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Buffalo Chips outfits celebrities from Julia Roberts to Brooks & Dunn
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Amidst the quintessentially urban cobblestones and cast-iron architecture of Tribeca sits Buffalo Chips Boot Company, a bastion of the Old West in downtown New York City. Don’t let its flashy, flaming red–brick storefront fool you -- inside it’s the real deal. Broken-in leather boots and custom-shaped cowboy hats fill the racks, and rodeo-themed belt buckles wait to be paired with any of several dozen leather belts in an array of colors and patterns.
In other words, Buffalo Chips, situated at the corner of Washington and Vestry Streets, seems to be the answer to every cosmopolitan cowboy’s dreams. Owner Paul Greyshock founded the store 18 years ago in Soho, billing its inventory as “high-end handmade Western wear.” He’s been riding the cowboy fashion trend ever since.
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Owner Paul Greyshock, sporting some of his handmade Western wear
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“Everybody knows this store,” Greyshock says, rattling off the long list of actors, musicians, and other celebrities who have turned to him for high-quality -- and often custom-made -- apparel. The store’s walls are lined with autographed photographs thanking him and praising his work. Madonna, Julia Roberts, Aerosmith, Bo Diddley, Melissa Etheridge, Dwight Yoakam, Brooks and Dunn -- they’re all there. “I do all the country acts,” he says. “I’ve outfitted everybody.” He also fashioned a Western wear for a recent Dolce and Gabbana couture show.
Greyshock says everything from word of mouth among fashion stylists to great magazine press has gotten his store in good with celebrities. And it helps that they are also the right group for Buffalo Chips’ relatively high price range -- worth every penny, he assures, in terms of quality and authenticity.
A New Jersey–native, Greyshock has always been drawn to the cowboy look, particularly vintage boots. His store’s selection of broken-in, finely detailed boots -- which he finds online and through specialty dealers -- include the unique 1940s and 50s designs of Acme brand, and set him apart in the Western-wear scene.
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| Handmade and vintage hats, belts and boots fill the racks of this Tribeca shop |
While Buffalo Chips carries a large inventory of vintage boots, belt buckles, and other apparel, Greyshock also loves designing his own styles. To produce one-of-a-kind boots, he works with six different boot makers in Texas. They fashion his concepts using a unique foot mold that he claims makes his boots the best fit and most comfortable for any sole.
“It’s probably the best footwear in the world,” he says, pointing out the built-in arch support and loose-fitting heel and toe recommended by podiatrists. Prices start at about $400 for custom-made kicks and $100 for a vintage pair.
Greyshock also commissions handmade felt and straw cowboy hats from a small, family-owned manufacturer in Texas -- though he’ll gladly custom shape the hat to suit the customer on site. Hats range from $50 to $225.
No matter your preference, Greyshock is sure to have both the expertise and the style to produce the perfect addition to your wardrobe. “You want your initials in your boots? You want an inlaid picture of your cat or bird? Not a problem,” he says. “But you have to get fit properly, and I’m the one to do that.”
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