It was in Phoenix, Arizona, and I got myself some white Dickies overalls for $9, which my mom promptly ruined by mixing with a red shirt in the washer.
The second @buffaloexchange I ever went to was when I was maybe 12 years old...and it was one I looked up in an actual telephone book (yes, the big ones) at a hotel in SF and it was probably the first time I was in the East Bay. It was in Berkeley on Telegraph Avenue and I was in awe. Like genuine awe.
It was by far the biggest Buffalo Exchange I had ever seen and I spent a lot of time there. Every time I found myself in the Bay, I made the pilgrimage to the Buffalo on Telegraph. It was my happy place. My favorite second hand store in the world.
So when the wife and I decided to move to Oakland back in 2015, I discovered that the Buffalo on Telegraph was only a mile away from my front door. A MILE! I signed that lease without even thinking.
Over the past 5 years, I’ve spent thousands of hours browsing the racks at that Buffalo, and I’ve easily spent five figures there every year. I’ve kept every receipt. I went there for fun, after stressful days at work, and during tense moments with my family. When friends visited - we’d ALWAYS go. I even got my son to ask nearly every clerk there ‘where do you guys keep the Buffaloes?’
When coronavirus shut everything down, I drove by a number of times and looked forward to the days I could browse their racks again. When I heard California would be reopening on June 19th, I drove by on day one. Then day two. Then day three. The doors were still closed. I drove by earlier last night and spotted a new sign in the window. It said ‘Permanently Closed’. I hopped out my car and stared at the sign in disbelief. @buffaloexchange store number 001 is now permanently closed. Seriously. I want to cry.
I think I'm ready to leave Oakland.
#Buffaloexchange#telegraphave#berkeley#ucb#thrifting#sneakers#sneakerhead#sneakerheads#igsneakercommunity#sneakeroftheday#igkicks#sneakerfiend#igsneakerheads#sneakerheat#hypebeast#kickstagram#kotd
