OUR STORY

Welcome to The Buffalo Collection…where you can finally create your New American West home, just as you imagined it.

The American West and the majestic buffalo are integral to our country’s beloved historic tradition. As our nation strives to renew its unity and pride, we invite you to join us in welcoming back this great history. Through creative ingenuity, we can weave it into the fabric of our lives and the lives of future generations.

Hotchkiss, Colorado is an almost impossibly beautiful place, and home to Scenic Mesa Ranch and its buffalo herd. The Valley is a patchwork of organic farms, orchards and native sagebrush neatly tucked beneath snowcapped 13,000-foot mountain peaks. Off the beaten path and on the road to nowhere in particular, it has attracted artisans, independents and visionaries for decades.

It’s in this idyllic setting that I founded this aptly named Scenic Mesa Ranch. A botanist by profession, I put my knowledge and experience to good use in restoring native buffalo range on the ranch and developed a commercial buffalo meat business. As guest lodges were built, we used available buffalo hides to make ranch furniture that could handle cowboys, hunters, and dogs. Together with the immense talent and creativity of local artisans, we have developed a uniquely rugged yet classic, finely handcrafted line of American-ethnic furniture and accessories called The Buffalo Collection.

The distinctive, durable furniture is a brilliant slice of Americana, equally at home in Sedona or Syracuse. It nicely bridges the timeline from an older, simpler way of life to today’s contemporary, more sophisticated lifestyles. Built by all-American manufacturer Hancock & Moore in Hickory North Carolina, The Buffalo Collection’s furniture details are superb.

Buffalo leather furniture is virtually unparalleled in its cushy softness, strength and durability. We’re pleased to say our tannery uses a “wet-white” non-chromium tanning process that is earth-friendly and environmentally responsible. Combined with the craftsmanship of the strong hardwood frames, hand-tied springs, and down-filled cushions, you have a superior product of heirloom quality. We are sure you will enjoy this beautiful handcrafted furniture in your home.

Our corporate philosophy encompasses all types of green building, manufacturing and processing. We are finishing four green EcoCabins, each 1,200 square feet and surrounded by porch, overlooking the North Fork of the Gunnison River . . . embodying the simpler lifestyle of the 21st century. In line with this philosophy, we sponsor a monthly “Green Seminar” series of lecture/discussions in the store after hours; and we have begun a monthly series of “Slow Food” dinners featuring the grass-finished meats and natural organic produce grown in our valley.

Our new corporate office and flagship store are located in historic downtown Hotchkiss, Colorado. I invite you to visit us at The Buffalo Collection, 122 E. Bridge Street – and spend the night on our ranch, in an EcoCabin filled with beautiful buffalo furniture.

Warm regards,


Julie Littlefield, proprietor

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THE ART AND LEGACY OF THE BUFFALO COLLECTION

Generations of family skill and artistry contribute to the distinctive beauty you see in the furniture and accessories of The Buffalo Collection.

The Kendall family members are part of a proud line of exceptional leather craftsmen and beadwork artists. For more than three generations, the family has practiced the time-honored art of braiding and lacing. Mick Kendall, born and raised in western Colorado, learned the art of leather braiding from his father, Dale. As avid hunters and outdoorsmen, Mick and his father created western tack and accessories for archery and black-powder hunting. Now Mick and his daughter Amber enhance our furniture with their impressive leatherworking skills.

Local artisans Luanne Tarbell and Cigdem Aritan sew exquisite raised appliqué patterns with deerskin on the buffalo leather. Their masterful talents transform chair backs, pillows and headboards.

Woodworker Peter Clary has been practicing his craft for 35 years. Influenced by his father, but primarily self-taught, he is an artistic perfectionist. Peter creates architectural millwork and is intrigued by nonlinear design. He particularly enjoys creating custom projects for his clients.

Dona Doye, in-house designer, works with many of the artists represented in The Buffalo Collection. Having studied design in New York City, this Oklahoma native also brings strong Midwestern sensibility and joyful experimentation to all of The Buffalo Collection products that she helps to create.

In Hickory, North Carolina, our premier manufacturer Hancock & Moore meticulously crafts and upholsters the furniture, using beautiful Pennsylvania maple and finely tanned buffalo leather.

From start to finish, each piece in The Buffalo Collection is thoughtfully created with artistry, ingenuity and nature's inspiration.