One of the most celebrated American holidays is fast approaching: Black Friday.
This week, millions will stampede into chain clothing stores across the nation to snag the hottest trends. But if you prefer not to join the masses in this major frenzy, try visiting some locally owned stores instead.
Buffalo has some voguish boutiques where you can find the most exclusive streetwear and they also offer Black Friday promotions to save you from breaking the college bank.
FREE AGENT
1 Galleria Dr., Cheektowaga
Located in the Walden Galleria Mall, Free Agent stands out among the rows of chain stores. The owner, Logan Schott, works with independent designers to sell hand-sewn, exclusive clothing.
The style is punk and street-inspired, and mixes mens and womenswear for an edgy look. Items that stand out are the hand-painted pieces from NYC designer, Scooter LeForge. LeForge is notable for his collaboration with Patricia Field, the costume designer for “Sex in the City.” The painted garments look like they belong on a canvas as well as on a model.
“It’s like pieces of art. I like to think of the store as a museum,” Schott said.
If you’re looking for something one of a kind, you can stop by on Friday for their buy one, get one half-off sale.
THE CELLAR
569 Elmwood Ave., Buffalo
If you’re seeking namebrands, but still want what no one else has, take yourself to Elmwood Avenue and enter down into The Cellar. There you will find reputable brands as Supreme, Nike, Bape, Yeezy and Jordan. The store has a combination of vintage and new clothing and kicks. They also feature some locally made Buffalo clothing brands.
Every night, The Cellar posts its “Daily Drop” to its 24,000 followers on Instagram. The drop features exclusive items that will be for sale, starting the following day.
The store will feature a 10-percent discount on new items, and a 20-percent discount on vintage this Friday.
MY CUZIN VINTAGE
168 Elmwood Ave., Buffalo
Another stop on Elmwood Avenue is My Cuzin Vintage. Similar to The Cellar, they also sell exclusive kicks and streetwear like Yeezy and Supreme. The shop features ‘90s T-shirts, including rock band shirts and vintage Tommy Hilfiger. What makes them stand out is the impressive racks of vintage Bills and Sabres gear that take up half the store.
The shop is having a 10-percent-off sale on new items, and a 20-percent-off sale on vintage.
TREND UP & MS EYE CANDY
85 Allen St., Buffalo
Just two blocks from the downtown medical campus is a store where you can grab Los Angeles and urban-inspired fashion. On one side is MS Eye Candy, which features the West Coast visions of ownerSiobhan Taylor.
“A lot of my brands are LA-based boutique brands,” Taylor said. “Ones you can’t find in the mall.”
Taylor carries womenswear, while Trend Up carries menswear.
Trend Up, owned by Giovanni Centurione, occupies the other half of the boutique. They feature urban contemporary brands like Profound Aesthetic and EPTM.
“I try to carry stuff that no one else in Buffalo carries,” Centurione said.
The stores are featuring discounts on selected items for Black Friday.
Isabella Nurt is a staff writer and can be reached at features@ubspectrum.com.
Isabella Nurt is a junior film production major. She is keen to get off campus and cover underground topics in the greater Buffalo area.
