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BUFFALO EXCHANGE OWNER RECEIVES ENTREPRENEURSHIP AWARD
Buffalo Exchange president Kerstin Block was awarded the Thomas R. Brown Excellence in Entrepreneurship Award for exceptional standards and contributions to community good through exemplary entrepreneurial leadership on Nov 5, 2009 at the IdeaFunding luncheon in Tucson. Sherry Hoskinson, University of Arizona Director for the McGuire Center for Entrepreneurship, congratulated Kerstin: "I speak on behalf of the entire award and IdeaFunding committee in expressing our excitement that you will join this list of entrepreneurs that have contributed so richly to this region and far beyond with vision, innovation and leadership."
STYLE NETWORK: "GREAT PLACE TO FIND SECONDHAND FASHIONS"
Style Network’s “The Look for Less” shopped at Buffalo Exchange on La Brea in Los Angeles, airing on Sep 10, 2009 at 3 pm, 3 minutes: ”We had some success at Target. But we still need to find that romper. So we headed around the corner to one of our favorite vintage resale stores, Buffalo Exchange. It’s a great place to find secondhand fashions at dirt-cheap prices. There’s all kinds of cool stuff here.”
THE NEW YORK TIMES: "BARGAINS ABOUND FOR THE FRUGAL FASHIONISTA"
The New York Times mentions Buffalo Exchange in the travel piece, “Bargains Abound for the Frugal Fashionista” on Sep 9, 2009: “Expensive fashion, which plundered the bank accounts (and, more often, credit lines) of New Yorkers just a few years back, is on the wane... For some of us, however, a resistance to paying full price is the normal state of affairs. For as long as nice clothes have been expensive (which is to say forever), New Yorkers have found ways to get high-end looks for less. The strategies are well-known: Shop at Century, 21, the discount designer department store. Scour vintage stores (Buffalo Exchange, Beacon’s Closet), and raid consignment shops (Ina, Tokio 7)... Finding the best deals provokes serious competition among shoppers."
RECOMMENDED BY U.S. NEWS & WORLD REPORT
U.S. News & World Report recommends Buffalo Exchange in “5 Ways to Green Your Fall Clothes Shopping” on Sep 3, 2009: “Here’s how to update your look, save money, and be mindful of the environment... 2. Hunt for treasures in consignment stores, thrift stores, garage sales and the Salvation Army, where, with a little time and effort, you can find pre-worn clothing for major bargains... Other good places to look: the slightly more upscale chains Plato’s Closet and Buffalo Exchange.”
GOOD MORNING AMERICA, HELLO BACK-TO-SCHOOL
Good Morning America recommends Buffalo Exchange in "Back to School Shopping Without Spending A Dime" on Aug 12, 2009: "Imagine now if your kids could get a wardrobe - or at least a couple outfits - that's new to them, without costing you a penny? It's not a fantasy, thanks to consignment and exchange shops... Find a shop in your area that buys or trades gently worn clothing. Buffalo Exchange has 36 shops nationwide." In the segment, teen seller-shoppers head toward "Buffalo Exchange, a consignment store filled to the brim with cheap but trendy secondhand clothes."
SHOPSMART: "PACKED WITH COOL DESIGNER FINDS"
ShopSmart magazine recommends Buffalo Exchange in “Recycling your clothes” on Aug 3, 2009: “Buffalo Exchange is... packed with cool designer finds and one-of-a-kind vintage pieces at bargain prices... Here’s why it’s so cool: You can trade for clothing or accessories - no cash needed. Really. They’re all about reusing and recycling - they call it guilt-free fashion. You go in with a shirt you’re not wearing anymore, say, and you can trade it (or sell it) for someone else’s former favorite. Simple! Not only that the company has a good conscience... So clean out your closet and go recycling!”
BUFFALO EXCHANGE ROCKS THE INHOUSE!
Buffalo Exchange is a winner in Graphic Design USA Magazine's American Inhouse Design Awards, July 2009 issue. An award in the advertising category was given for Buffalo Exchange’s Guilt-Free Fashion Newspaper Ad Campaign, the only Arizona winner published out of 27 winners in advertising. There were 4,000+ entries in this year’s program nationwide. Fewer than 400 departments were “being honored for outstanding work in an extremely competitive environment,” according to GD USA. This awards program is the “premier showcase for the outstanding, and too often underappreciated, work of inhouse design departments at America’s great companies and institutions.” This is Buffalo Exchange’s sixth year designing in-house; the team is composed of Michelle L. Livingston, creative direction, and Kristin L. Welk, graphic design.
NRDC: GET RID OF LAST YEAR’S FASHIONS RESPONSIBLY
Natural Resources Defense Council’s This Green Life, in their Aug 2009 newsletter titled “Clothes Disposal: Getting rid of last year’s fashions responsibly,” recommends Buffalo Exchange: “Thanks to fast fashion, the average American now discards 68 pounds of clothing a year, wasting energy, water and landfill space. Find out the best ways to dispose of your old clothes without resorting to the trash... Instead, let’s get the full benefit of these resources by using the fabrics to death. Here’s how to play your part: Resell. If your old clothes are stylish and in top condition, sell them at your neighborhood vintage shop or Buffalo Exchange, a national used clothing chain.”
BUFFALO EXCHANGE OWNER IS A REGIONAL ENTREPRENEUR OF THE YEAR
Kerstin Block
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Ernst & Young LLP named Kerstin Block, president and co-owner of Buffalo Exchange, as a 2009 Regional Entrepreneur of the Year, Retail/Consumer Products category, on Jun 11, 2009 in Irvine. Kerstin is the only female recipient and the only Tucson business owner out of seven winners in the Orange County/Desert Cities region. All winners were from Southern California except for Kerstin Block and Todd Davis of Tempe. Awards are given to entrepreneurs who demonstrate extraordinary success in the areas of innovation, financial performance and personal commitment to their businesses and communities. Winners were selected by an independent judging panel of regional business and community leaders. Regional award recipients are eligible for national honors at Ernst & Young’s Strategic Growth Forum Nov 14 in Palm Springs. Ernst & Young presents the awards in more than 135 cities in 50 countries.
KATY PERRY IN US WEEKLY: "BIG FAN OF BUFFALO EXCHANGE"
In Us Weekly's Hot Hollywood STYLE section, "Katy Perry: The Playful Pinup," Apr 27, 2009 issue, p. 69, Katy says: "Back when I was still trying to get by, I was a big fan of Buffalo Exchange [consignment stores]."
CNN IREPORT: "THRIFTY FINDS"
CNN’s iReport's Road to Rescue: The CNN Survival Guide, “Thrifty and Thriving: iReport economy challenge” recommends Buffalo Exchange in “Thrifty Finds” on Mar 17, 2009: “CNN iReporters are talking about how they are saving money on clothes from thrift stores. iReporter Chris Morrow went to a consignment store called Buffalo Exchange." A shopper in Hillcrest, San Diego, says he found clothes from Nordstrom and Bloomingdales at our store.
TEEN VOGUE BLOGGER: "PRICES ARE CHEAPER"
Teen Vogue includes Buffalo Exchange in “Shirin’s Guide to Vintage Shopping in New York,” an intern blogger article on Feb 24, 2009: “We spent the weekend combing through some of New York City’s best vintage stores, clustered primarily in Nolita and the East Village... Buffalo Exchange - located just next door to Tokyo Joe, this store is... popular... with locations all over the United States (and another location in Brooklyn). As the selection is large and the stores are highly trafficked, there is a lot to go through... the potential for a good find exists and the prices are cheaper than those of its counterparts.”
BUFFALO EXCHANGE OWNER WINS MÖDA AWARD
Kerstin wins the Cele Peterson Award
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Buffalo Exchange’s Kerstin Block was honored with the Cele Peterson Award by the Southern Arizona Aids Foundation at the fashion show benefit Möda Provŏcateûr in Tucson on Mar 8, 2009. Kerstin was selected for her contributions to the local fashion community since 1974. “Kerstin is a smart, inspiring and enterprising business woman” says Kevin Casey, the founder of Möda, and owner of Avalon for Hair, Skin and Nails.
BUFFALO GOLD
Kristin & Michelle, Buffalo Exchange In-House Creatives
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Buffalo Exchange won two first-ever Gold ADDY awards as an in-house design group, plus three Silver ADDYs, from the American Advertising Federation-Tucson on Feb 21, 2009. Buffalo Exchange swept the newspaper campaign and fractional page categories, and with four awards was the only winning entrant in those areas. Gold ADDYs were awarded for our color newspaper ads and national consumer mixed media campaigns, and we won Silver for our Halloween and black-and-white newspaper ads. This is Buffalo Exchange’s sixth 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 two Gold, nine Silver and ten 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. 48 out of 410 entries were awarded Gold this year in Tucson. 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.
TEEN VOGUE WRITER: "I LOVE BUFFALO EXCHANGE"
Teen Vogue recommends Buffalo Exchange under “Contributors: Up close and personal with the Teen Vogue Team,” Feb 2009 issue. Angela Wu’s answer to the reader question “Where do you find affordable and stylish clothes?” is: “I love Buffalo Exchange stores - it’s like trading closets with a friend who has really good style.” Angela, 17, is a student and aspiring writer.
ONE OF 40 UNDER 40
Chain Store Age magazine named Buffalo Exchange number 28 in “Forty Under 40: Small Chains Flourish,” cover story of Jan 2009 issue: “In a tough market, retailers with 40 or few stores continue to grow... This list is a ranking of the 40 fastest-growing retail chains with 40 or fewer locations. The ranking is based on the year-to-year sales growth of each company for its last two completed fiscal years... The fashions are always stylish, if second-hand, at Buffalo Exchange Ltd., a resale chain that is finding a growing audience for its mix of trendy, brand-name apparel, shoes and accessories... Celebrating its 35th anniversary this month, Buffalo Exchange offers the ultimate in resale retail. The stores provide a fashion mecca where consumers can not only buy vintage clothing, but also can bring their own apparel... for trade or cash on the spot... In the current economy, a retail store that allows consumers to make money as well as purchase quality product at discounted prices is a winning model. It helps that fashionistas of all ages and income brackets are embracing frugality with a newfound zeal.” Kerstin is quoted “People are getting rid of clothes like they are going out of style and cash is king.”
ACTOR BRENDAN GUY MURPHY RECEIVES BUFFALO EXCHANGE ARTS AWARD
Brendan Guy Murphy
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Brendan Guy Murphy, actor, received Tucson's 2008 Buffalo Exchange Arts Award of $10,000. The award was presented by the Community Foundation for Southern Arizona (CFSA) at the Davis Dominguez Gallery in Tucson on Jan 14, 2009. Brendan Guy Murphy is a talented actor who directs, writes and acts in both theatre and film. Murphy recently founded his own film production company, Murphy Speaking Films, currently producing its third film. According to Cynthia Meier, one of the award selection committee judges, Murphy “is making films which are imaginative and inventive, creating opportunities for many Tucson actors and production personnel. Instead of leaving town to join a corps of actors and filmmakers in Los Angeles or New York, Brendan is attempting to create art here in Tucson, the place in which he grew up.” Since 1994, nearly $120,000 has been given to individuals in the arts community through the Buffalo Exchange Fund for the Arts held at CFSA. The award was established by Buffalo Exchange owners Kerstin and Spencer Block to encourage creativity, innovation and excellence in the arts. >> full story
CNNMONEY.COM WRITES ON "BUFFALO EXCHANGE'S CONTINUING SUCCESS"
CNNMoney.com profiled Buffalo Exchange in "Secondhand stores shine in weak retail market" on Jan 2, 2009: "As thrifty customers turn to secondhand goods, resale stores are profiting from the recession." The crowds at Buffalo Exchange's first Manhattan location "are indicative of both Buffalo Exchange's continuing success - the privately held company says it has $50 million in annual revenue and is concluding its third consecutive year of sales growth - and also of the resale market's overall performance. Secondhand shops are a bright spot in today's downtrodden retail industry... While an increase in used designer goods has helped resale stores draw more middle-class shoppers, so have rising concerns about the environment - the stigma once placed on used clothing is fading."
KEVIN CHRISTIANA: "THE PERFECT PLACE, NO MATTER HOW MUCH CASH YOU HAVE"
The Rachael Ray Show featured Buffalo Exchange on Dec 10, 2008 in a segment about thrift store shopping. Project Runway's Kevin Christiana helps Lauren, 27, find a party dress at the Brooklyn Buffalo Exchange shop. She's on a tight budget, but Kevin assures her: "So now that I see your sense of style, I'm going to take you to the perfect place. No matter how much cash you have, we'll find what you're looking for. Here we are at a thrift shop. Everything you need in your price point, you can find right here at Buffalo Exchange."
TIME OUT, NEW YORK
Time Out New York recommends Buffalo Exchange's new store in Manhattan in Shopping/Just Opened on Dec 4, 2008: "Want cash back without having to charge up a storm on your credit card? Bring your unwanted garb to the new East Village outpost of this popular buy-sell-trade clothing shop and leave with padded pockets. The best part is that they won't turn up their noses at Forever 21 - all brands are welcome. Score a pair of 7 for All Mankind jeans for $25, current-season Manolo Blahniks for $250 or unload some designer goods for major dough."
TODAY SHOW: "SAVVY SHOPPERS NOW TURNING TO RESALE STORES"
Buffalo Exchange in Brooklyn was the location for the TODAY Show's shopping trip in TODAY's Consumer segment on secondhand shopping with NBC host Amy Robach on Nov 29, 2008: "With savvy shoppers now turning to resale stores to update their wardrobe, I decided to give secondhand a shot, and I brought along stylist Alison Deyette for a little expert guidance." A dressy outfit was purchased at Buffalo Exchange for $83.39, which TODAY says would have cost $399.50 new. Watch the video "Today Show Thrifty Fashions" at Alison Deyette's blog, Ali on the Go.
LET'S GO USA: "NEW AND USED CLOTHING FOR A STEAL"
Let’s Go USA 2008, Portland, OR section, recommends Buffalo Exchange: “Across the street from Powell’s, Everyday Music sells new and used CDs and Buffalo Exchange sells trendy ‘Portland approved’ new and used clothing for a steal."
NYLON: “HIT THE VINTAGE JACKPOT AT BUFFALO EXCHANGE”
NYLON Magazine profiles Buffalo Exchange in “vegas, baby!” on page 58, Nov 2008 issue: “There’s more to Sin City than showgirls and Siegfried & Roy... Vintage clothing stores are tucked away on the side streets off Las Vegas Boulevard... Viva this Las Vegas! Places to eat, shop and tie the knot. Buffalo Exchange: Las Vegas likes to name drop - Chanel, Burberry, Balenciaga - but if you lost one too many turns at roulette (or have a more eclectic sense of style), then pop into Buffalo Exchange instead. Where else can you find authentic ’60s go-go boots?” Five Buffalo Exchange photos, including one inside our Vegas store with caption “hit the vintage jackpot at buffalo exchange.”
CNN: "TRENDY AT A FRACTION OF THE COST"
CNN Headline News profiled Buffalo Exchange in "Uneasy market creates boon for resale retail stores" on Oct 12, 2008: "While some businesses across the country are struggling to stay afloat, others are booming, even expanding, in a slumping economy... The reason? Resale retail. Translation? Second-hand, brand name clothes, shoes and accessories that are in excellent shape and trendy at a fraction of the cost. That's exactly what the resale chain Buffalo Exchange specializes in. Recently it had on its racks a pair of True Religion jeans that would retail for $300 new. Buffalo Exchange's cost: $100." View CNN video clip on KTKA Topeka 49 ABC News.
FABULOUSLY FORBES.COM
Forbes.com includes Buffalo Exchange in "Save Dollars on Designer Clothes" on Oct 9, 2008: "Uncertain economic times tend to make it difficult to maintain a luxurious lifestyle - especially when it comes to buying clothes. But that's only if you care about shopping for new clothes. Once considered taboo, resale and consignment shops that offer high-end labels like Prada, Gucci and Chanel, are flourishing... As the economy forces even the wealthiest shopper to reprioritize, secondhand shops are reaping the benefits. At Buffalo Exchange, a resale chain with 33 stores.. across the U.S., sales grew 16.1% during the first half of the year compared with the same period last year... Buffalo Exchange was one of the original stores to buy, sell, trade and take clothing items and accessories on consignment."
BUFFALO EXCHANGE "A GREENTAILER WHO PRACTICES WHAT IT PREACHES"
Greentailing and Other Revolutions in Retail (Sep 2008) recommends Buffalo Exchange in Greentailing in Action - Case Studies, "Buffalo Exchange - Renewable Green": "With the advent of fast-fashion retailers, wardrobes are increasingly more disposable. Buffalo Exchange is high on the Greentailing scale in that it has low carbon dioxide emissions because it does not manufacture apparel goods... offering a solution to the growing problem of postconsumer textile product contributing to landfill waste... Through its recycling of clothing and accessories and partnerships with environmental cause-oriented organizations, Buffalo Exchange gains the trust of its customers as a Greentailer who practices what it preaches."
INTERNATIONAL IABC AWARD
International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) Southern Region awarded Buffalo Exchange its first Southern Region Silver Quill of excellence on Sep 28, 2008. Buffalo Exchange competed with businesses in 15 countries and territories, including the Caribbean, and 14 U.S. southern states. The award recognizes communications tactics in our Serena Ryder download card promotion with Viva La Rock and Atlantic Records.
CNN: "RESELLERS WIN" IN DOWN ECONOMY
CNNMoney.com profiles Buffalo Exchange in “Resellers win in economic downturn” on Sep 9, 2008: “As the economy struggles, the resale industry has thrived. Not only are cash-strapped consumers discovering that selling their unused or unwanted items is a great way to pad their pockets, but heading to secondhand shops to buy discounted goods can also save a substantial amount of money... Tucson, Ariz.-based chain Buffalo Exchange has been in the business of buying and selling secondhand clothing and accessories since 1974. ‘In hard times, businesses like ours do better,’ said Kerstin... Sellers bring in bags of used clothing and walk away with store credit or a fraction of the resale value in cold hard cash. A pair of designer jeans might fetch anywhere from $25 to $75, depending on the style and condition. Buyers can purchase them for a fraction of the retail cost... Also contributing to the growing interest in secondhand shopping over the last few years is an increased awareness of the environment and the importance of reusing and recycling. Secondhand shopping not only makes financial sense but is better for the planet too."
LA TIMES: SECONDHAND IS OFTEN FIRST CHOICE
Los Angeles Times profiles Buffalo Exchange in “Secondhand shops now often are first choice,” Business section front page, on Sep 2, 2008: “Many consumers are making money by raiding their closets to sell clothes on consignment, creating deals for strapped shoppers... Revenue at resale clothing store chain Buffalo Exchange exploded as the economy flagged... The industry’s eco-friendly aura doesn’t hurt. Since Buffalo Exchange launched in 1974, the negative perception of resale and thrift stores has faded, especially among young shoppers attracted by the connection to recycling, said president and co-founder Kerstin Block. ‘Whenever there’s a downturn in the economy, there’s an upturn in these kinds of businesses,’ she said."
BUFFALO BESTS
Buffalo Exchange has won many recent awards, ranging from Best Clothing Boutique Readers' Choice in Las Vegas Weekly's Vegas Best 2009, to Best Used Clothes Editors' and Readers' Picks in UC Berkeley's The Daily Californian Best of Berkeley 2009, to Favorite vintage clothing store in The Reigster-Guard's Readers' Choice Awards 2009 in Eugene. Check out the latest Buffalo Bests.
>> see also: archives | buffalo bests | testimonials | myspace
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