This is probably one of the best Buffalo Exchanges I have been to, it does not have the selection of the one in Berkeley (on Telegraph, highly recommended!) and it's on the smaller side but I always find something. Also the employees are friendly! Yay! And they buy my stuff and do it without making me feel like a loser, if you have sold clothes before you know what I mean, you can imagine a thought bubble above their head saying "She wore this?!?!??" Seriously I've never walked out with less than $30, usually more like $50+ of course I have FABULOUS tase so that helps;P **Also parking is a bitch but given the location that shouid be obvious. read more

I'm not big on buying someones used shirt/pants/shoes/etc. ... but if you want to buy stuff I don't want anymore then here ... take it. So after going to Crossroads and getting ripped off twice, my gf and I decided to give this place a chance. Turns out they pay a lot better than most places. The girl helping us out was real friendly and seemed to buy almost every article we brought in ... unless of course it was plain crap. Needless to say ... the girl helping us out had a black-eye and kept talking about breaking up with her boyfriend ... but doesn't know how. (if YOU are reading this ... let him go!) read more

I really like this location!! they are more on-trend than the Buffalo in Berkeley. I wanted to buy at least 7 blouses from the blouses rack, I had to control myself. This is unusual, because usually I am lucky if I find even 2 blouses that I like from the blouses rack at other Buffalo locations. This one is small, but the space is utilized well. Obviously with a store like this, there are times where you hit or you miss. But the location itself (as well as the staff) are great! Would definitely come back again and again, seems like this Buffalo definitely has the highest ratio of quality clothing found to time spent looking at the racks! :) read more

Scenario: I went on a Friday morning looking for a halloween costume; trench coat and a fidora for an Inspector Gadget getup. Price: Overpriced for a thrift store. I think the reason why is that it's more like a consignment store. I overhead some people bringing in clothes and being told they get 35% of the sales price. Service: The fellas at the counter were friendly and complimented my hat selection. Smart! They accept plastic too so that's always good. Atmosphere: A little cramped but not as bad as Mission Thrift. Lots of young hipsters or near-hipsters. I know the street corner well and there are often homeless people drinking and being vulgar to passers-bye. Uniquity: It's less of a thrift store and more of a low-cost consignment store for clothing. read more

The only rule I abide by when I go thrift shopping anywhere is: unless I really like it and the clothes fit perfectly on me - I'm not buying any one thing for over $15. (At places like Goodwill & Thrift Town, my limit turns to $10 max.) I prefer this Buffalo Exchange to the one on Haight because it's slightly more inexpensive. I've bought so many cute shoes here, each for less than $20 and I feel like I've walked away with such a steal! The best thing I've ever gotten here was a pair of Aldo Nude Stiletto Pumps for $13. And they looked nearly brand new! Their screening process is amazing. Thumbs up for exchanging people's clothes for store credit or cash! Make sure to hit up that 50% off rack. There's a lot of good stuff hidden in there. read more

I long ago gave up on shopping at Buffalo Exchange... for me wasn't worth the experience of the uber hipster workers who were of no help. I never appreciated being talked to with a condescending attitude while selling clothes or simple asking to try something on. I also found the picked over corporate used clothing model to be a bit boring. The Valencia store has totally changed my opinion of Buffalo Exchange. I always find something I want (and really reasonably priced) and the staff here is superb. Workers here are super friendly and extremely helpful. My last visit here my friend found a nice wool peacoat for $25-ish (can't exactly remember) and I found a rad un-worn jean jacket with a hand painted virgen de guadalupe for $8.50. read more

Very crowded and not as well stocked or organized as the Berkeley one. It's pretty hard to find items in good condition or name brands. A lot of the items were quite worn and should not be resold. Surprising for SF! read more

A literal "haha" joke. My partner and I went in as she had a great selling experience prior...they must have new buyers that have no brand or trend knowledge. They didn't want any of my mint condition Polo Ralph Lauren denim, shirts, or accessories. The piece they offered me the most for was a cheap blazer I bought at Ross... The staff clearly has no eye for designer/brand name pieces, yikes. My gf said this experience was like that episode of Portlandia...l m a o I ended up asking for all of my stuff back and not cashing out, & we went to Crossroads immediately after and sold pretty much everything! read more

My first time here and I was absolutely blown away. The customer service was top notch and there was an incredible range of clothing inventory! Every staff member I encountered was genuinely friendly and extremely helpful, not over-the-top whatsoever. Made 3 trips to the dressing rooms with my arms full and finally dwindled my purchase down to seven items all for $140! I will definitely say this is my go-to thrift shop! read more

Buffalo Exchange - Zara basic tshirt, Banana Republic embellished cardigan, 100% Italian merino V-Neck pullover sweater, Free People cord sweater - Women's Clothing Near Me - San Francisco, California

If you plan to sell: I do not recommend. I brought many top brands in great condition and they took 1 Calvin Klein button down for $4.50 cash or $7.50 in store credit. I waited almost an hour for that. They threw the clothes into the bag instead of folding each one as they reviewed it. I wish there were a Plato's Closet nearby. read more

Yes, it's a chain. Yes, there are multiple Buffalo's in the city. But this is different. This one is better. This one is my favorite. As a lower hater I would sooner trek to the mish to this Buffalo Exchange than just dash up the street to the Haight Street shop. Now I'm not saying I don't hit up the Haight Street shop all the time, but the Valencia Street is my favorite. I've added 4 pairs of Miss Sixty jeans to my wardrobe. I've added a ton of cute vintage dresses to my wardrobe. I've picked up shoes here and there. I've tried on several cute Betsey Johnson numbers here (although haven't found the right fit). I was able to find jeans here when I was a fatty. As less of a fatty I still find an awesome selection. read more

Not the biggest fan of Buffalo Exchange in general, prefer the other competitor typically, but was in the area and decided to stop by. The stand out things about this store and location more spastically are the staff members! They are all very friends and customer service driven! What? do I want a room? And have I seen the fab xyz booties? This is unheard of at other second hand stores! and most stores in general! They staff members are very friendly and helpful! They are defiantly a pleasant change to the typical 10 cents for a bag, total, here is your receipt! O and of course! I have found lots of fab finds through the years at this location! a full on 10 lb gold belt that i use as a statement necklace (got this a few years ago, definitely a conversation piece), a black and gold belt that i LOVEEE! and some black suede comfy booties- actually new never been wore! read more

Ready, set, scavenger hunt! Versace, Sigrid Olsen.... Some high fashion pieces I managed to add to my wardrobe from this store at great prices.... Also they carry some really cool jewelry. The earrings I get complimented on the most were a find from this very store. You do have to hunt and peck for your treasures, but if you locate them, you can be richly rewarded with something cool & fashionable at a super price. It takes a bit of patience, but I think it's worth the effort. read more

I wish I had not sold my clothes at this Buffalo Exchange. You need to train your buyers to recognize high-end quality clothing. He priced my Opening Ceremony and Senso items like they were from Topshop, Gunne Sax and rare vintage tees like they were thrift. I used to work at a Buffalo Exchange, so I don't even bring items that are in poor condition or are not of a quality to warrant resale. I kept having to give him retail pricing and explain certain brands he wasn't familiar with. I don't expect your buyers to know all brands, but they should know the difference between fast fashion and high-end boutique. It's no wonder you have nothing good on your sales floor. Thanks for nothing. read more

pretty woman...walking down the street... Pretty woman.....cann find all she needs........ It's all nice and cheap for....well...only if you are rich and hip... sorry how cheesy it is...feel free to take some for your sandwich..or hotdog... read more

I usually visit this store on occasions. I was feeling bored on the weekends and was wondering if I'll drop by and do some frugal shopping. I haven't been doing reviews lately so I'm writing then before the end of 2011 :) I usually find some interesting dress shirts and flannels, not so much pendletons here though, but they do have a few designers like marc jacobs and superdry. They also have a random selection of jackets, a dash are quite uber, a majority are a bit quasi-trendy. This branch caters more for women's wear, I'm sure my girl friends love this place :) I find it quite interesting that whenever you need clothes for a costume party, they do have a selection of accessories for it. I gave the place 4 stars since it's quite far to get to unless you're within the Valencia district. Comparing to the branches in San Francisco, I still prefer the Haight-Ashbury one based on selection and epicenter of shopping attraction. read more

Edit 7/26/09: I lowered this to 3 stars after a critical look at my past purchases. Thinking back, this place would only be a 4-star in my book if I decided to go back to digging trendy hipster/indie clothes, 5-star if it had an EXCELLENT selection and staff, neither of which it has (although the staff is decent, sometimes friendly) . Also, I went in about a month ago to sell 2 large hobo bag-fulls of clothes and they only bought ONE blouse. ONE BLOUSE. I got $4.36 cash money. I lugged my bags home, buying ice cream while en route. It's as if I basically decided to take 2 bus trips with bags full of clothes for the hell of it before treating myself to some ice cream. My clothes are not worthy enough for thou, O great Buffalo Exchange. ===================================================== Original review 5-stars: True, the items tend to usually run into the smaller sizes but there's always a vast selection of goods to walk out with, I think. Just found my Halloween costume here. I found it hard to not browse extensively or I'd have trouble walking away with just the costume. Cute flapper fringe dress: $10, flapper headband: $4, winter yellow puffy jacket w/ flower print inside: $20. I couldn't resist. Every time I slink into here to buy something, the staff is always absolutely wonderful. They chat about the items I try on or go to buy. It's all gravy. read more

Less thrift-snobbery than the haight, this buffalo is my fav in the city and they buy more of my stuff. It's small but I like it as much as the Berkeley (Telegraph) one. :) read more

Although this Valencia location is much smaller than the one on Telegraph, it's not as smelly as the one on Haight and it's less crowded. I never really cared much for the clothes in either two of these locations, until I step foot in the Valencia store. Here I found a black blazer with lace overlay and a brown leather jacket both priced at $14. This place has better quality and selection of clothing, plus it's much cheaper than the prices I've seen at Haight and Telegraph. read more

On one hand, I ought to give this Buffalo location at least four stars because the customer service was exceptional (I've NEVER been to a BE with salespeople that are THAT cheerful and THAT conversational) and they bought at least four items off me when the last thrift store didn't take any. That's pretty good by my standards. But on the other hand, I only received $35 for those four items (3 of which were designer). And could barely find anything that I wanted. Luckily, I've come to accept that it's usually a hit or miss with Buffalo Exchange. I left with a few items that I was happy with but in general, found the selection to be very sparse. I came hoping to find a good pair of name brand jeans (or otherwise, I guess). I couldn't find a decent pair of pants in my size without having to stare sadly at a tear or rip. I was surprised to find so many of their premium denim brands (True Religion, 7 For All Mankind, Joe's) badly damaged. I was excited about a pair of straight leg Joe's in my size when I saw a huge fraying slash down the inseam. No exaggeration, several other jeans had holes or small rips. Why buy damaged goods? Even for thrift store prices? Many of their tops and dresses were a pure hodge podge to me. I wasn't in the mood to dig like crazy but you really have to be suited for that type of shopping at this location. Most likely, I'll go back to sell again but I won't expect to find much in return. read more

So after reading review after review of this particular BE, I decided to bring in some of my clothes. I will admit that some of the items I brought in were older, meaning I bought them or they were given to me within the last 2-3 years, so I wasn't expecting to get much. For the most part, I wanted to get rid of them since they were taking up much needed closet space. I brought in a few shirts, three pairs of jeans, a couple nice tops, a couple dresses, a coat, and two pairs of shoes. Out of all of this, the buyer took only ONE pair of jeans. I was pretty surprised because I thought she'd take the plaid shirts I brought in, and definitely the shoes, but they weren't "in style". Meh, oh well...whatever. I made a whopping $4.38, haha. Overall, it was a good experience. From other reviews I figured the girl, who was the buyer, was the manager. She was the redhead and she was actually really nice to me. She said that even though she didn't take much - or anything really - that my clothes were in good condition and encouraged me to bring in more. I didn't want to schlep the rest of my "unstylish" clothes to another BE or Crossroads so I asked her to donate them. Someone is bound to want some Pocahontas style booties, right? ;P read more

I really wanted to like this location. I've been here on several occassions to buy and have usually walked out empty handed. I should know better. I don't wear slatted sunglasses in neon colors nor do I believe that people should start dressing like 'Hollywood' from the 'Manequin' movies. I found myself here to see clothes by default. A friend of mine was going and I figured I might as well open the 2 trashbags of clothes and shoes I had for Goodwill to see if I could make a buck or two. While the girl was friendly enough while she went through my stash, it hit me that I dress too much like a normal person to sell clothes here. I shopped around a bit before selling and just couldn't find anything that didn't scream "I'm trying so hard to be cool and retro!" so I took the $14.00 in cash instead of the $28 in trade. read more

I'm a hater of this location. It's small, overstuffed, crowded... and the selection was mainly of the "oh so ironic ugly-chic" (no, sorry sweetie.... its just fucking ugly) variety. Not exactly my style. As I'm not a fixie-riding, full-on- white-belted hipster, I very likely won't be shopping here again, esp. considering I only really hit up a BF store for accessories and shoes. (And the occasional fabulous items that may catch my eye).... This place is blah. read more

This is a pretty funky place. I had heard wonderful things about it from my friends in the City and was excited to go. My husband wandered in wearing some crappy Nike's that aren't more than 3 months old but have literally fallen apart with minimal wear (he wears vibrams to run and dress shoes to work so...seriously?!). Anyways I was determined to find him something a little more fashionable than basic trainers because now that he has his crazy finger shoes he doesn't have need for a cross trainer. Buffalo had only one pair of shoes that fit the bill but that is enough for us!! They had lots of cool left over Halloween costumes and some great deals on random earrings and sunglasses. It's a funky shop where they weed out all the crap by only buying kitschy urbanish items. We didn't have much trouble finding parking in the neighborhood pretty close to the shopfront. Granted it was Sunday at noon and we used the suicide lane to park but so much's the better! So in the end my hubby left wearing an outstanding pair of (I swear) close-to-never-been-worn Diesel trainers for 32 bucks. BARGAIN! I got to throw away those nasty Nike's on the way out. WIN WIN! read more

I've been coming to Buffalo since way back in the day. You can always find cool stuff for costumes. I used to frequent a few of them and score on old skool leather jackets. I haven't been in a while so I decided to pop in. This location is under construction but it was still loaded with finds. Racks were packed. Some times you can find great clothes, other days not so much. If you love shopping and looking for deals, this is a great place. Staff was very friendly which was nice. read more

I buy about half my clothes here. Sometimes I don't find anything, but sometimes I find a pair of paper denim and cloth jeans that fit perfectly for $24. So. Second hand shopping -- it's an adventure, people. You never know what you're going to find, and that's part of the beauty of it. And I sell clothes here occasionally, too. They DO have very specific requirements but what they do take, I get back in trade. It's a good deal. Also super nice people working here! read more

3 stars for easy access of racks to pick clothes. I noticed there were items that were more expensive than target... Another was that I saw a lot of items with stains on it . read more

Second time I've stepped into this particular shop and fourth time for Buffalo in general. I didn't think SF had consignment shops as decent as Berkeley or Boston( second time around), myself defining decent as good brands that will last at affordable prices rather than just items that look ok but weren't worth much retail even when they were new. But, Buffalo is decent if you know the right brands and what will last through some wear and year. I think you could probably get more bang for your buck in Berkeley but as far as SF consignment shops go, this is quite decent. Just make sure with very lightly wore or new items that you're not paying more than you could elsewhere as I've seen with some low price brands like Wild Diva Boots. read more

Buffalo Exchange - Banaba Republic lightly worn older style($25). Good selection but could be cheaper. Not bad when considering expensive rent inSF - Women's Clothing Near Me - San Francisco, California

Oooh! Love this place. It's nicely organized and I like that they have a wide(r) range (than Crossroads..) in the styles that they cater to. Also, they seem to take more of the beat up clothes - which I like because my fear of "messing it up" by trying to sew over it is diminished. In general, I'm not into huge tacky jewelry so avoid the "trendy" massive chain necklaces that are right there when you walk in. Things I bought: Jeans, French side-tying ruffled shirt, black suede boots. read more

I am in this store very frequently because it's near my house and I am over-zealous with clothing acquisition. The best thing about this Buffalo is that the staff are so friendly. I try to be a good seller and pay attention to what's on the racks, what they are buying, etc, but the buyers have to dig through some serious piles of crap, and I really appreciate that they don't make me feel like a complete a-hole when I don't edit very well. They'll totally take out a coat covered in dog-hair and not give me attitude about it; they'll shake it out and either buy it or pass. If I had their job, I would probably not be able to control myself and I'd pull off the dog hair and let it fall to the counter in one bitchy passive-aggressive motion, so I am very grateful that they are so nice. At the very least, I've found them helpful in letting me know why they're passing on items if I ask. read more

I lugged about 50 pounds of clothes to Buffalo -- a good number of them from brands such as BCBG, Bebe & Guess, some new with tags -- and Buffalo took... nothing. One vintage purse. I was told that they *only* buy items that are "in" this season. So if you didn't buy your clothes in the past 1-2 months or so, forget it. So if any of your clothes are from last season or anything before, forget it. Also, note that they do not take jewelry; all of their jewelry is retail (vs. used or vintage). As far as the clothes selection goes, I felt like there wasn't enough variety and many items are overpriced. Several items I was interested in were also significantly damaged already (i.e. half the lining inside a coat was ripped out, but they were asking $45 for it). read more

There was a long line while I waited to sell some clothes, so I looked around and found the displays and selection sorely lacking. There were yucky smells in the store. Whatever. I was going to give my clothing to charity but thought I should give this place a try, because most of the clothing was less than 18 months old. I'm pregnant and just can't fit in anything anymore. I stood in line with a stack of almost brand new Levi, Lucky, Diesel and Ralph Lauren jeans. The on-the-skids women ahead of me had lots of skimpy cheaply made shirts--the clerk bought all of theirs. My jeans were in prefect condition and were just too small for me, mostly size 8 and 10. The clerk didn't buy any of mine. It was a total waste of time. Most of my stuff cost at least $50+ new each. If they didn't want to buy my stuff, that's their right. Fine. But trust me, you wouldn't want to wear clothing being sold by the scuzzy people who were selling clothing in that line. All in all, I think this place is sad. When I was in my 20s, it was cool. Now it's just dirty and tacky. read more

If it were bigger I'd give it another star but honestly I hate to give away the secret that is the Buffalo Exchange several blocks south of the "strip" near 16th and Valencia because I am afraid the little hipster dudes will come up here and buy all the good shirts. Well ok I'm more worried about the larger hipster dudes as I am not a medium in washed cotton sizes anymore but the men's selection at least is almost always studded with three or four likely looking items. Of course because it is used clothing it is anyone's guess as to whether it's still a men's large or has been through so many Xtra Hot cycles in neighborhood laundromat dryers that it is now a boy's small, but that's what their well-lit, spacious dressing rooms are for. The staff is really really nice, as though the affectation disease is also isolated further north. I wonder why that is. read more

Raves: Funky, interesting threads; occasional hand-made / altered clothing (sometimes surprisingly cute); diverse array (scarves, hats, dresses, costumes, accessories, coats, etc); and a variety of cuts, fits, colors, and decades of style for all body types. Aaand re-using is greeeeen!! Rants: Cover your eyes if you sell back to them. It's frustrating. They won't accept back what they sold to you half the time, and what they take and is totally contingent on who's working the counter. Plus, you end up with a hundred store credit receipts, since they refuse to consolidate. Misc: Strange pricing. Name-brand clothing, even if horribly fug, is always expy and overpriced. And sometimes rad, original clothing is cheap. Still, it's nice not to rely on trends, mass production, and scary mall trips for my wardrobe. read more

Awesome place to sell clothes. The buyers are super nice and friendly. read more

I do not normally do yelp . Only for a really exceptionally good experience. But I had SUCH a good experience at the Valencia location that I felt compelled to sign up on yelp and write a review. Really, the experience was that good. Every piece is an original, and nothing for over $20. The employees were helpful and adorable. The scene between those three animals on the sweater is PRICELESS, whether or not all the stars in it's sky were shining in 3d :) thanks guys !!! read more

God I wish I read reviews before I went here. Wasted 40 minutes for them to even start looking at what I had. Then had them tell me out of a bag of nice dress clothes but they would only take one shirt. The buyer tells me they'll give me seven cash or 10 credit. Nothing in the store is $10 and when I cashed out they gave me $6. This place is a joke and you should not waste your time here if you're trying to sell clothes. It's literally a gigantic waste of time read more

As a 30-ish guy dealing with a "corporate dress code" for the first time in my working life, I have to give this store five stars for making my compliance a lot easier. The buyers somehow manage to offer up vintage Lacoste polos & the Trovata button ups found in Barneys, while maintaining a warm setting despite the Hipster/Fixster locale. PS- if you don't find the clothes appealing, you'll likely agree that the staff is both fierce and friendly. read more

Been coming here for years but recently had a bad experience. I felt very unwelcomed as staff was talking amongst themselves while assisting me. Poor communication. Unknowledgeable staff. I would not come here again. read more

I have been buying and selling clothes at this Buffalo Exchange for about 3 years now and I have never interacted with a buyer as rude as Cassie. I understand that to survive as business Buffalo Exchange must buy clothing that has a high likelihood of being bought again, but there is a difference between denying to buy someone's clothes and being condescending. My previous interactions with buyers from this location were for the most part friendly - often making small talk as they would through the clothing. However, with Cassie, she did not engage in conversation and spent the majority of her time literarily looking for something wrong with my clothing. She often sought the opinion of other co-workers asking "Hey what do you think about x item?" There were some instances were the co-worker would respond with: "I don't know sooo... it looks like something I bought last week," and "Yeah I don't think that would sell here." Cassie responding with "yeah that's what I was thinking." The lack of professionalism was extremely disappointing. There was no need to seek the opinion of other co-workers in such a public and patronizing manner; simply placing the clothing in the rejection pile would have been sufficient. It took me a while to spot her name tag since one side of it was conveniently covered by a sticker. I am assuming that she often acts this way with other customers and wants to avoid accountability. read more