Los Gatos Weekly-Times

Photograph by George Sakkestad

Jim Brady plans to continue business as usual at the Buffalo Trading Co. in its new location at 270 E. Main St.

The Buffalo Trading Co. sells a little of this and that

By Bob Aldrich

If the Buffalo Trading Co. building at 34 E. Main St. should be torn down, its longtime occupant, Jim Brady, will shed no tears.

Nor would Brady, who has relocated the Buffalo Trading Co. to 270 E. Main St., give a second's thought to moving back to his former quarters. "The roof leaks," he says, "and there's no heat. It's an old building. You can see where it's been all patched up. It was miserable in winter.

"No, thanks."

Brady, who invented the company name back in 1979 when he and a partner had a shop where 2wenty-9ine East Main Cafe is now located, says he likes his new and larger shop next to the 7-Eleven store on East Main Street. "There are about 1,000 square feet here, compared to 450 in the old place," he said.

The current owner of 34 E. Main St., Dave Flick, wants the old building, which looks as if it might be a set for a Western film, torn down so he can build retail shops and upstairs apartments on that site and on the adjacent vacant lot.

Only partially moved into his new digs, Brady pointed out the array of items on hand, including silver jewelry he makes himself, rock posters, T-shirts, used clothing, sunglasses, old used records, and the stick-ons some kids like to slap on bikes or windshields. Brady said he's happy to be relocated next to the 7-Eleven where, during the academic year, Los Gatos High School students gather at lunch time or after school.

The stick-ons, not always very current, reflect the store's appeal to youth: the Sex Pistols, Charlie's Angels, Felix the Cat, and the Cat in the Hat are among the labels.

"It's all inexpensive stuff," he said, looking around the interior of the former beauty salon and sometime tuxedo shop.

A silversmith, Brady fashions bracelets, rings and other jewelry items from sterling silver and stones and displays them in a sale counter.

Racks of used clothing, including shirts, trousers and jackets, take up quite a bit of space.

Brady, 56, grew up in San Jose. From 1972 to 1979, he operated his store in San Jose. Then he moved to Los Gatos. His partner left, and after two years, Brady moved across the street to 34 E. Main St.

Precisely when the old building there was first constructed is uncertain. Numerous changes were made in the building over the years. It appears on a 1928 Sanborn Insurance map.

As for the Buffalo Trading Co. name, Brady says: "I just made it up. I thought it sounded nice."

He made it clear his stock will vary from time to time, as it always has. "I'll see what works," he says.

But the same squat statue of a cowboy stands at the door of the new location, as it did at the old one. Does he have name?

"No, he's just an old-timer," Brady said.