I'm from Seattle but I just moved to the Ballard community about 6 months ago. I love second hand stores and honestly never expect nor get customer service while I'm shopping in them. THIS LOCATION BLEW MY MIND! The girls working are SO freaking sweet and helpful. Seriously, I've gone in there twice and had above and beyond customer service. Bravo to you ladies and the hiring manager. Xoxo read more

Considering this is the only Buffalo in the area now... I'm surprised (and bummed) by the discrepancy between items selected for sale vs the outdated, food-stained, fast fashiony offerings on the floor. I wish Buffalo would go back to being the place for fun finds, designer, and vintage. It seems as though they have pivoted to cater to a different demographic, or the buyers need a more comprehensive background/training in quality fashion. read more

This was my happy place until today. The selling staff were super intense about my having a valid drivers license - mine expired during COVID and even though the DOL has extended expiry dates for several months, they made me look up the email to show them that mine had been renewed in order to sell anything. It ended up being a rigid, prolonged and frustrating process. I chalked it up to selling being a generally humiliating experience, but have always been treated warmly as a shopper. But then, while I was shopping, a staff member chastised me for trying on a jacket outside the dressing room even though a different staff member had recommended it, made a rude remark and then proceeded to treat me really coldly including refusing to say goodbye when she checked me out. WTF. Will not be bringing my business here anymore, and will be spreading the word to my people. What a ridiculous experience. read more

i came to Seattle with no clue where to get clothes. my aunt directed me to this place. not only did i snag a nice 49ers jacket (usually have a hard time finding stuff like that in washington), but they had a large selection of clothing that i enjoyed browsing through. read more

This place suuucks. I brought some $1200 Balenciaga shoes to sell and some hipster Karen who manages the store thought I would leave them alone with her in their mint insisting. I know you're reading this, so here's some advice. If you tell someone to take a seat and they say no thanks, don't ask them again 3 more times. Anyway, this Karen took like 30 minutes to confirm they were legit but looking at the shoe tongue tag like 30 times (no joke) then straight up offered me like $120. LOL, after given my brown a-- the "I'm not sure you can afford these" and "who did you steal these from" look 2 times she finally said to me, but I can only offer you that much if you leave them with us today. We might have to offer you less next time. Wild. This store is a second hand store. I think these people forgot that. The clothes here also sucks and is overpriced but I am starting to realize that might just be a Seattle thing. Anyway, I definitely not take that deal that was apparently a bargin. Smh, don't shop here. This place sucks. read more

I am another customer who lugged several bags of brand name, basically new and not worn clothes down a block only to have them take ONE item. Compared to some of the crappy brands they had in there, mine were much nicer. They say they are going to donate them for you.... but I have suspicions about it they actually do that or not. read more

As a shopper, I have found a few gems in this place, but when it comes to selling, take your items elsewhere. The "buyers" are very sporadic in what they want and have always passed on a lot of name brand/high end seasonal items. There was even a time I brought in never worn rainboots (tag and all) and stated they didn't have a need for them, IN SEATTLE... I usually donate all of items after anyway as I don't like to take them back in once they're out, but I wouldn't be surprised if they price out some of these items afterward. Sellers beware read more

I dare you to walk into this store and not find something you love. They may or may not buy your clothes, but they have a rad selection of clothing, shoes & accessories. That's right, RAD. Retro, Active & Designer. I found a brand new pair of Puma sweats for around $10 bucks. Last year I bought a AE skirt in pink for $4. The other day I got 3 awesome shirts for around $4-6 each. Ah, it's so exciting. Ok, the coolest thing about buying second-hand.. (excluding little details like saving the earth by minimizing waste, pollution, etc... and making an impact on the sweatshop industires) is that you know the clothes hold steady after being washed. These are the clothes that have stood the test of time and they are available for spare change. Not psyched about the current selection? At least it will be good for a laugh. Then you can hop next door to Cupcake Royale, knowing you no longer have to worry about fitting into that size 4- at least for the day. read more

Buffalo Exchange - this purple shirt can cover a multitude of sins ;) - Women's Clothing Near Me - Seattle, Washington

See all

best place to slay the boots mama house down read more

Buffalo Exchange - Slaying in the boots with mama the house - Women's Clothing Near Me - Seattle, Washington

I want to give them 4 stars for their customer service. The staff at the Ballard location are consistently friendly, helpful and have an "up with people" positive attitude. The selection, well, that is where the 3 stars come in. The store is small, it's true, so maybe that affects their ability to offer more. And the prices. Hmmm, I know they offer better-quality merchandise than both Goodwill and Value Village but those prices, eek! I have had good luck shopping their sale rack, and occasionally find things that are reasonably price but those times are few and far between. read more

This location gets lots of really cool items, but it is about 1/4 the size of the U District location. That being said everything here is done on a much smaller scale. If you are selling clothes it's really hit or miss whether they already have enough of that particular item of clothing and will take yours. 30% in cash or 50% in trade is a pretty standard rate so it behooves people to recycle their clothes here. The people who work at this location are really nice and even if you have a big bag of clothes for them to go through you won't have to wait for long for them to appraise everything. I always find something I like here - no matter the season. read more

I'm usually proud to brag that my entire outfit comes from the Buffalo Exchange. My friends won't go shopping with me at the U-district location because I've been known to spend hours trying on and deciding between all the lovely things I find. My heart raced when a friend forwarded me a blog post about the Ballard location's impending opening. Finally, a location near my house that I could quickly bus to--or even be able to find parking at, and relatively close by to boot! I was so giddy with anticipation that when I started walking towards the store, I made myself stop and buy a loaf of bread at Great Harvest before it closed in an hour because I just *knew* I'd be in used clothing heaven and blissfully unaware of the time. The Ballard location, though? What a wasteland. It's like walking into Plato's Closet up in Alderwood: racks of generic mall department store rejects stare at you balefully, with a bit of indie flair thrown in to brighten up the place. I'm still clinging to the hope that the store's inventory will improve as the cool kats of Ballard begin selling their clothes there. My dream for this store is that eventually I'll walk in and find a pair of women's shoes (of any kind) in size 11, but that dream will have to wait while we see if this store will adapt to the Ballardian vibe or flail into failed silence to become just another empty storefront. read more

Buffalo Exchange - Ballard storefront - Women's Clothing Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Well-organized location and friendly employees. Always worth a look when you're in Ballard. Features some plus sizes and vintage that many locations do not. read more

I love this location. I like when BE is smaller as opposed to the big ones. Never sold here, just shopped and I always leave with something...whether or not I was planning on it. The staff is extremely friendly! Very upbeat group. The only thing I don't like is the no shopping bags anymore. You can buy a reusable tote for $3. I get what they're trying to do, what everyone is trying to do but eventually when you're reusable bag breaks that's gonna go in a landfill, too. There should at least offer recycleable paper bags. read more

I am hesitant to give this Buffalo a bad review, but it needs to be said. While the staff of this store is really friendly and kind, they rarely accept plus size (XL+) clothing. Their selection of straight size items is very extensive, but so extremely limited on XL's and larger. For example, there were 3 XL skirts, but about 25 mediums. Additionally, this location only accepts about 1/5 of the plus size clothes I bring in. However when I would bring in the bag of "leftovers" to the U District location they would accept almost 1/2. Unfortunately the U District location has closed, but the Ballard location is still stuck on keeping their store 95% straight sized. Disappointing as a shopper and as a seller. read more

Best reselling experience I've had! Very sweet employees and fair payouts. Other places (esp in Cap Hill) are sort of condescending when you try to sell, but these were probably the first friendly employees I've encountered when trying to resell. If I wasn't moving, I'd keep coming here! read more

After some subpar experiences at the U District buffalo exchange (unfriendly buyers), I decided to try the Ballard location. On selling:The staff who went through my clothes were really friendly and chatty and I didn't feel like I was being judged at all, which has happened at the u district store. Each item they accepted was priced on the spot and I was offered 30% cash or 50% store credit of the total. If you're trying to get the actual resale value of your items, I'd try selling online using depop or some other app--I got about $6 bucks for an almost brand new pair of lululemons. As always, I felt like they passed up on some items that were good brands/in season/in good condition etc. but I was going to donate the clothes anyway, so I didn't mind. Buffalo exchange will donate the rest of the clothes they passed on to a local organization so I opted to do that and left with no bags! On shopping: The store itself is pretty cramped. I went on a Saturday afternoon and left pretty quickly because it was so crowded. read more

Buffalo exchange mislabeled a pair of shoes I bought as a women's size when it was actually a men's size. Instead of honoring the fact that the store made a mistake, they would not give me my money back, but upheld the policy of store credit only. Problem is, I didn't want to buy anything except those exact shoes in my size, which the store does not have. Who knows if they ever will? So, I had to buy them back so I can sell them on eBay and then find a pair in my size. If I'm gonna spend $100 on a brand new pair of shoes, I want them to be the right size. This is a huge inconvenience to me since I don't regularly sell things on eBay. It would have taken very little effort for them to just make things right with me as a customer. Instead, when I asked to speak with a manager the cashier said "I am the manager" and proceeded to blame me by saying I could have just tried them on in spite of the store's tag having misinformation, and claimed that I should somehow have seen through the wrong tag and known anyway. I actually did try them on before buying, but since I thought they were my size I rationalized that maybe it was ok. They were nice shoes after all, and I really liked them. But now I see, they are actually quite big with too much room in the toe and I might trip. Point is, people try things on while also considering a variety of other factors such as whether the item is the appropriate size, and then synthesize all of these factors into an informed decision. If one of these factors is incorrect through the fault of the business, it is THEIR responsibility to make it right. So I think this was terrible customer service on the part of this manager and Buffalo Exchange! read more

I found this location to be helpful and kind. They have good stuff and lots to look at. The staff were quick and efficient. The first thing I found difficult though, is the store's tiny location is difficult to maneuver around, and it was so packed with people that I couldn't even get to the size of clothing I was trying to look at because it was already full of three other gals in front of it. There isn't much room to move in there. Most things seemed to be $30, which seems much higher than other locations i've visited in other states. Also, good luck getting any money for your stuff, I had some pretty decent designer brand stuff that they didn't even glance at. Perhaps they only take brand-new unworn Lucky Jeans and unscathed Kate Spade bags. But hey, if you've got nothing to lose, why not? read more

Earlier this week I've visited the BE on the Ave. I had a great experience there, so I want to try this location. The store is smaller than the one in the ave, but the amount of selection is comparable. The reason for the 2-star is cleanliness. I found a nice REI jacket for $38 and a dress for $10. I took both of them to fitting room to try on. The jacket seems clean, with small amount of wear and tear. I was very close to buying it. I almost tried the dress on, but I smelled something really pungent. The dress was very stinky! Smelled like sweat or gym stench, but on a dress that is being sold in the store! I'm very shocked as most of the item in the Ave are clean and not stinky like this. I left the store quickly after realizing the dress smells so horribly. The staff seems nice overall. I might visit the Ave location since it is cleaner. read more

I have been selling at buffalos across the country and this one by far is the friendliest buying staff I have encountered. I usually talk myself out of going to sell my stuff after a couple bad experiences but I will for sure be coming back to this place. Thank you for keeping customer service and kindness around and sharing positive vibes! read more

Beware of putting things on hold at this store! The employees will just leave it out unmarked and other customers will pick it up. If you find something you want don't let it out of sight! read more

I'll be up front. I have a real "love/hate" relationship with these guys. The "love" comes from occasionally finding a cool expensive ($50.00 jeans) piece or nice high end shoes. The "hate" comes from schlepping two garbage bags full of great clothes a block, only to have them buy a tee shirt. I think I need to lower my expectations. Why fill the racks with John Varvatos or Paul Smith when you can sell a 5 year old H & M shirt or Gap khakis. read more

Selling clothes? Not worth it. They turn down perfect condition, trendy name brand clothing. You're lucky if they buy 2 items and walk away with $10. Buying clothes? Overpriced for the most ridicolous array and variety, as far as women's clothes, at least. I'm an avid Value Villager and I find better stuff for cheaper. I will say I've glanced at the men's clothing and seems there's a lot better taste there. Prices are probably still too much. Decent selection of shoes, but still too much for the condition. Honestly, this is the best place to go if you need an original, outrageous costume. read more

Love this place! Staff is always SO friendly and nice... I've also found many gems in this place and never felt over whelmed by the staff or the amount of clothes. I've never sold but they've explained the process and it sounds easy enough though... Looking forward to shopping here again! read more

I'm not into hipster-wear, and as a guy there was not much for me to look at here. A lot of the brands they had were definitely more of the "fad" sort of variety, and I'm into things that won't go out of style when the wind changes. This is the third time I was in, and had not noticed anything really of value in the past (footwear or otherwise) Let me be clear: I am not anywhere close to "GQ style guy" levels of sartorialist expertise, but I know enough to get by alright. I don't subscribe to Pitchfork, so most of the racks didn't hold my interest, but I did find something of note in the shoe department; some very crappy footwear was going for way more than it should--"corrected grain" bullshit and that sort of thing--and there was an absence of any actual quality. This time I had brought with me a pair of wingtips by Allen Edmonds in fair shape to try and sell; if I could get half of what I could via ebay without having to deal with online BS, I'd do it. I've never seen shoes like AE at a Buffalo Exchange before, and I guess I know why: I was offered a pathetic amount of money for them, mostly because I don't think the people that work there know what they're doing in terms of menswear. I also had the sneaking suspicion that they were going to sell them for a much higher price than what they told me, but that could just be the cynic in me. Regardless, I left without selling. Fortunately, I found a nearby shop that did buy them, and I received a much more agreeable $60--three times as much as what Buffalo Exchange had offered. This shop--and I won't say which one because I'd like people to explore other Ballard options for second-hand stuff--knew the product and its value. TL;DR: 1. Non-hipsters move along, nothing to see here. 2. Don't sell your stuff here. Find a different store, consign it, or hell, just donate it to a place that isn't a scam (i.e. don't donate to Goodwill). read more

This place is crowded. And small. Like I said in my tip: "Like...small womb with quintuplets crowded." You can buy and trade clothes. I did not exhaust either option the day I went. 1. Because there wasn't anything, at the time, that I wanted. 2. At the time, there was nothing I wanted and 3. They didn't have anything I wanted at the time. Needless to say, I came and left with what I had on. And I'm ok with that. The service seemed cool enough. It's October. Some local business are into the dress up with your product thing so... there's that. Woohoo and stuff. However, they did seem to be overwhelmed. I mean, when I tell you it was crowded that Saturday afternoon, I mean it was Night At The Roxbury Dance Floor Doug and Steve Butabi Thrust Sandwich crowded. I had heard around the shirt rack that they don't usually get that busy. So I wonder what holiday it was that I didn't really know about but had specific significance to secondhand clothing stores and I just happened to walk in that day...National Hand Me Down Day. Word. But hey, crowded is good for business nine times out of ten. Anyway, the selection was random, of course, which makes for some of the best sometimes finds. I'm hoping to get out there again soon and perhaps amend this review once I get a little more hands on with the employees and maybe even buy some kicks with the polka dot shoelaces. Did I mention it was crowded? No? Well it was. Crowded. read more

Sold my clothes to someone with a "manager" name tag. Was extremely cold throughout the entire interaction, I wasn't able to see my clothes that she took due to a miscommunication, and then she asked me to carry around my two massive bags of clothes as I shopped. I am disabled and cannot easily Carry bags through these narrow spaces, but she informed me my only options were to do so, bring them back to my car, or donate them. If I could afford a car in Seattle, why would I be selling my clothes at Buffalo exchange? In the past, they've always accommodated me and stored my bags behind the counter, as long as I acknowledged they weren't liable for my items. I proceeded to shop while dragging these bags behind me, getting dirty looks from fellow customers, understandably, as I fumbled my way through the store. Glad I took the cash over store credit, as I won't be going back. read more

I'm a regular thrifter, and I love a good deal. Though, unlike many other reviewers, I feel that this particular location has unreasonable prices. I found a lot of clothes that appeared to be very well-worn, more so than many of the clothes I've offered as a seller. Additionally, there were a number of H&M and Forever21 items being sold for much higher prices than you'd find new in stores. I was surprised to find this, and was quite unsatisfied. If you turn the corner to Classic Consignments, you can get actual good deals! I bought an Armani blazer for $24 in mint condition from Classic Consignments. The store attendants were helpful, kind and considerate of all buyers and sellers. I appreciated that; and I felt the store was well kept and clean. I brought in a large bag of clothing and received $10 for two items, which I felt was fair. Although I'll be using this location for sales, I don't think I'd be returning as a buyer. read more

Both from a buying and selling perspective, this place could use improvement. Buying - there are good items to be found, but you will have to weed through tons of stuff that is pretty cheap quality and not all that interesting (basic tees, etc). I was surprised that they carried so many Forever 21 and other cheap department store items, which honestly, were probably not made to last for resale. Also, the racks are so full that the shopping experience is pretty challenging. Selling - as with most consignment stores, the selling experience can seem arbitrary. Having seen the selection they carry in store, I've often been confused by the items they end up turning down which don't seem any worse wear or style-wise than items I find on the racks. I seem to have better luck with selling men's items than women's though. read more

I was surprised at how many grody clothes were in this shop. Sweaters with holes you could drive a car through others with massive pilling and/or snags. I'm hoping this is just a phase or oversight. I've sold clothes here and have been happy with the results $$. But here is a tip for the ladies. Don't let Emo boy check your clothing, have one of the ladies do it. Female staff is cool. Emo dude not so much. P.S. Cute hats. read more

Either I've just had some bad luck or just can't cut it with thrift store fashions (I hope it's the latter, because I can live with bad luck). So, whiling away some time in Ballard one evening, my sister and I checked out their offerings. As usual, I went straight for the shirts and jackets (I'm still to scared to buy pants....or chonies) from a used clothing store. Nothing jumped at me, but I did pick up a few things, and I took 'em to the back to try 'em on. But yeah, I just wasn't willing to dish out the $5-10 for any of the pickings I tried on. The staff were pretty nice, even with it being close to closing time. Oh well, here's to luck turning around and tomorrow being another day on the personal fashion front. Will keep on giving this place a try whenever in Ballard. read more

I love coming to Buffalo exchange and I find the Ballard location much easier to navigate than the U-District one and it has a better selection! I have found several pairs of new-looking designer jeans and tops for a fraction of the price I'd pay in a department store. We're talking $25-40 for $200+ jeans. Great. I would avoid buying used shoes because it's not good for you to wear shoes that have already molded to someone else's foot shape. Let alone what could have been on the prior person's feet... Any who, great place to get used or even new clothing. Their prices are definitely on the high end for a thrift store but their clearance racks are good deals and it beats buying new when you're on a budget. read more

Thrifting is always like stepping into a river no matter where you go and Buffalo Exchange is no exception! They usually have some good stuff. You still have to dig and you have to watch out for their brand new stuff that they sneak onto the racks. Their new stuff kind of looks good on the hanger but fit for me anyway, is horrible! I have sold clothes here too and been pretty happy with the amount of store credit I was able to get. Parking is street parking, but if you're going to be under half an hour you might be able to get away with the 30 min free parking for the Kress Building lot in the back. The folks who work here will almost ALWAYS tell you, "That looks SO cute on you!" which I fell for a couple of times but I'm beginning to think they are trained to say that to you!! Would have given them a higher rating except I'm not totally thrilled with the vibe to selection ratio because they have that crappy new stuff on the racks and a weird sales tactic. Other than that I do frequent this place when I'm in need of some new pieces for my wardrobe! read more

While visiting the Ballard area, Buffalo Exchange was in a great location to stop and shop before grabbing lunch. It boasts a large inventory of clothing and shoes, neatly organized, and with plenty of options. I was able to easily find a few "hot items". It's definitely worth checking out if you're in the area. read more

Really bummed. I hauled two big bins down into the store only to find out they are doing 'buys' by appointment only. I was there right at opening time... they said the next opening was a week away. Also, they will be keeping the 'appointment only' method throughout the next year since it cuts down on wait times (which used to be an hour). However, as a buyer and a seller, I'd have been happy to wait an hour (or more) as I would have taken the time to shop. For the owner of this business, cutting down time that the seller is in your store will actually lead to you paying out more cash rather than the store credit. I believe the store credit method is better for the business, but maybe I'm incorrect here. The other thing is that often I would end up buying more than what I sold, since I was in the store for a long time. Therefore, from a business standpoint I don't understand this. I know this started because of Covid; but as things are easing up, it's disheartening to hear this method will still be in place for the long run. I understand making things convenient (think of Disneyland's fast pass) but it shouldn't make up all of what you do. I think that this will likely lead to less sales (people buying from you). I'll start to use online vendors such as ThredUp from now on. read more

I didn't know this u-district transplant was here till my friend & I drove by. Always a great selection of vintage/used clothing you actually want to wear, I haven't always been impressed by the prices. I was pleasantly surprised to see many a thing I would like to try on and easily within my price points. Purple flats, silver clutches, and a beautiful blue/green Betsey Johnson strapless dress that has my bridesmaid swearing off food for. I'll be back... read more

Take some time and look through the racks and you will find something you like. The place was pretty busy which makes it hard to move around because the clothing racks are really close together. The clothes are also packed in on some racks which makes it really hard to look. There was a section with skirts but one section was too high up for me to even reach. The staff are okay, they could definitely be more friendly. I also heard them complaining to each other because it was a busy day. One thing that really annoyed me was that I approached the dressing room with about 15 items (can take 10 in at a time) and the employee gave me a look and commented that I had a lot of stuff, as if she was annoyed at the thought of having to put all the items back and I was just trying stuff to give her more work. I bought several dresses all between $10-$15. The prices are a bit high for some of the items but not higher than other similar consignment shops. Parking is on the street and was not easy to find on a Sunday, probably owing to the farmers market. I doubt I'll stop by this location again. read more

This place is great for when you need to pick up a green t-shirt for a St. Patrick's Day bowling event and you just got into town and don't have anything green. Hypothetically speaking. read more

We used to go to the U-District location which in all honesty has a bigger selection, but to be fair it's triple the size of this one. The reason why we go here is....we drink here more often. So it's a stop before our barventures. The staff is friendly and they do engage in conversation with the clientele. No sneering anti conformist conformist attitudes here like you'd expect at other places *cough*crossroads*cough*. Some bits and pieces can be a bit rough but I've scored some awesome stuff everytime I've been here. Marc by Marc Jacobs, See by Chloe- not super designer but well to do anyway. We only drop by here about once every 6 months to sell and buy clothes all at once. What's great about it is not only are they willing to buy your clothes they'll take what they don't want off your hands to donate. So much easier than putting your stuff up on craigslist or having a garage sale. I win in every way possible. read more