I was lucky enough to spend some time in the Big Apple recently and it revitalized my personal love for New York City… a sneaker store on every block! I love my sneakers and I love the community, but most importantly, I love the way the sneaker community markets itself in NYC.
Despite the fact that you can walk through SOHO and stumble upon 6 shoe stores per block, most of them reek of this ego and arrogance that has begun to plague the sneaker community. I’m all for niche marketplaces and a sense of pride when it comes to a sometimes taboo desire, but a large part of the sneaker community has become so obsessed with holding their space from popular culture, that they fight off anyone who isn’t “one of their own.”
Despite the fact that you can walk through SOHO and stumble upon 6 shoe stores per block, most of them reek of this ego and arrogance that has begun to plague the sneaker community. I’m all for niche marketplaces and a sense of pride when it comes to a sometimes taboo desire, but a large part of the sneaker community has become so obsessed with holding their space from popular culture, that they fight off anyone who isn’t “one of their own.”
However, certain stores and clans of ‘heads are still doing it right, and they are putting their names out in all the right ways. Normally I’d like to say I sniffed out a hot sneaker spot with my sixth sense, but I first found Classic Kicks first through a postcard style piece in a music shop uptown; postcard ad, check. Then as I worked my way through hipster spots in the east village and then SOHO, I then saw a 2x4 foot plastered between hundreds of movie ads; postered walls, check. As I got hot on the trail of this shoe spot, I got final word from a local who clearly knew what I was thinking for. A gentleman sitting outside a café drinking espresso (uber hip) saw me window shopping next to his seat. He stopped me and told me I’d be interested in a store one block over. When asked why he stopped me, he said a noticed my shoes, (Nike Dunk Lows Dirty Denim). So, word- of- mouth; check.
Finally I stumbled into Classic Kicks and there I was, sneaker heaven. The fresh smell of canvas, patent leather, and nubuck was in the air. Classic Kicks blends the clean- cut, Japanese anime, Technicolor look with New York urban soul, and quickly carved out a soft spot in my heart. Made its way into my top list of spots in this country’s major markets. I walked away with a fresh pair of Fila first editions, and I’m happy to report that guerilla style, street marketing is alive and well in the Big Apple.
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