Blending in very well with the Tucson culture, Buffalo Exchange is located right off of Speedway Boulevard. As soon as I walked in the door, it felt like a community. The employees and environment were very friendly and knew how to help when I asked. Throughout the entire place, the walls and decorations add a unique western/desert vibe to the store with the colorful walls and displays on almost all perimeters of the store. The displays show jackets, hats, glasses, etc. all with a hint of retro style. The inside seems to portray the culture of Tucson well to the people who visit.
There is a big parking lot with about 10 parking spaces in the back of the shop. So parking is not a problem, there are plenty of spots at every part of the day. The outside of the store is very hard to miss with its big windows showcasing the styles they provide. The building definitely has a personality of its own from the clothes they sell inside to the colorful outside including green and yellow with a spanish style build.
Walking in
The layout on the inside is very open and bright with numerous racks of clothing with shirts, jackets, and pants on them. It is one big room with a huge collection of clothing racks with a few little breakout rooms which have additional inventory such as one room with western style shoes. The majority of the sections in the store are labeled as well to help customers find what they are looking for faster. The staff were very helpful and knowledgeable on how to style an outfit. They made me feel like they were eager to help and were passionate about what they are doing.
When I walked in, the room was just filled with versatile clothes. The selection of clothing is very diverse which made it very easy for me to find at least one thing I liked. There is a room with a big sign that says “Changing rooms” for anyone that wants to try anything on. There are plenty of mirrors scattered around the room in case someone wants to see how something looks. They have miscellaneous items as well, such as a
All kinds of glasses, cool earrings, and purses. Their earring collection was one of the most versatile and interesting I have seen. This shop is an amazing place to find unique clothes and environment. It is a great activity to just stop by to find some souvenirs.
Southwest Flavor
The whole place has a vibe to it that really speaks for Tucson in my opinion. I walked in and I could just tell that they had their own style. There are plenty of items around the store that gives a desert/western feel such as the collection of hats and bags that were made out of leather and straw. The colors in the store were quite vibrant including the clothes, walls, and decorations.
The earrings were one of the items that I found most intriguing. There were these mini displays near the front counter with a collection of earrings like nothing I had seen. They had everything from simple studs to earrings that are a dangling cork. A set that caught my eye were also ones with a longhorn engraved in it. I felt that it spoke for the environment in the store and that southwestern trend while in Buffalo Exchange.
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Riley Frohlich is a student at University of Arizona who is interesting in local thrifting community.