Reshoevn8r Retailer Spotlight: The Fix Kicks

We're back with the next installment of our new monthly series, highlighting a Reshoevn8r retail partner on the blog. Today we're hanging out with The Fix Kicks from Santa Clara, California!

R8: Before we dive in, our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better. Can you tell us a bit about your ‘backstory’ and how you got started? (a couple of examples would be how long have you been in business, what made you want to open a sneaker store, etc.)

The Fix Kicks: The two owners of the store are myself (Kev) and my partner Alex, everyone calls him “Gizza”. With us, it all started with a love for sneakers, which we’ve been collecting for 15+ years. I actually met Alex camping out for sneakers. We would camp out almost every weekend trying to get the latest kicks. Over time, it turned into just getting our personal pairs to try to get as many pairs as we can get. We would sell the extra pairs to homies, on Craigslist, sneaker shows, etc. My dream was to always own a sneaker store just because I wanted to be around shoes 24/7 and I hated school, it was never about the money. One day I approached Alex with the idea and boom The Fix Kicks was born. We started off with a website first then a few months later we opened up our first store. We started the store with our personal collections and inventory we were collecting from camping out. 6 years later we are still going strong and still pushing to be bigger and better.

R8: What do you think makes your company stand out? Can you share a story?

The Fix Kicks: One of the big things that makes our company stand out is the $100 and Under sale AKA HunAndUn Sale that we started when we first opened. Everything on the sale is $100 or less and we offer some crazy steals. It started off really small and it has now turned into 100+ people lining up for the sale and some people have camped out over 24 hours before. It feels good to be able to give the kids a shot at getting some hotter shoes like Yeezy's and sought after retros for a cheap price. Seeing how happy they are to get those steals makes it all worth it.

R8: None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story?

The Fix Kicks: I am grateful for my partner, Alex. I would never be able to do this on my own and we wouldn't be where we are at today without him. A lot of people think this line of business is easy but they have no idea the stuff you have to do behind the scenes. It is very hazardous these days to find someone trustworthy to go into business with so I am beyond blessed to be in the position I am in now with the team we have.

R8: Why sneakers? What made you open a sneaker store? What are the biggest moments in your store’s history?

The Fix Kicks: You can have the cleanest outfit on but if you have some wack sneakers on none of it matters. Growing up it was all about having the freshest kicks on and having the hottest thing out. We named the store The Fix Kicks because of our addiction to kicks and getting that dose. We wanted to be that kick supplier and give people their dose of kicks. To me, some of the biggest moments is hearing how much people enjoy our store and people just get stuck in here looking at stuff. Hearing stuff like “I love your store” is an amazing feeling.

R8: What was your first experience that you can remember, at a sneaker store? Or a sneaker convention?

The Fix Kicks: We have been going to sneaker retail stores since we were kids. My first time going to a resale/consignment store though was RIF LA. I was in heaven, I was younger at the time and couldn’t afford much so I would make a hit list and I remember saving money and going in there to see what they had from my list. That feeling during those times is unexplainable. My goal is to give the next generation that same feeling.

R8: Tell us about your closet… What are some of your favorite sneakers you own right now? Was there a pair that got away, that you wish you would have snagged when you had the chance?

The Fix Kicks: Oh man, I don’t even know where to start with that one. My collection is around 500 right now. Over the years I have bought and sold and have probably owned everything there is to own. No matter what though my all-time favorite will always be 1999 White Cement 4’s and 2001 Black Cement 3’s. I do have a lot of selling regrets but it got me to where I am today in our business. 

Thank you for sharing your story. Can you tell us a little bit about your business?

R8: How long have you carried the Reshoevn8r line?

The Fix Kicks: We have been carrying Reshoevn8r for a little over 4 years.

R8: What is your store’s biggest Reshoevn8r seller?

The Fix Kicks: Our biggest seller is the Cleaning Solution.

R8: What are your store’s specialties?

The Fix Kicks: We buy/sell/trade and we offer restoration services.

R8: What are you having a hard time keeping on the shelf? (product or specific items?)

The Fix Kicks: Air Jordan 1’s and Dunks are the hottest things right now.

R8: Do you have multiple locations? If you only have one, what is the major significance of it?

The Fix Kicks: We only have 1 location right now. This is our 4th store in 6 years though. We keep going bigger with each move. We started with a 750 Square Foot store and we are now in a 6,000 Square Foot store.

R8: Can you tell us about your stock? What do you see moving? What are some upcoming trends that you’re stocking up on?

The Fix Kicks: We’re all about getting new products in and getting them out the door and keeping the cycle going. We definitely do hold stuff as well that we think will go up in value later. We spend some time looking at trends and trying to catch them before the prices go crazy. It’s all about spending the time and doing the research.

R8: What are some ways that your store connects with the city? 

The Fix Kicks: We are always trying to give back to our community, we were born and raised here. We are always looking to donate, throw events, do giveaways, etc. Looking forward to doing more stuff in the future once the pandemic cools down.

R8: We know the pandemic is affecting the retail climate. Can you tell us how it has affected your business? Have you changed your business model because of this? What precautions are you taking to keep your customers safe in your store? 

The Fix Kicks: It definitely hit us hard in the beginning, it was pretty scary to think you might have to close. Thankfully it didn’t last too long and the support we received was amazing. We haven’t changed much but it was an eye-opener for sure. We are constantly sanitizing and cleaning, limiting the number of people in the store, and enforcing masks.

Let’s dive into sneaker culture, really quick.

R8: Where do you see sneaker culture going in the future and what are your thoughts? 

The Fix Kicks: The sneaker culture has definitely changed over the years. It has definitely grown and became more mainstream with the younger generations getting into it. It’s hard for some of the old heads to adjust to it but at the same time, it’s to see how much it has grown. I don’t see it stopping anytime soon.

R8: What is a sneakerhead?  If you could describe this type of person to somebody who has no idea… what would you say?

The Fix Kicks: I personally dislike that term. To most though it is someone who collects sneakers.

R8: If someone wanted to start a true sneaker collection.. What's the first pair that you would recommend? What pairs do sneakerheads NEED to have in their collection?

The Fix Kicks: WHITE CEMENT 4’s or BLACK CEMENT 3’s!!!