If you're familiar with my reviews, you've probably noticed I've reviewed several Buffalo Exchange locations in both Seattle and Portland and I've never been particularly impressed with what they have to offer. I always try on tons of items and never come away with anything. I am rarely impressed with the items they have to offer. I've bought one - count it, one - item of clothing ever from a Buffalo Exchange and it was a simple t-shirt. While I didn't buy anything (once again) at this Buffalo Exchange location, it was definitely better than others I've been to. There was a good variety of nice, quality items and I had plenty of things to try on once I got into the dressing room. I'll probably be back here sometime soon to take another look, but for now, this Buffalo Exchange becomes my highest rated location. read more

I've had some really good finds here: less than $20 denim and a cute sweater. Also, some shirts! And they have some shoes, too. Those pretty leather kinds. I wouldn't normally buy leather, but second hand is okay because it wasn't my hand skinning that cattle. It was the first hand. A lot of the time, I don't find anything all that great, and when I do, it's not usually at a bargain. But like my dealer says, one or two good trips is worth it. read more

I didn't find much, but I did find a nice pair of yellow sandals in my size which is rare. The person at the dressing rooms was a little judgey, but the cashier who had orang hair was nice, made conversation and explained the bag token to me. Nice place but it is not cheap like a goodwill or thrift store, it ranges between $13-25. read more

It sucks. No hello. Lots of space in front. mens short sleeve shirts first. Womens sweaters in the very back. Disorganized. Jackets in the sweaters. Very wrinkled shirt in the sweaters. The clerk at fronty full facial hair and thin pasty face and very thin- looked ill. GLUG Never again. read more

It really depends on what you're looking for, but if you're determined and persistent, you can find some really great deals here. The staff is somewhat "too school for school" but if you can overlook this you have a good chance of finding something awesome. read more

I found a cute cardigan, a skirt, a scarf, and nice blouse from The Limited all for fairly cheap. However, someone needs to tell whoever came up with the "no bags whatsoever" policy that donating a token to a charity does not help me carry my purchases home. At least offer a reusable bag or something. Even take a piece of twine and tie it in a bundle. I dropped things several times on the way home just a few blocks east on Market. Seriously, your ideals are fine but be realistic. Give me a bag. read more

I try to come in here at least once a month, but I have been in way more this month. I find that the selection of good brands is amazing. I have gotten two Michael Kors dresses for under $30 each, a leather coat for $40 and a North Face jacket. I love coming here because it allows me to reduce my footprint while still shopping. I have sold here a few times and it just seems they don't often want what I am selling. No to purses, jeans, and sweaters. Maybe they are too plain, but at least they took my coats. I would like to have the option to return things without credit, but I understand they would never make items leave the store if that were the case. It makes someone like me actually think before I buy. read more

It's frustrating to try to find parking then lug in your items to sell and have them turn away over 50 articles of clothing when there are brand new and in season items. I'm moving and they said they could donate for me, and I agreed because of my circumstance, but after the fact I realized it's just handing them over my stuff for free. It left a very bad aftertaste of an experience and I regret going here. read more

Busy day! Found a cute top. Prepare to rummage. I feel like the men's stuff is more modern. Or maybe the women's stuff just isn't my style. Burberry galoshes behind the counter. Didn't ask about them. Regret that. Hugely. read more

I just wandered in with a friend after having dinner at Pho Big Bowl. The girls are so friendly that it was easy to converse and when I told them I had so much stuff that I had just moved here with, they told me to bring it in! I returned the next day and the girls were so warm and inviting. I got rid of maybe 5 out of 15 items but I appreciate the lightened load!! Walked out with an extra $25 and a few less pieces taking up space in my closet. I'm very pleased with the experience. I'll probably lug another bag in very soon! read more

Me and my husband hit up Buffalo Exchange every time we are in Ballard (after we hit up Hi Life) and I ALWAYS seem to find some amazing steal. I can only think of one time I walked out of there with nothing. You can find some amazing labels (Tory Burch, Free People, etc) for such amazing prices and alot of the time the tags are still on! But on the flip side, I have been totally in love with a shirt or two in the dressing room and turn at just the right angle to see a giant hole or snag ;( But the shoe selection is always good and so is the blouse selection. This is a great place to go if you need "summer' clothes in the winter or vice versa. Think going on vacation! The staff here is super nice and helpful and always willing to give their assistance and opinion if you need it. I'll keep coming and stocking up my closet with amazing goodies at ridiculous prices ;) read more

I love this store. The sales associates are super nice, the store manages to stay fairly clean and organized, and I have found tremendous bargains on clothes here ($29 for a pair of never-worn Paige Denim jeans? yes please!) My closet is sad I no longer live within walking distance of Buffalo Exchange, but I'll be making the drive back down soon. read more

I am NOT a fan of the Buffalo Exchange in the University District (I left it a really bad review, too) so I didn't plan on visiting the new one in Ballard... but since I was walking by, why not? I was happily surprised and impressed. While the other store usually carries a lot of junk, this one had a really nice selection, comparable to Crossroads. Lots of shoes (not worn to death!) and good quality items. From the looks of it, there are very nice things to be found. I didn't browse much for lack of time, but I intend to go back very soon! read more

I've sold here twice and the staff is both friendly and knowledgable. And I received fair prices, too. Well done, all.

Most of the clothes I wear nowadays were/are purchased from the Ballard location (my neighborhood). The store is a bit larger in the U District, but for what I tend to gravitate towards (shirts, jeans, coats), the selection is better at the Ballard location. I've learned to be PATIENT and not always assume that the store won't ever carry such and such. I once purchased a great Kenneth Coal peacoat for $60-ish, which is significantly more inexpensive compared to the price that the jacket usually goes for (I think in the $300 range). I didn't purchase it on impulse, but visited the U District location a couple times in a few days to see if there were similar options and prices and came up empty-handed. The jacket stayed on the rack for an entire week before I snagged it. I'm usually on a tight budget for most of my expenses, so I don't seek expensive designer clothing or anything. However, even though Buffalo Exchange is a used clothing outlet, I'm often surprised at how little it matters if I just want to update my wardrobe and get hip to some different styles while on a budget (surely, I would look for a suit elsewhere). And like I said, selection is a bit more consistent at the Ballard store verses the U District. So yeah, remarkable deals from time to time, but I've only found amazing deals by hitting up the store at least a couple times before making a decisive purchase. Happy shopping. -Jacob read more

I brought in a big over stuffed garbage bag of stuff and I was in and out within 15-minutes, $50 in hand, and was able to leave their "rejects" at the store for donation! Couldn't be easier! I highly recommend taking your stuff to Buffalo Exchange when spring cleaning! read more

Here's my problem with Buffalo (not just this one but all of them)... their prices. $36 for a skirt?! Its thrift people lower your prices! And the people who work there tend to be snooty and way too busy to help you find something but those are my only real problems. This particular Buffalo had a great selection of stuff not just in my size but pretty cute. A great mix of trendy and vintage. But the prices!!! I didn't walk out with aything but I think i'll go back if i ever have something to go to that requires a trendy little sun dress or a cute sweater. read more

I am a huge fan of bargain shopping and great deals, so naturally, I've had to meander into Buffalo Exchange from time to time. The staff is super friendly, but not going to lie...this location is a bit lacking compared to other recycled clothing stores in Seattle. Not a large selection of varying clothing and shoe sizes and I've only found one item in the many times I've been here. Some of the items are also priced a bit higher than I would expect them to for the condition they are in. It would be nice that if you were selling stuff, that you could write your name on a list, give them your bags, they put your name on it, and you can walk around the store and shop or leave and come back a bit later, instead, they told me I had to sit and wait while they went through my stuff I was hoping to sell. Not a big deal, just a suggestion. :) read more

How could I not be a fan of $19 jeans that make me look like I lost 10 lbs.? The jeans weren't really what I went in for, but I couldn't pass them up. Like going into Trader Joe's expecting to find everything on your list, you can't really go to Buffalo Exchange on a mission. Some of the stuff is on the pricey side, but since the store is so small it doesn't take long to shuffle through the clothes and find something great. This place is great for jeans and shoes. Everything else is a toss up. The staff is friendly and helpful. Bring your own bag and they'll give you five cents to donate to one of three charities. Pretty sweet! Minus one star for the items priced way too expensive, like a button down, short sleeve shirt for $14. Umm, I can get two of those at Old Navy for that price thankyouverymuch. read more

This is a great lil spot for selling and buying clothes. I've gone in to search for costume attire and sell some shoes they always take my shoes. (I keep them in good condition!) They have a good selection of items. read more

I haven't sold any of my clothes (yet) at this location so my review is based strictly on my buying experiences. And honestly, RARELY do I ever leave empty handed. I don't know... maybe its just me but I always find the good threads holla! Very eclectic selection, something for everyone. Prices are great in my opinion but some items are slightly too expensive. I like the sale rack! Can't quite complete my review with a fifth star only because of the employee friendlyness inconsistencies. What? Ok... while a few employees are extremely helpful and friendly there are a couple I've come across as being a little rude and judgmental. Crack a smile wouldya? The gal at the front counter did as I walked in now you try it. Or just gimme my dressing room tag number and I'll be out of your way. And please dont make faces at the size of the jeans I want to try on. Maybe my thighs can squeeze in them this week and I'll be pleasantly surprised! read more

I have only sold here, so cannot write a review based on buying experience. I have been selling clothes here for the past few years, 90% of the time my experience is great. The people who work here are professional, quick, and generally transparent about how they are pricing items or why they didn't want to buy an item. I've only had one instance where I felt they were significantly underpricing a nice dress from Anthropologie that had a tag on it, so I ended up just not selling that item. I was here yesterday and there was an extremely kind girl (can't remember her name, but think she maybe was a manger) with pink hair who was training another employee. I enjoyed my time at the store and it makes me want to continue coming back to this location as opposed to other locations. I have had a few negative interactions here with buyers who were rude and basically ignored me. However these negative interactions have not surpassed the majority of the positive experiences I have had so far. read more

I love it! The staff are super friendly, and always seem just as excited about good finds and deals as I am! I always find something cute and perfect for me. I have taken clothes in a few tiimes and I always get some cash or credit, which is rad because I hate it when I make bad choices, and the feel I have to hang on to them because of the money I spent! Thanks for coming to ballard. read more

Brought in 2 big bags of clothing. After going through everything (they didn't even tell us what items they were taking) they told us it came out to $4 cash. We had some new and used: swimsuits, shirts, and name brand items. They kept the bags and I feel that we definitely got taken advantage of. I don't plan on doing any kind of business with them anymore. read more

Thrift stores normally make me itch. You'd need a herd of horses to drag me into a Goodwill or Value Village. I blame a combination of my germ phobias and my dislike for disorganization. Fortunately, Buffalo Exchange didn't give me the heebie jeebies nor did it drive my OCD-prone self to want to organize. Instead, I was able to mill around the store, browse the racks, and try on clothes. I left the Ballard Buffalo Exchange a pair of red sneakers and a plaid shirt the richer. The t-shirt selection was a bit lacking, but they had shoes, dresses and pants galore and all sizes seemed to have a pretty decent selection. I spotted a few items that still had their tags on them, but the store seemed to run heavy on the "vintage" side of things, which is a-okay by me. Thanks to Buffalo Exchange, I may become a thrifter yet. read more

I had an overwhelming urge to get rid of some clothing items. Every now and then I'll go through all my belongings and try to cleanse and organize and get rid of a few items. For the most part, it doesn't work and I keep 99.99% of everything. Yesterday was no different and out of everything I went through, I only wanted to part with 5 items. The 5 items were: Hugo Boss Dress shirt (less than a year old, worn once) Diesel Graphic T-Shirt (a gift, never worn) 7 Diamond shirt (worn a few times, but a bad fit for me) Seven Jeans (perfect condition, original hem, current style) Kenneth Cole slacks (perfect condition, but I would have paid Buffalo Exchange to take them.... they were white, and I only bought them for a White-clothing-themed party) You get 50% of the value they'll sell these items if you want store credit (which I didn't) and 30% or so for cash. I went with cash, and ended up getting $40. These were items I didn't really want, but $40 didn't even cover the original cost of the Diesel Tee. Considering all these items were in great condition, current and hardly worn I didn't think it was a good deal. Part of me wanted to say "thanks, but no thanks", but my closet needed space, so it's all good. While I was waiting for an employee to go through the items I browsed the store. I didn't see anything I wanted and was sort of disappointed in the men's selection. 2 stars for the friendly service though. The employee helping me was awesome. read more

I give this place a meah. I've been to buffalo exchange in 4 states and have had a similar experience in all locations. So it seems to be more of an issue with their company culture than it is with their individual staff members. If you want to trade in your clothes for an absurdly low exchange in credit then it may work for you. If you're going for cash save it, it's embarrassing how few of your items they'll take and how little they'll give you for what they do. I'll be dropping my stuff off at goodwill going forward. read more

If you're looking too sell any lady's stuff don't go here, it's too small of a store and they never buy anything, I turned around and took the same stuff to the exchange in the u district and sold almost everything read more

I love consignment and thrift stores, but this place is really no good. The store feels cluttered and messy (and not in a fun way), their stuff is way overpriced for the quality, and I seriously question what the buyers are thinking when I look at most items. I love walking around downtown Ballard and have wandered in here often, but at this point I don't bother. You will have better luck at Goodwill. No joke. Their stuff will be nicer and cheaper. read more

I just find this place gross. I've been a couple times and never found anything that was particularly cool. The store itself is way too small. Hipster-style capital C words behind the counter. (You do realize you work in a second hand shop, right?) And the one time I brought a bag of name brand perfect condition items to sell--some with tags--the response was "Nothing we can use in the shop today." It was bizarre. read more

I will not come back here anymore. Coming from the East. I heard West Coast don't have a sense of style!!! But anyowho. Went in to resell a Tommy Girl Lightweight Jacket from 2017 (mind you). Young lady looked and said "I'm going to have to give this back to you just because of the style" WHAT?? Its a plain blue thin jacket. Good thing they are not the only consignment shop. I went to a different shop and got $15 for it. Consignment shops are supposed to do their research first instead of just looking at the clothing. Good luck to those who try to resell anything to BE, too picky for my taste. read more

Absolutely love this place! Staff is VERY friendly and patient. Came in today for my 2pm appointment. I arrived a few minutes early and was called shortly after. I brought in around 40- 45 items which all sold except 4 pieces. I had a bunch of dresses and some shoes all brand new or like new. I had a great experience and was happy most of my stuff sold. The ladies working today kept telling me how cute my stuff was so that made me feel good! I also want to applaud their multi tasking and making sure everyone that walks in are greeted and taken care of. The only con, that has nothing to do with staff or the store, I couldn't help but notice a handful of people waiting behind me who also were waiting to sell. May I suggest not coming 20+ minutes early unless you're going to shop around.. but waiting in the small area where the selling registers are can get crowded. Also BE asks that sellers launder their items before coming in... it's common sense. Don't be upset that your item doesn't sell because there's a stain. AND just because you're an hour early for your appointment does NOT mean you will get seen before the 2 people who scheduled their appointment before yours. That's all :) otherwise I highly recommend this location. I definitely will be coming back! read more

I like it! I bring in my old things and make a quick buck. I wander in on my lunch break and find a thing or two. Occasionally I go in with a purpose and strike gold. Good staff too! read more

I wanted to like this place. I really did want to. But it's just another over priced hipster shop. There were cute dresses here that my slimmer lady friends would enjoy. Not exactly the place for the more portly folk. read more

I rarely buy anything at Buffalo Exchange but I sell there a lot and always have a good experience. They are always relatively quick when I'm selling my clothes and appreciate that. Also, I always seem to walk out of there with a good amount of cash, so that is always a nice feeling! And yay for the parking in the back because Market Street can be a total headache on the weekends. read more

Friendly staff (they once noticed my hair cut!) I tend to stop by once a month or so, 50% of the time I leave empty handed. I love the location far more then the U-District one though, mostly due to the fact that this location is cleaner and a bit more picky as to what they're willing to sell. Overall, I enjoy wandering around the place and checking out what they've got. They're accessories are always fun :D read more

I visited this store today to sell 50+ of my used clothes because I gained weight and none of the old stuff would fit me. The clothes have been washed and in great condition. They were from different brands such as H & M, Old Navy, Macy's, Calvin Klein and J Crew. All of them are of high quality, most of them 9-10 months old, in pleasant colors, timeless and in season. I forgot the name but the woman who was at buying counter was very snobby and just didn't like anything at all. She passed rude remark about how the clothes were only good enough to be taken back with me and of no use. It is okay to reject but not correct to be so rude and snobby about it. Since I read other reviews, I now feel like they have some buying etiquette manual on greeting politely, making a fake conversation and then recklessly reject all clothing. I am adult and mature enough to accept if my selection gets rejected because reselling used clothes is always a hit and miss. But what baffles me is the seamless selection of poor looking clothing on their racks that seem like they were purchased in Walmart or gathered from donation boxes. Don't even bother coming here to resell your clothing. They will be very picky and won't even bother reviewing the clothes for even two minutes. Total waste of time and horrible customer service! read more

I like this buffalo exchange much better than the one in the U district. It's better organized, has a cleaner feeling and appeared to be a bit less picked through than the u dist location . However, I don't ever really buy anything from this place as some of their pieces sometimes are overpriced for used clothing or have some damage to them (loose threads, holes, etc). read more

Went here today and got three tops for $24 dollars total. There's lots to be found here, most things are between $8 and $15. Everything is very clean and for the most part it's well organized. The woman who was running the dressing rooms was very friendly. I've never found accessories that I like here, but I always come away with a few tops. Worth the trip. read more

I've been to various Buffalo Exchanges around the nation, and this is my favorite one yet. (Granted, I have never been to the U-District location.) Nice selection in both men's and women's. Lots of larger sizes as well. There were TONS of double-front style leather motorcycle jackets when I was there...so if you're looking, check it out. As for prices, I can't always figure out how they set them. Some pieces are arbitrarily more or less expensive, regardless of wear. It is true that there are some "aged" pieces (read: worn out) but they usually aren't super expensive ones. I find the prices a little too high sometimes, but that's a Buffalo Exchange thing in my experience and not the fault of this specific location. read more