Month: February 2015

It’s going down tomorrow. Studiiyo23 is hosting the 5th installment of their flagship event, the Twin Cities Sneaker Art Exchange, or TCSAX for short. This time, it’s being held at the Target Center in downtown Minneapolis, and it’s going to be bigger and better than ever.

With all the dope vendors, booths, kicks, art, and music that’s going on, you might feel a little bit lost, especially if you’re a first-timer. I’ve been going to TCSAX ever since the very first installment at First Avenue back in 2012, and I thought that it would be only right to give you some tips and tricks on how to have the best time possible. If you’re new to sneaker events (or even if you’re a veteran), check out a few pointers on how to have the best possible time at TCSAX. read more

We’ve all had that moment when we wanted something really badly and couldn’t afford it. Maybe it was a new house or apartment. Maybe it was a new car. Maybe it was a Bape shark hoodie. Maybe it was a huge cut of filet mignon at your favorite steakhouse. Maybe, if you’re a sneakerhead like me, it was a new pair of kicks.

Not being able to afford something is a struggle we’ve all had to deal with. No matter how much money you make, there’s always something out there that’s out of your price range. Sneakers are no exception to this. Several kicks go for five figures, and most people can’t spend that kind of money on shoes. read more

I know what you’re probably thinking right now while you’re looking at the title of this article: “We’re all hypebeasts sometimes? That’s not true! I’ve been collecting sneakers for (fill in the blank) years, and I don’t get caught up in the hype!

That’s good that you don’t get caught up in the hype, and it’s certainly something to be proud of. However, sometimes it’s unavoidable. The thirst surrounding a certain product, be it a limited edition Jordan, a rare Foamposite or anything Kanye West puts his stamp on can sometimes create a whirlwind of hype that’s impossible to not get sucked into. read more

Come in to the store, fill out a ticket with your name, phone number, and shoe size, and hope you get a call back a few days later saying you’ve won the right to purchase your highly coveted kicks.

Yeah, that’s how a sneaker raffle goes. If you’re into kicks (Jordans especially), you’ve probably participated in just a few of them over the years. Equal parts frustrating and rewarding, they’re a part of the shoe game whether you like them or not.

Some folks who might be newer to the game, or not really sure what’s going on, might not understand what you do and don’t do when it comes to a raffle though. There’s a sort of “raffle etiquette”, if you will. Not sure what this “raffle etiquette” consists of? Read on. I’ll be more than happy to fill you in, and also let you know the steps to raffling if it isn’t something you’ve done before. And don’t worry: it’s not terribly complicated. read more

It’s impossible to keep up nowadays.

No matter how much sneaker money you’ve set aside or how often you’re checking the release calendar, there’s just too much going on to keep up with every release.

I’ve touched on the oversaturation of certain sneaker collections and how to be more selective with your sneaker purchases in previous articles, but I felt that it was only right to write a piece on how there are just too many releases nowadays. The market has never been more saturated. read more