The chain of exclusive ‘sneakers’ has models from more than 60 different brands.
Sneaker Store at Barcelona
If you thought you had seen it all, you haven’t: Solebox, a German-born brand of sports shoes and clothing, has chosen Barcelona to open a sneaker store inspired by the Mercat de la Boqueria. Exclusive ‘sneakers’, ‘streetwear’ clothing and accessories, but displayed in a very different way: open spaces distributed throughout the store that recreate La Boqueria food stalls. The sneakers are displayed individually, one by one, with the prices on the back: a presentation that transports you to a fishmonger in La Boqueria, which is a five-minute walk from the store.
You can find more than thirty different brands, but, although there is a wide range of options, “a classic that never goes out of style is the Nike AirForce, they are always the most sought after,” explains Marc Vallés, a store worker. Given the success, the brand is bringing out new models for all tastes: from fluorescent colors for the most daring to more neutral tones. The latest release from AirForce is the ‘Fresh’, the ‘sneaker’ made of leather that wins the award for the most sought after this season.
Although there is no specific client profile, Marc assures that the majority are young people with a clear idea of what they are looking for. He also adds that “90% of the clientele are tourists who enter out of curiosity thinking that it is a market and then inside they are surprised.”
And the prices? Well, there is something for all budgets. They start at around €50 with the Converse models, which are “always the most affordable”, up to those from A Bathing Ape, which are around €350. With this last brand, Solebox has launched a collaboration, becoming one of the few stores with its own ‘sneaker’ model.
Barcelona has been the city chosen for the opening of the first Solebox store on the Peninsula, but the chain had already opened in other European cities such as Brussels, Berlin and Frankfurt. What makes them unique is that the concept of the stores varies depending on where they are, adapting to the environment of the city. For example, the one in Amsterdam is inspired by the creativity of the place and recreates a laboratory. The Viennese store doesn’t fall short either: from the outside it looks like a contemporary art museum with some classical figures, paying homage to the historical and contemporary art of Viennese culture.
With more than 580,000 followers on Instagram, Solebox is one of the essential stores for lovers of ‘sneakers’, a product that has become another piece of the luxury market.
This article is originally published on timeout.es
