Goods gives sneaker freaks limited-edition kicks to cheer about

In April 2003, four 30-something friends living in Seattle dreamt of opening a sneaker and skate shop that offered quality street couture. "We wanted to create a shop that we couldn't find in Seattle," says Paul Williams.

Fast-forward three years later, and they've made that into reality. Williams, along with friends Steve Gonzales, Nin Truong and Scott Downing, opened Goods [0] so locals wouldn't need to go far to find retro kicks (slang for sneakers) as well as limited-edition and hard-to-find designs from brands like Nike, Vans, Reebok and Adidas, all of which are popular in the skateboarding community and with sneaker collectors alike.

"Sneaker freaks"- aficionados who value exclusive athletic shoes as an epicurean savors a fine vintage wine- have been growing swiftly in number over the past few years. This subculture was born in the mid-1970s, when athletic shoe manufacturers began offering special editions, and it soon became a worldwide phenomenon. Sneaker collectors range from teenagers keeping up with the latest fad to skateboarders and sports fanatics, and include members of the hip-hop community and others that crave the buzz of attaining rare finds.

George Otto, sales associate at Goods, is a self-professed sneaker freak who admits to a collection of more than 200 pairs of sneakers. He's not the only one, as evidenced by the public reception to Goods' "Sneaker Release" events, when limited-edition kicks become available at the shop.

"People sleep over outside the store," Otto says. "They're out there by 1 a.m. lining up."

Don't expect an invitation to these Sneaker Releases -- you just have to be "in the know." "We don't really have to promote it," says Otto. "Sneaker collectors all know when the (new) shoes come out."

Rumor has it there's a huge online sneaker community like niketalk.com and soleredemption.com with hundreds of thousands of members on the lookout sharing this kind of juicy information. "People know release dates like they know their birth dates," adds Otto.

Knowing when the sneaker releases occur is hot information, indeed. Folks go wild. Many will even brave the wintry weather and travel cross-country, if need be. In fact, last February when Goods had the release of the Pele Dunk SB and Apparel by Nike Skateboarding, the staff had to post a note on its Web site reading: "As usual, quantities are limited and we will limit one shoe to each paying customer. As it is going to be @#$%ing freezing tomorrow we recommend you do not line up outside at least until the sun comes up." That's wild, indeed.

The Goods' clientele is from across the board, "from 10-year old skater kids to 50-year-old businessmen," says Jay Clark, also part of the sales team. "Goods (has) become a destination in Seattle," says Clark. "We've had people come in who have traveled from all over the world."

This fashionable youthful boutique on Capitol Hill is skillfully and cleanly designed, interweaving skateboarding culture with a hint of a hip-hop style. Gorgeously designed sneakers with price tags ranging from $35-$200 line the glass shelves in the middle of the store, while urban-chic garments, hip accessories and modern art are beautifully displayed around the shop. Goods equally balances its handpicked stock between unique and luxurious finds in the main space, and the more affordable items with its other store in the adjacent room. More than anything, Goods is like a clubhouse for the skater-heads in the area, where friends and their friends stop by, hang out and chat.

Besides sneakers, Goods also offers merchandise that fits its market, from the Seattle-based Manik Skateboards and Maiden Noir; to Evisu, the cult denim brand; and the popular street wear retailer, Stussy, which is partnering with the local shop to celebrate Goods' Third Anniversary Party on Saturday, April 22 at 9 p.m. at The War Room.

Without a doubt, three years since its inception, this local boutique has grown visibly by branching out and offering an entire Goods clothing line with denim, shirts, hoodies, jackets and other goodies. "Shoes are still our main focus," says co-owner Williams. "But our long-term goal is to try to develop the distribution of our brand."

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