There’s no denying sneakerheads are passionate about their footwear. They’ll go to great lengths to get their hands on the latest drop, often camping out in day-long lines for their chance at rare, limited-edition merch, or the trendy, must-have shoe of the year. Perhaps it was this very fanaticism surrounding sneaker culture that drove store owners to change their business model to speakeasy-inspired secrecy. The rising trend of “underground” sneaker shops, often reserved for those that are in-the-know, has become the new norm for scoring your sweet kicks. ‘LLERO takes a look at five shops that are changing the game.
BODEGA
bdgastore.com
6 Clearway St., Boston, MA 02115
Founders Oliver Mak, Jay Gordon, and Dan Natola launched Bodega in the early 2000’s. Throughout their tenure, the company has never advertised, nor was there a functioning website during their first four years of operation – they rely solely on their super targeted, die-hard customer. This must-see destination boasts a strong selection of super rare kicks (i.e., Air Jordans and Vans Vault), signature, and covetable collaborative goods.
If you didn’t know any better, you’d easily walk past their shop, disguised as a fully functional bodega. To keep up the convenience store charade, there’s even an employee working behind the counter, but don’t expect them to help you find the secret door leading to the hidden sneaker shop – access is granted only to those that know how to get in (hint: Keep your eyes peeled for Snapple). There’s a strict no filming/no photos rule, but occasionally you’ll find bold behind the scenes footage that gives you a sneak peek of the store’s sleek interior.
WORLD OF NICHE
worldofniche.com
66 Bleeker St, NYC 10012
World of Niché opened in New York earlier this year, but there’s no public knowledge of who’s behind the whole thing. There’s no social media presence and an incredibly strict no photos policy – actually, there’s a lot of policies to deal with, but the experience sounds like something out of a Bond movie.
Here’s how it goes down: there’s a strict appointment-only, one-at-a-time shopper policy. You have to remove your shoes upon entry, where you’ll be asked to wear leather slippers while you wait. A single employee is there to help you with whatever you may need. Once triggered the shop’s windows cloud up and a giant brass ball suspended from the ceiling opens up, showcasing the store’s footwear. It’s important to note that you’ll be shown three styles, in three color ways ONLY. Styles are limited-edition and are served on a platter once you make your selection. Yes, like an actual serving dish!
YOAKUSTOMS
yoakustoms.com
Made in New Jersey, available worldwide
Instead of chucking her ex’s dunks, Amanda Yoakum, a Parsons fashion design graduate, started painting on his old sneakers, using them as a makeshift canvas for her art. Her designs were quickly noticed, and this self-proclaimed artist and sneaker customizer instantly gained a following not only from the art world, but a slew of sneakerhead clients (including collabs with Flight Club and Vans). For custom, one-of-a-kind styles, send your kicks to her New Jersey studio called YoaKustoms, where Yoakum will create handpainted styles in about two-to-three weeks.
RSVP GALLERY
rsvpgallery.com
1753 N Damen Ave. Chicago, IL
Don’t let the name fool you. Although labeled as a gallery, RSVP is an upscale concept store owned by Virgil Abloh, (Kanye West’s art director) that sells high-end sneakers from sleek brands like Common Projects and Givenchy. Sitting just below street level in Chicago’s Wicker Park neighborhood, this visually curated shop is a great spot to discover hard-to-find goods, plus it feels like you’re shopping in a fancy art space.
THE SPORTSWEAR SHOP
Buenos Aires, Argentina
Nestled deep in the suburbs of Buenos Aires, you’ll find the sportswear shop: an unmarked store that looks like you’ve gone back in time to South America in the ’70’s. Don’t count on a website to find the shop (because there isn’t one), and word-of-mouth directions from a local are your best bet to find the place.
What once was described as legend, owner Carlos Ruiz has hundreds upon hundreds of never-been-worn Adidas styles (still in their original boxes), that he refused to part with over the years. Becoming so attached to his collection, Ruiz made his store his hangout, and rarely, if ever, sold any of his merch. Adidas Originals got hold of the story and sent a crew to verify the sportswear shop’s collection. Check out the video below for look at the film crew freaking out upon its discovery. After convincing Ruiz to get back into the selling business, the sportswear shop has become an absolute must for sneakerheads on the hunt for rare, vintage kicks.
Image of World of Niche via Hypebeast
Image of Yoakustoms via Yoakustoms
Image of RSVP Gallery via RSVP Gallery