Sole Supremacy: A Shop For Shoe Lovers

Derek Lew has a shoe fetish – he has 20 pairs of sneakers in his closet.

But it doesn’t compare to the thousands of shoes he and three of his friends have been selling out of a Newark shop for one year.

Sole Supremacy features a wide array of sneakers. From Nike Air Jordans to Nike Air Max Lebrons, the selection of shoes on the walls is extensive.  About 90 percent of the collection sold in the store are Nikes.

And it doesn’t stop there. The shop also sells pairs of shoes online.

Lew, a Union City resident, never imagined he would be doing what he’s doing. He became an entrepreneur in 2008 when he turned his obsession with shoes into a business.

He started by selling shoes online and in November 2010 he teamed up with Robert La, Ryan Lam and Tony Nguyen to open up the store located at 5940 NewPark Plaza in Newark.

Why the love for shoes?

“That’s a hard question. It’s like, why do women like purses? … It’s attractive,” Lew said.

Sole Supremacy isn’t just a shop to visit to buy your newest kicks. Customers who collect shoes can also sell their unwanted sneakers to the shop.

Lew compares his business and associates to “Pawn Stars,” a show on the History Channel that exposes the business of pawn shops.  

“We’re the pawn stars of shoes,” Lew said. “People need to get rid of their old shoes and we buy and resell them.”

Leu’s passion for shoes is apparent. When customers ask whether they have a particular pair of shoes in a certain size, he answers with limited hesitation.

“It comes natural,” Lew, 29, said of his knowledge and love for shoes.

Each pair is unique. The costs range from $100 to $2,000. Pricing is based on the simple factor of supply and demand.

“It’s about what people want. The more limited it is, the more people want it,” Lew said.

Sole Supremacy, is open noon to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday. For more information, call 510-792-4090 follow Sole Supremacy on Twitter at @solesupremacy or on Facebook.