Eco-fashionistas in Santa Monica have a new shopping spot. Late last month, a new branch of Buffalo Exchange opened on Main Street on Santa Monica — so I had to stop by and check out the wares last week!
This Buffalo Exchange is a bigger, better version of the old Westwood store, which closed down and relocated to this beachier spot. I browsed the well-organized racks for basics I needed — jeans, yoga pants, and a neutral-colored tank — and found all three!
The green aspects of reusing clothes really appeals to be, but honestly, the prospect of saving green by avoiding retail prices appeals to me even more. My scores this time:
>> A pair of barely-worn Guess jeans: $30
>> A perfectly-fitting pair of Hard Tail yoga pants: $15
>> A basic tank for the summer, great for layering: $5
That brought my total to $50 — lower than the cost of a new pair of Hard Tail yoga pants alone!
Though second hand shopping’s a great way of saving money, I still always recommend going with a shopping list and sticking to it — lest you buy stuff you don’t need and won’t wear. I was a little sad to leave these cute Coach sandals behind — priced at just $35.
I brought a reusable bag for my finds, which meant that the girl at the cash register gave me a little 5-cent token for its “Tokens for Bags” program, which reward shoppers for BYO-bagging by letting them donate a little cash to a good cause. On the way out, I got to pick from three different charities to donate to. I went with the Creative Visions Foundation!
What are the best bargains you’ve found shopping for pre-loved fashions?
Buffalo Exchange. 2449 Main St., Santa Monica. 310.314.7300. Other L.A. locations in Los Angeles and Sherman Oaks
Earlier: Pre-loved fashion shopping in Santa Monica: A Walking guide
Unfortunately this isn’t really a “new” branch- they just shut down the Westwood store and moved it to Santa Monica. With that and the Thank You Mart both gone, it leaves no options for second-hand (or affordable) shopping in Westwood.
Not that I’m trying to stop anyone from shopping at the SM location- they have great stuff!
Comment by Di — May 12, 2011 @ 9:23 am
Geez, I’ve got to get out west!! I live in a smallish town in Ohio and the best we’ve got is Goodwill and Salvation Army. Coach sandals for $35?! I wouldn’t know what to do with myself!!
Comment by Heather — August 23, 2011 @ 12:31 pm
@Heather – I was so glad to find this post, and to read the comments! Every time I visit a Buffalo Exchange (or any thrift store in NYC, for that matter), I am completely shocked by the items that people donate. I want to share all the castaways from NYC closets with the rest of the country, and your comment reinforced that I should keep pushing forward with this idea. Let me know what you think: http://www.murmurnyc.com.
Comment by Alyssa — March 1, 2012 @ 12:50 pm