SNEAKER STORE SPOTLIGHT: JD SPORTS

Being a Sneaker Fiend over 20 yrs, I've come across many hidden gems.  From mom and pop stores to slept on sneaker chains, JD Sports is a great combination of both.  Located in the UK, I've been a consumer of theirs for a couple years now.  

I was recently asked to select an item to try out from the store and I chose Nike Air Max 1. Introduced in 1987, the Air Max 1 has been a favorite of Sneaker Fiends like myself which made my choice a no brainer. Air Max's are one of the most comfortable silhouettes that Nike makes and always stylish as far as the colorway goes.  The package arrived a little over a week from the order date, a big plus knowing about international shipping horror stories that has taken a month or more.

One thing that JD Sports offers are "only at JD" items, which are items that are exclusive to store. Some Sneaker Fiends like to have "exclusives"......still getting the joy of being asked "where'd you get those?!". Another handy lil tidbit being a buyer of international stores, JD has one of the lowest international shipping charges.  

With Christmas around the corner, check out JD Sports.  The website is easy to navigate and if you're in the UK there's several retail locations.  There's something for everyone from sneakers to apparel & accessories and you'll get your package in time for the holidays.

Toronto travels...

In Canada for work, I caught up with our blogger Loni, so she could show me around. Who knew the last Good Foot had just closed their doors weeks earlier? And they aren't the only ones... seems that sneaker boutiques in the TO have fallen on hard times, with the noted exception of Livestock, which is alive and well! And so is Loni, who just moved to Toronto but who is also doing some traveling around the U.S. for her own book about positive hip hop. Keep an eye out for this up and coming female hip hop photographer!

Inside Livestock

Loni with Livestock's resident female sneaker fiend, Victoria

X Squared is open in Boston!

It's holding court right across from Niketown.

Looking down from the stairs. Love the Gourmet Kicks NFN's (Not Fake Nikes??)

Looking over Newbury Street

Yea, they're working the space age, pro-tech, kind of 90s feel...

Dwayne, you ARE in Boston! Thanks for showing the proper respect. Now if we could get some more adidas in the house, we'd feel at home.

Here's the X Squared crew cheesing. Thanks for the tour!

The boutique I mentioned earlier, X Squared, is now open on Newbury Street. It's brand-spanking new, so the staff were real honest about a few growing pains, but it's definitely worth a look. Good product (and a commitment to grow their as-yet-unremarkable women's selection), nice people and no attitude... It's a mix of streetwear, upscale Euro-friendly and high tech, which means it may attract a fun, funky mix, not just hard core sneakerheads. But you know, we do get out sometimes and mix it up with the regular folk!

(Off topic: Congrats to our very own Sneaker Design School Gal for finishing her project! It sounds GREAT. Send us more pics! And did y'all catch her in Sneaker Freaker #12? Louise Millard. Heat on top of heat...)

The Right Format

Pro Street BMX Biker Nigel Sylvester just opened up his own Sneaker Boutique called Format, which is located in Elmhurst Queens. His Grand opening event was yesterday and you know FSF had to stop by and see what's good. Peep the Pics.....

By the look on my face, you already know that these Ato's are mine

Pink Eye picking out her next purchase

Pink Eye & Format employee working the camera

Bike 101: The Parts

Register display

Pink Eye X DJ Boy Wonda

Me & DJ Boy Wonda

The Jordan Section

The Ladies section

Hey it's E & A!!!

The two Shawn's

Me & Nigel Sylvester

Pink Eye & Nigel Sylvester

The food always gets the party started

Crowd Shots

The inventory

You ain't never lied

Fee Taught us well

Here is the address:

Format
92-29 Queens Blvd, Suite CU-4
Rego Park, NY 11374
TEL #: 718.887.291
www.formatny.com

Must we be so Uppity!!!

I have always admired the sneaker and streetwear culture as a whole. Now that I'm actually having more networking experience in the culture, it amazes me how snobby people are when it comes to sneakers and streetwear. I mean what are we really being uppity over--some sneakers and tees?!? Some of these people at these boutiques wanna stare you up and down and look at you like why are you in here and really why I'm there is to buy some sneakers duh!!! Then you have these people who work or own these shops complain about how hype the whole culture is getting and claiming to be real when their shop is located in the land of hype (Soho and L.E.S.) Who are you fooling? You're feeding into it, and you know exactly what you're doing. The way some of these people come off it's like being at a country club. If you don't have the latest SB or you didn't spend 100 and up on a pair of kicks or didn't buy the most exclusive hoodie you ain't nothing. I thought this whole industry was about wearing what you feel and having fun with it. If I wanted to be judged, I would have entered myself in a beauty pageant!! Cause while you're sitting there and judging people and telling people what they should be wearing, Footlocker, Finish Line and major athletic stores are taking your money. Here is a suggestion for all the people who own and work at these exclusive boutiques: take the stick out and relax!!!