Back on the Rack

On this date 35 years ago, the political and cultural landscape looked almost as bleak as it does today. Disco saturated the airwaves, and Nixon was about to become entrenched in the Watergate scandal. Thankfully, the good people at Buffalo Exchange remember 1974 ending with real promise: Not only did they open their first store that year, in Tucson, Arizona, but the Ramones played their first concert at CBGB, and the Mel Brooks classic Blazing Saddles opened in theaters.

Now they want to jog your memory, too, by inviting you to Party Like It's 1974! today, to celebrate 35 years of keeping people fashionably dressed on a budget, all of Buffalo Exchange's 36 stores — including the Denver (230 East 13th Avenue) and Boulder (1717 Walnut Street) locations — will have DJs, gift card drawings, gifts with purchases over $35 and a storewide 1974 trivia game and cupcakes. Employees will also dress like it's 1974, but Buffalo Exchange really has no reason to look to the past, since Todd Colletti, who owns the two local outlets with Kathy Plache, says they've seen a 30 percent increase in sales over the past year. “Our average price for an item is $13 or $14,” he notes. “The economy is bad, but people are still shopping.”

In addition to allowing customers to buy, trade and sell used and new clothing and accessories, Buffalo Exchange has committed to helping the environment in 2009 by switching to bio-plastic bags, which are 100 percent biodegradable. They've also generated more than $300,000 for local nonprofits and saved over six million plastic bags since starting their Tokens for Bags program in 1994, which allows customers to donate five cents to a charity in lieu of using a bag for their purchases.

The shop is open from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. For more information, visit www.buffaloexchange.com or call 303-866-0165.
Sat., Jan. 17, 11 a.m.-7 p.m., 2009