A variety of vibrant stickers cover the towing sign in front of a parking lot just outside of Kickz inc. on Stevens Creek Boulevard.
The stickers of varying sizes and colors continue into the store, covering doors that serve as canvases connecting Kickz inc. to the community.
“[The doors are a] way for people to leave their stamp when they come by,” said Danny Ryan, the owner of Kickz inc.
A French bulldog sticker connects the community to Pablo, the shop’s stocky white and grey mascot, who roams about the store looking to accompany customers as they shop.
Ryan said he and a couple of friends decided they wanted to create their own sneaker store after being profiled and belittled at another sneaker store.
“We wanted to be an urban boutique,” Ryan said. “There wasn’t a lot of minority-owned businesses like this back then, so our thing was we wanted to do something where we would be by Valley Fair and Santana Row.”
Ryan set up shop in December 2014 and since then Kickz inc. has supplied sneaker fans with a variety of shoes ranging from Air Jordans to Yeezys.
Ryan said the business is different from general retail-based shoe stores, such as Foot Locker, because of the work employees do for the community, as their motto “More Than Sneakers” suggests.
The boutique’s employees have been giving back to the community since the shop first opened, Ryan said.
Kickz inc. gave more than ten thousand toys to kids across the Bay Area last year and provided Thanksgiving meals for nearly 150 unhoused people.
“We don’t promote it, we’ve always done it out of the kindness of our hearts,” Ryan said. “We like giving back to the community.”
He said Kickz inc. recently partnered up with Silicon Valley Sports, a San Jose gym, and created an Amateur Athletic Union basketball program called Cali Elite.
Not only does the shop have a strong community connection, Ryan said the inventory Kickz inc. offers distinguishes the shop from other retailers.
“The stuff you would go buy at a Foot Locker you wouldn’t buy from us,” he said. “Few shoes we have in here were released this year, most of them were released prior and you won’t be able to find them at those stores.”
Sneakers rose in popularity during the ’80s when athletes including Michael Jordan and hip-hop groups such as Run-D.M.C. partnered with shoe brands, according to a May 2018 Smithsonian Magazine article.
Geri Rodriguez, the manager at Kickz inc., said the athletes who’ve partnered with brands to create their own shoes are part of the reason he’s interested in sneakers.
“Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, Lebron James, they’re like superheroes,” Rodriguez said.
Many sneaker fans, including Charles Van Meurs, a San Jose State counseling education grad student, got introduced to sneaker culture at a young age.
Van Meurs’ brother taught him everything he knows about sneakers and his brother gave him his first pair when he was in seventh grade.
“I went to my room and I saw there was a shoe box on my bed,” Van Meurs said. “I opened them and it was some Jordans.”
Ryan also said the business is a way for him to teach his 13-year-old son about entrepreneurship.
“The younger generation, that’s what we’re really big on,” Ryan said. “My goal will be ultimately to leave this business to him when he’s of age.”
Although the coronavirus pandemic posed financial challenges for Kickz inc. from March through July, he said he never thought about closing the shop.
The pandemic forced Kickz inc. to postpone events, like a re-grand opening, but Ryan said the community can expect some major things coming during the spring and summer.
“Pandemic or no pandemic, I work too hard, my family works too hard,” Ryan said. “I have too much responsibility for what my business provides to the community for me to let it fail.”
