berkeley, Calif.; Boulder, Colo.; and Eugene, Ore., opened its first New York outpost in the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn. The store offers designer and vintage clothes... all a mixture of new and used. (Customers are invited to sell or trade their old clothes and accessories.)"
JAPANESE CUSTOMERS LOVE BUFFALO EXCHANGE

 Read about Buffalo Exchange in Japanese
|
"The pleasure of this store is not just shopping," says Japanese language website Youmaga.com (Aug 2004) about Buffalo Exchange. Model-style.net also recommends us for bargains and buy-sell-trade in Hollywood Report (Nov 2004).
>> see also: articles | buffalo bests | testimonials | myspace
|