We love shopping online, we really do, but sometimes, it just doesn’t cut it. Sometimes, we just need that brick-and-mortar store to feel nostalgia. And what better way to feel it all than sneaker shops? We decided to round up the coolest stores so you could cop some kicks wherever you are in the world. Let’s check them out now! Who knows? They might be the place you’ll get your next exclusive kicks from fam.
5 of the Best Sneaker Shops in the USA
So we know that the USA is one of the main places where the sneaker culture kicked off. So when we talk sneaker shops, you know that the US stores will take the lion’s share. That’s why we decided to list some of the best stores in the US alone!
Sneakersnstuff – New York
When you have a 2 decades+ history, you know that it’s good. Although the store has many locations including the New York store, the parent location is Stockholm Sweden. It started out with two friends who traveled to get highly coveted kicks. Friends and acquaintances also asked them for kicks from abroad, and the owners started taking fees. I mean, places to sleep and eat aren’t free when you’re in another country. Today, Sneakersnstuff is one of the most famous sneaker shops in the US and outside!
KITH
Exactly 10 years ago, Ronnie Fieg opened Kith for really obvious reasons. He’s been a sneaker enthusiast, designer, and a part of the industry for as long as he can remember. Not only is KITH a major sneaker store today, it already has its own line. Moreover, KITH is a Tier 0 Nike store. That’s why we get the amazing Air Force 1 releases every time the store opens at a new location. Today, the store is open in SoHo, Brooklyn, Miami, LA, Paris, Hawaii, and Tokyo!
Bodega
The word means “grocery” or “corner store”. Anyway, the sneaker store is definitely more than that. Since day 1 in the early 2000s, the three founders wanted to share their artistic vision with the world. They also wanted to be accessible only to those who know how to reach them. So what they did is: they hid the store behind an actual bodega! In other words, they’re hidden in plain sight. So if you wanna go sneaker hunting, you can look for the stores in Boston and Los Angeles!
Concepts
One of the oldest sneaker shops on our list. Concepts, or CNCPTS, opened its doors in 1996 in Cambridge, Massachusetts. They were a sneaker/skate shop before the concept was hype. But to last 25 years+ in the game, you must be doing something right. And one of these “something” is the immortal Nike SB Lobster collaboration. Today, you can find the store in Boston, New York, Dubai, and Shanghai!
UNDFTD
Since 2002, the Los Angeles-based sneaker store has been a major player in the sneaker industry. Their collaborations with major sneaker brands like Nike puts them in a pretty strong position in the sneaker culture. The founders James Bond (not the Bond) and Eddie Cruz wanted to open a boutique that caters to collectors of unique and rare kicks. And they certainly succeeded at that! You can visit their stores in LA, Las Vegas, San Francisco, and more for the latest drops.
5 Sneaker Stores from Around the World!
Because the culture isn’t exclusive to one place anymore, we got some pretty prominent sneaker shops around the world! And if you live outside the US and wanna get started in the sneaker industry, you should read on.
END.
The store opened its doors back in 2005 in the UK. From a store in New Castle to two different locations and an online website, END. certainly came a long way. The store has a big UK and Europe customer base. But with their website, END. grew that base all the way from the east to the west!
Solebox
Now, we move to Berlin, where 2002 gave us the Solebox. It’s actually one of the first German sneaker shops that introduced the culture to the area. It’s still around to this day of course with 4 additional locations! The store opened branches in Munich, Vienna, Amsterdam, and Brussels! So if you live in any of these cities, you’re in luck!
Footpatrol
If you’re a sneakerhead in London, then you’re definitely familiar with Footpatrol. This is another sneaker store that came to life in 2002! But there’s more to it than meets the eye because you get to live the whole sneaker enthusiast life there. You can buy an exclusive pair of sneakers there and chat about what you love about them there! Footpatrol actually provides a hub for the community to discuss everything sneakers. What more could you want?
Slam Jam
Now, we’re off to Milan, aka one of the world’s fashion capitals! Slam Jam is arguably one of the oldest sneaker shops in the world. Luca Benini founded it back in 1989 in his own garage! The store had a niche of customers before streetwear became the “thing” it is today. It’s also the first company to bring foreign brands like Stussy and Carhartt to Italy. Today, the company has showrooms in NY, Paris, Tokyo, Milan naturally, and more!
Patta
The name is still fresh in our minds after the Air Max 1 collaboration that everyone wanted to get their hands on. The store opened its doors in 2004 in Amsterdam, Netherlands. It started out as a store where the owners sold kicks they imported from all over the world. The owners’ goal was to fill the gap they found in the market to satisfy the sneaker community there.
And the Story Goes on!
We covered the top 10 sneaker shops here. However, the industry isn’t limited to these stores, and definitely never will be. So keep your eyes peeled for sneaker stores around you. Who knows? They may end up becoming the next best thing, and you can flex being an OG customer later on!
