As the school year draws to a close and we all have a little bit more time on our hands to shop for a new summer wardrobe, I continue to venture into and shop at Philadelphia’s many thrift stores in an effort to bring you an honest review and to motivate you to be a tad more sustainable in your shopping habits. This time, I visited a thrift store in Center City, part of a chain named Buffalo Exchange. To get there by public transportation, head to the City Hall stop on the Broad Street line and exit towards Chestnut Street. Heading in the South direction down Chestnut Street will quickly leave you in front of the storefront, across from a Five Below and next to a delicious South Indian restaurant you may want to consider stopping at after your shopping excursion.
Inside of Buffalo Exchange, you’ll be greeted by a somewhat intimidating amount of racks carrying hundreds of fashions, both statement pieces and basics. I recommend going in with a game plan, otherwise you’ll get overwhelmed and either overspend or leave unsatisfied. Set a budget and decide what you’re looking for ahead of time. That being said, this location truly has a wide selection of hidden gems you may want to keep an eye out for. Who knows, maybe you’ll find a wardrobe-defining piece somewhere you never thought it would be. Also, make use of the friendly staff. They’re mostly young adults dressed to the nines in their own personal style and are excited to help you, just remember to pick up after yourself.
I have both sold and bought at this particular location, and I will be detailing my experience below. First, the shopping experience. Buffalo Exchange is mostly filled with low to middle-end quality clothing, with some high-end and name brand shoes and bags stored on designated shelves behind counters. Clothing is split into sections by pants, dresses, blouses, etc, and the more masculine clothing is organized closer to the entrance. I highly recommend delving into the various accessories sections scattered throughout the store. I’ve never left a Buffalo Exchange without at least a few rings and necklaces, and there are so many styles that you’re sure to not be disappointed. Dressing rooms are in the back and are usually manned by an attendant. They’re kept relatively clean, and my only complaint was the opaque curtains used as dividers for each changing booth. It’s 2022, surely we can afford some doors that provide more privacy, right? One last thing that I do feel obligated to mention, it is not uncommon to find luxury and designer goods, on my last trim I stumbled upon a Dolce & Gabbana blouse that I left for someone else and a vintage Coach leather satchel that I did end up picking up. As thrilling as it is to find something high-end, the staff here are trained to spot it and will price accordingly. In my opinion, prices here generally run a little bit high, but they venture into intolerable territory on some of the more luxury brands.
If you’re looking to sell your clothing here, be warned that you’ll have an much more streamlined experience if you go onto the official Buffalo Exchange website and schedule a Selling Appointment for a specific time. They do take walk-ins, but you’re far less likely to get served in a timely manner. Once you’re in, you give the staff member serving you your phone number and identify yourself with some form of ID, and drop off no more than 50 items for the attendant to examine. They tend to work fairly quickly, no more than 20 minutes. Unwanted items are returned to you, and you can either receive your payment in the form of cash or store credit. Be warned though, they only give out 50% of what your items are worth back to you if you choose to receive cash. In my opinion, it's a very good option to choose the store credit and use the time they take to appraise your items to browse about for stuff you can buy with your future store credit. That way, minimal damage is done to your wallet.
In conclusion, the Center City Buffalo Exchange is a very worthwhile experience if you’re an experienced thrifter and know the value of quality vs cheap items. Otherwise, the store may overwhelm you. The storefront is located in a very prime location in the direct center of Philadelphia, and is surrounded by many stores and cafes you can peruse in conjunction with your thrifting experience. Buffalo Exchange Center City gets a 8.5/10 from me.
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