By Dylan Deprey
Reggie Jackson is the shoe plug, and there’s a 100 percent chance he’s got what you need. (Photo courtesy Laces)
Reggie Jackson never thought his love for shoes would have people calling him at all hours of the night. From the new Yeezy slides to highly sought out Jordans, Jackson was flipping shoes and making a living out of his trunk.
His main mode of transportation became a stock market for shoes. Whether he was buying or selling, there was always somebody looking for something.
“What can I say, it really started with just liking shoes just like anybody else that gets into the business,” he said. “I was always buying shoes for myself and my kids, and I just kept it going and found a passion for it.”
Jackson really became a sneakerhead in 2018. He began to build his shoe collection, along with a network of people just as passionate about shoes. Whether it was retailers, collectors or resellers, he had everybody in his arsenal when it came to acquiring hard-to-get sneakers.
“That’s the number one thing, you’ve got to have those connections,” he said. “It’s not about what you know, it’s about who you know. It has to be the right people that have been in the game.”
As his clientele list grew longer, so did his sneaker-stock, and he knew that he’d have to make the move to something more stable than selling shoes out of his car. He decided to choose a spot in Milwaukee’s northwest side to set up shop.
Laces is a buy, sell and trade sneaker shop located along Appleton Ave., and will host its grand opening on June 1st, 2022.
Laces grand opening is June 1, 2022, and is located at 7842 W. Appleton Ave. (Photo by Dylan Deprey)
Jackson said it was a blessing to have a hub for sneakerheads on the Northwest side of the city. The location is smack dab in the middle of the major local retailers. The giant “Laces” sign centered between two shoe cutouts creates an eye-catching space along the city’s busy street.
“It’s a good location, and I’m staying busy,” he said. “We put a little color on there to make it pop out, so people can recognize us when they’re coming down Appleton.”
Though Laces officially opens in June, Jackson said he has had some of his regular clientele come to check out the new location.
Jackson said people have been bringing in their high-ticket shoes to sell, as well as bringing in new stock through the doors daily. Other than a few odds-and-ends, he said he was ecstatic to open the doors for Summer.
“I’ve been in the game for four years, and I’ve been staying consistent,” he said. “It’s all I do—sell shoes.”