RYANS VINTAGE KICKS SAVING TRAINERS FROM LANDFILL ONE PAIR AT A TIME

HI RYAN, THANKS FOR TAKING THE TIME AWAY FROM YOUR BUSY STORE, TELL US A BIT ABOUT YOU AND YOUR BACKGROUND. I started my journey after leaving school at 16 with a part-time job at River Island, where I spent 4.5 years and became the youngest Menswear/Deputy Manager at 19. Next, I managed three Jack & Jones stores for 5 years before joining the wholesale team in Dublin. After 5 years there, I was approached by Tommy Hilfiger & Calvin Klein Ireland to oversee their brands in the region. After 8 rewarding years in that role, I chose voluntary redundancy in late 2023 to launch my own brand, leveraging my extensive experience in retail and wholesale fashion.

TELL OUR READERS WHAT YOUR BUSINESS VINTAGE KICKS IS ALL ABOUT.

Vintage Kicks aims to reduce the staggering waste of sneakers and shoes, with over 300 million pairs discarded annually in the UK and Ireland.

My journey began on October 20, 2020, when I sought recovery from alcohol addiction exacerbated by COVID. To distract myself, I started cleaning my trainers, which led to refurbishing and reselling shoes.

I noticed a market gap in vintage sneaker reselling despite the popularity of vintage clothing.

With the support of Caroline from Little Fox Events, I organised my first pop-up event, where we sold over 15 restored pairs of sneakers. The positive feedback inspired me to launch a business, and in May 2024, we opened our first store in Belfast. Since then, we’ve grown and welcomed customers to our inviting space on Castlereagh Road.

WHAT SERVICES /PRODUCTS DO YOU SELL?

We proudly showcase over 500 pairs of New and Refurbished sneakers for all ages, from Newborns to size 15 in Men’s sneakers, each priced 40-60% less than their original RRP. Beyond our extraordinary selection, we offer valuable services like Sneaker Cleaning, Restoration, and Customisation, ensuring your footwear looks its best. Our in-store cleaning service extends to a variety of Handbags and Caps. We also have the largest range of sneaker accessories in Northern Ireland, including laces, keyrings, socks, and much more.

WHERE DID YOU LEARN ABOUT TRAINER CLEANING AND RESTORATION?

To be honest, I am self-taught, having learned tricks and tips by observing others and experimenting on my own. After spending the last 4/5 years honing my craft, I’ve developed my own unique methods and chosen materials to revitalise a variety of fabrics. There’s something truly therapeutic about transforming a battered pair of sneakers into a fresh product for someone else to enjoy and wear.

TELL US ABOUT THE BUYING SERVICES

YOU OFFER.

Yes, we proudly offer an in-store buying and trading service. We buy from a wide range of brands, including Nike, Adidas, New Balance, Puma, Saucony, and many more athletic brands. While we advise that selling on online platforms might yield more, we are committed to investing time and materials into cleaning and restoring your sneakers, ensuring quality in every pair we sell.

We also invite you to bring your old sneakers to trade for value toward one of the pairs in our store, promoting circular sustainability and giving new life to your footwear. Additionally, an exciting service we provide is ‘Sell your sneakers with us’—for your higher value sneakers, bring them in, and we will clean, market, and sell them on your behalf, saving you the hassle and helping others discover their next favourite pair.

WHAT WOULD BE YOUR DREAM PAIR OF TRAINERS TO LAND IN YOUR STORE AND WHY?

Among the many desirable styles out there, one that truly inspired me recently was the Chunky Dunky Nike SB. With its vibrant combination of materials and colours, this sneaker boldly pops and captures attention, reminding us to embrace our individuality.

WHAT ARE YOUR TRAINER PREDICTIONS FOR 2025?

The Adidas SL 72 is poised to be a game-changer for the remainder of 2025, with a stunning array of colourways that will make it the standout style for many.

WHAT’S NEXT FOR VINTAGE KICKS?

I’m all about fine-tuning what we’re doing at our Castlereagh spot before we think about expanding the brand and maybe opening more locations in both Northern and Southern Ireland.

WHERE CAN OUR READERS FIND YOU?

Our Retail location is situated at 14 Castlereagh Road, Belfast. You can also find us on Facebook: ‘Vintage Kicks’ Instagram: vintagekicks_atfabric TikTok: vintage.kicks.Belfast

Interview

by Gary Campion