Retail Spotlight: Krudmart (Buffalo, NY)

Step into this cool shop that brings streetwear brands to the historical section of downtown Buffalo.

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Complex Original

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STORE: Krudmart

CITY: Buffalo, NY

SINCE: 2006

FOUNDED BY:Steve Kay

PRICES: $$ (out of 5)

WHY WE COSIGN: Located in the antique district of Buffalo, Krudmart was designed to fit in with the rustic vibe of the neighborhood, but still stocks the sick streetwear and cool guy stuff so you don't have to rock an ironic mustache or hipster trench coat to hang with the crew. This is also one of the dope online boutiques we've come across recently. Founded by Steve Kay, the shop mainly carries the coveted A.P.C. denim and most T-Shirts range from $20 - $30. Inside the shop, the walls are an artistic approach to streetwear brands and lifestyle but still has some skate roots and relaxed vibe.

BRANDS CARRIED:10.Deep, Black Scale, Arkitip, Cheap Monday, Crooks & Castles, Durki, Flying Coffin, Fuct, Gentle Fawn, In4mation, Mishka, Ludwig, Reason, Sugarcraft, The Hundreds, Sabre Vision, and Quiet Life

WHAT'S NEXT: Expect future collaborations with Erik Brunetti of Fuct, artist Donny Miller and a design by Andy Mueller of The Quiet Life and Girl Skateboards.

See below for the store's most popular items, more pictures of the space, and our interview with the founder, Steve Kay...

MOST POPULAR ITEMS:
BLACK SCALE T-SHIRT
Click here to Buy It Now at Krudmart, $32
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DURKL x SABRE VISION SUNGLASSES BLUE
Click here to Buy It Now at Krudmart, $92
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DURKL x SABRE VISION SUNGLASSES YELLOW
Click here to Buy It Now at Krudmart, $92
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What was the inspiration behind Krudmart and how has it influenced the overall look and feel of your store?
Steve Kay: Krudmart was inspired by my life as a skateboarder pretty much from age seven. I've always wanted to run a skate shop or something like it. In my early 20s, I was working at a shop, gripping boards and the owner started having me sell things on eBay for him - that's really where Krudmart came from.

The look and feel was influenced by my appreciation for the good old minimal design of the '60s and '70s. My good friend, Chadski helped me a lot with that. It evolved into something a bit different from that but we're actually working on tweaking the design to take it back to the simplicity we started with.

As far as the retail store itself, we're located in the antique district of Buffalo and thought it'd be great to make the store fit in with the vibe of the neighborhood. We went with some more rustic touches like vintage wainscoting salvaged from a historical downtown Buffalo courthouse, antique fixtures and an antelope head that my dad hunted out in Wyoming.

What trends can we anticipate for the Fall/Winter 2009 season?
Steve Kay: I think plaid and flannel is still going to be pretty prevalent. The hipsters haven't fully killed that one yet. Adjustable hats are finally making their way back into favor after the choke hold New Era's 5950 had on the industry for so long. I also think people will be washing their jeans again.

What do you foresee in menswear in 5 years?
Steve Kay: Everything being cyclical, we should see the return of oversize clothes. Dr. Martens or Ben Davis? But I hope that the lessons of the last few years will keep us in classic mode for a while. The t-shirt isn't going anywhere but just regular shit. Clothes that fit properly, no gaudy prints. I'd like to see a little bit of the grown-up look sticking. Maybe some elements from higher end companies will trickle down to the streets. I'm happy to see things like American Apparel doing a slim-fitting short-sleeved button down. I'm hoping that's a good indicator of what's to come.

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STORE INFO:
Krudmart
125 Elmwood Ave.
Buffalo NY 14201
716.566.6569
Monday — Saturday: 12 p.m. - 8 p.m.
Sunday: 1 p.m. — 6 p.m.

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