Sneaker Stores You Must Visit in Sydney
Despite inevitable pushback from long-time rivals Melbourne, it could be argued that Sydney is Australia’s true sneaker capital.
The city’s retail landscape (just like the CBD itself) has seen dramatic change in recent years, with various long-time sneaker locales making way for a new wave of retailers stocked to the brim with all the latest fire footwear. Walking the footsteps paved by OG hubs of days gone by, the new guard has given avid crep connoisseurs more options than ever before.
The first stop on many a Down Under adventure, Sydney, will leave you struggling for shoe space in that suitcase. Book yourself some extra baggage allowance, sneakerheads – you’ll need it.
No Dramas
There are certainly no dramas to be had at one of Sydney’s newest sneaker spots. Look elsewhere for general release filler – everything here is carefully curated for the IYKYK crowd, from golden-era Air Max to vintage Supreme backpacks. When looking for something the other sneakerheads won’t have, this is the place to go.
Butter
Whether you’re in the market for a vintage gem or something new, Butter will scratch your sneaker itch with their curated collection of new releases and drool-worthy consignment crep section. There really is something to whet everyone’s appetite – literally. Before you’re done, make sure you hit up Butter’s restaurant for fried chicken and champagne to fuel the rest of your kickspedition.
Above The Clouds
A local favourite, Above The Clouds delivers a charming and friendly boutique experience. Don’t let that fool you, though – they mean business when it comes to sneakers and streetwear.
Having upgraded to a ritzier store in Surry Hills after outgrowing their OG location, ATC have also expanded their assortment to lifestyle essentials including homewares, perfumes and publications – which has always included Sneaker Freaker!
Incu
Twin brothers Brian and Vincent Wu founded Incu in 2002 to highlight established and emerging brands from home and abroad. Their formidable longevity in the Australian retail landscape can be attributed to their wide product spectrum in the apparel space, which added the Incu Collection private label in 2018. Recent years have also seen their sneaker assortment grow consistently stronger with a growing number of high-profile releases.
Incu have 13 retail locations along the east coast, where Sydney remains their operational and retail home base. Customers will find footwear from the major players, plus more esoteric selections from brands such as Hender Scheme and Toga Virilis.
Solemate Sneakers
Now 10-year veterans after hitting the scene in 2012, Solemate Sneakers has since grown to be one of Sydney’s favoured locations for all things crep. Step inside and you’ll find new arrivals as well as plastic-wrapped consignment Grails aplenty. Jumpman fans will feel particularly at home, with a host of iconic colourways lining the tightly packed shelves.
Supply
Supply was founded in 2002 and was an early adopter of exotic overseas streetwear brands including Head Porter, Supreme, Gimme 5, and visvim. Their assortment has strengthened further with regular drops from WTAPS, NEIGHBORHOOD and exclusive access to ACRONYM.
On the sneaker front, Supply are almost always guaranteed to be dropping the biggest releases year in, year out – not without a raffle entry, of course. Their core skate origins are also well looked after with solid Nike SB, Palace and Vans accounts. Be sure to check out their Melbourne sister store too.
UPS Skate Shop
Local skaters flock to boutique skate shop UPS for their stellar range of skate goods from the OG brands, both local and international. Owned and run by skaters committed to the local and wider scene, UPS come through with the latest Nike Skateboarding drops if you’re all about that SB resurgence.
PASS~PORT Store & Gallery
Sydney skate stalwarts PASS~PORT opened their first store in Darlinghurst in 2019. Aside from bringing together the best local and international skate brands, they’ve managed to build a solid lineup of skate-ready footwear, including one of Sydney’s best Nike SB accounts.
Not in the market for anything? No worries. There’s a small gallery built into the space, which showcases some of the best local talent going around.
Stüssy Sydney Chapter
The OG streetwear brand Stüssy used to have a couple of Australian locations back in the day, but now, their official Oz outpost is the Stüssy Sydney Chapter in Darlinghurst. Located right across the street from Supply, this flagship location carries a broad range of garments, plus regular drops of their ongoing sneaker collaborations with brands like Nike and Converse.
Subtype
Subtype was launched in 2014 by the co-founders of fashion brand Zanerobe, who wanted to elevate Sydney’s boutique retail experience. Originally located in Palings Lane among the ritzy Ivy club precinct, the store relocated to much larger digs on George St and simultaneously housed considerably deeper inventory volumes befitting of its current multinational corporate owners.
A once modest assortment now has grown to staples like Common Projects and Salomon, plus seasonal additions from European labels including Drôle De Monsieur and CP Company.
