Sneakerboy is recording 15,000 customers through its doors each week at Chadstone Shopping Centre.
The site, which boasts a multi-million dollar fit out, is disrupting conventional retail by allowing customers to sell sneakers to one another.
Creative director Chris Kyvetos said its success stems from its ability to sense seismic shifts in the market; such as the secondary market for sneakers.
“In 2013 consumers no longer needed a retail store to shop yet we made our stores relevant to our consumers changing habits.
In 2017 consumers no longer need the retailer to shop as they are trading amongst themselves, none more so than sneaker consumers.
"They trade on forums, social networks and at swap meets and this is growing at a rate of 25x retail growth.”
It has evolved to embrace this accelerating trend and has dedicated a quarter of its new floorspace as a ‘sneaker exchange’ (DSX) where customers can display, buy and sell sneakers from each other with Sneakerboy acting as a quality and integrity moderator.
“In 2013, we were saying that if people are going to shop online, we’d rather they do that in our stores than in their bedrooms,” Kyvetos continued. “Now we say that if they are going to buy sneakers off each other we’d rather they do that in our stores than in the carpark.”
The store sits amongst international brands such as Valentino, Dior, Celine and Balenciaga, selling sneakers from many of the same labels as well as limited edition sneakers from Nike and Adidas.
Nelson Mair, MD of parent company Luxury Retail Group, said the store's early success is no surprise.
“Sneakerboy’s exceptional growth in the past two years has been underpinned by our drive to provide an immersive customer experience coupled with the best sneaker edit in the market.
“DSX was a logical extension of our model as ‘Recommerce’ is growing at an incredible rate, and by providing a common space and passionate sneakerheads to act as moderators we further enhance the Sneakerboy’s leadership position.
Chadstone Shopping Centre GM Fiona Mackenzie said the brand was given premium space.
“Chadstone Shopping Centre was thrilled to feature the Sneakerboy flagship store as part of our new luxury retail precinct.
“In its DNA Sneakerboy is a disruptor, and disruption brings theatre and excitement for our customers.”