bodega
This Boston stalwart has been one of the coolest sneaker emporiums in the Northeast since it opened its bodega-style shop in 2006. Its inventory is packed with kicks hard to find anywhere else including styles from Nike Tier 0, which is available in only 100 stores in the world. Plus, the in-house team designs a few pairs in collaboration with the Vault by Vans label helmed by artist Taka Hayashi.
Find itstadium goods
This months-old SoHo storefront (it opened in October 2015) is a sneakerhead’s dream thanks to a consignment program that brings in some of the rarest shoes in the business. Stadium Goods’ Trophy Case, however, is populated with the creme de la creme including the Air Jordan IV Undefeated—72 pairs were made for friends and family. Valued at $24,500, this shoe is what many sneaker freaks refer to as the holy grail.
Find ita ma maniere
A pristine Marietta Street boutique that balances streetwear with high fashion, A Ma Maniere is just as great for the latest Air Jordans and Stan Smiths (like the ones designed by Pharrell Williams) as it is for thousand-dollar made-in-Japan Hender Scheme high tops and leather motorcycle jackets by Balmain.
Find itpacker shoes
When the Teaneck location opened in 2002, Packer was one of the first retailers to spearhead the now widespread trend of working with brands on exclusive collaborations. The original and the recently reopened Jersey City offshoot carries sought-after kicks (it recently held a raffle in Jersey City for the opportunity to buy incoming pairs of Yeezys) as well as pairs they’ve designed with the likes of Diadora, Reebok, and Adidas.
Find itkicks
One of Hawaii’s essential retail stops, Kicks’ stock is informed by the islands’ surf and skate lifestyle. Meaning, you can expect to see lots of cool collaborations with sneaker brands of similar ethos such as Stussy and Converse. Last year, Kicks hit gold with a well-received project with Vault by Vans on the Mynah sneakers featuring the quirky Mynah Bird print.
Find itwish
This beautiful Atlanta storefront (with its collection of hanging light bulbs) is oft-visited by local athletes and hip hop stars, who obviously stop by for the lower-level shoe library. The space is decorated with the latest Adidas collaboration with Danish fashion label Wood Wood, perforated suede sneakers from Amsterdam-based Filling Pieces, and more.
Find itconcepts
It’s been two decades since Concepts opened its original Harvard Square shop, and to celebrate this 20th birthday, the store has launched a year of collaborations, which started with a high-tech Nike Free Trainer 1.0. The shoe features a thermal reactive tongue that changes color based on the wearer’s body heat.
Find itubiq
Rittenhouse Row’s streetwear mecca tapped renowned architect Rafael de Cárdenas to renovate its interiors into a glitzy modern space fit for the hip, must-have sneakers it stocks. Think leather and pony-hair high-tops by Vans, Puma’s collaboration with A Bathing Ape, and sleek Rag & Bone trainers.
Find itundefeated
With five locations on the West Coast and five more in Japan, Undefeated is nothing short of an empire. In addition to stocking hard-to-find styles from the sports world’s biggest brands, Undefeated is known to also partner up with all of them (from Nike to Bape) on coveted sneakers that often end up in other store’s inventory.
Find itkith
Two Manhattan stores and one Brooklyn location make up owner Ronnie Fieg’s NYC chainlet of streetwear boutiques. The in-house collection of fuss-free bomber jackets, frayed t-shirts, and wear-all-day sweatpants provides the perfect backdrop to more colorful footwear like bronze Nike Huaraches, boot-like high-tops from Casbia, and fringed Chuck Taylor All Stars.
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