# Kerstin Block

> Kerstin Block (1942-2025) was the Swedish-born co-founder and longtime leader of Buffalo Exchange. She and her husband Spencer opened their Tucson resale store in 1974, buying selected clothing from customers for cash or trade on the spot. She retired in 2024, when daughter Rebecca became CEO. Her work combined an eye for clothes with employee development, local giving and keeping garments in circulation.

- **Role:** Co-founder and former CEO at Buffalo Exchange (retired 2024; died 2025)
- **Organizations:** Buffalo Exchange
- **From:** Stockholm, Sweden
- **Education:** Degree in anthropology; qualification level not specified in the cited interviews, University of Arizona
- **Known for:** Co-founded Buffalo Exchange and helped popularize buying selected secondhand clothes for immediate cash or trade., Led the business for five decades before retiring in 2024., The business had 41 stores in 15 states in September 2025 reporting.

## Career timeline

- **1960** — Traveled from Sweden to study anthropology at the University of Arizona on a scholarship; met Spencer Block.
- **1968** — Returned to settle in Tucson.
- **Before 1974** — Worked arranging furniture displays at Sam Levitz.
- **1974** — Co-founded Buffalo Exchange with Spencer in a 400-square-foot Tucson storefront.
- **1976** — Buffalo Exchange opened a second location in Tempe.
- **1994** — Kerstin and Spencer established an arts fund through the Community Foundation for Southern Arizona.
- **2014** — Buffalo Exchange marked 40 years with a touring vintage shop in a renovated 1969 Airstream.
- **2024** — Retired around Buffalo Exchange’s 50th anniversary; daughter Rebecca became CEO.
- **2025** — Died on August 29, aged 83.

## Achievements

- Co-founded Buffalo Exchange and helped popularize buying selected secondhand clothes for immediate cash or trade.
- Led the business for five decades before retiring in 2024.
- The business had 41 stores in 15 states in September 2025 reporting.
- Co-established the Buffalo Exchange arts fund in 1994; the resulting award provided $244,000 in grants over more than 25 years.

## Latest updates

- **2025-10** — Buffalo Exchange published a remembrance of its founder, celebrating her work and the continuation of the business under Rebecca Block.
- **2025-08** — Died on August 29 at age 83.
- **2024-03** — Retired around the company’s 50th anniversary, with Rebecca Block taking over as CEO.

## Links

- Website: https://buffaloexchange.com/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kerstin-block-b28050126
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/buffaloexchange/

---

Profile page: https://yespress.io/kerstin-block
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-10-15