John Michael Brown and Jacob Tyler opened Kickin It – a sneaker boutique specializing in designer sneakers and clothing – on Black Friday. Situated at 201 Salem Drive, the store boasts 3,500 square feet of some of the most sought-after footwear, apparel, and accessories in the world.
Initially only taking up Suite A, Brown and Tyler soon finalized the lease on Suite B to more than double the store size. Brands commonly found on their shelves include retro Jordans, Yeezys, Yeezy Slides, Foram Runners, and the latest craze, Nike Dunks.
“Sneaker boutiques have been trending all over; we’ve visited them on the west and east coast, down south, and in major cities around us,” Brown said. “There isn’t anything like this around us, and we wanted to fill that void here, offering a place where people could see a pair of shoes in hand and walk away with them.”
Growing up, Brown’s infatuation with various basketball shoes incited his passion. Brown said he and Tyler have always been sneakerheads but developed a passion following high school. Tyler graduated in 2015, and Brown in 2017.
“We started collecting shoes for ourselves, shoes we liked, but we were primarily just collectors,” he said. “We started playing with the idea of opening a store last fall and began putting things in place earlier this year.”
Kickin It also offers a selection of clothing ranging from rock ‘n’ roll T-shirts and old-school graphic design tees to newer streetwear. Current brands include Bape, Velon, Essentials, Supreme, and more.
The two continued to grow their collection and expanded to include children’s and women’s shoes. Brown said they’ve had people travel from as far as Louisville and Nashville, but most of their patrons are fellow sneakerheads from the tri-state area.
The store is open from 12 to 7 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday, and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday. To learn more about Kickin It, visit them on Facebook here.
Kickin It most recently added an online presence here. The store also features baseball, basketball, football cards, and figurines.
“We’ve been blessed with community support so far,” he said. “Our local customer base has been very loyal and supportive.”
The Chamber Member of the Week program is a membership benefit of the Greater Owensboro Chamber of Commerce. Founded in 1913, the Greater Owensboro Chamber of Commerce has worked to provide valuable benefits and services to member businesses and individuals for over a century.
Today, with a membership base of nearly 1,000, the Chamber is a guiding force in community and business development initiatives, serving as the center of business advocacy for the Greater Owensboro region.
To learn more about becoming the Chamber Member of the Week or inquire about Chamber membership, contact Shelly Nichols, Chamber Vice President, at 270-926-1860 or [email protected].
