The Most Ridiculous Shoe Collection in History: Nike ShoeZeum

Sneakerhead Heaven

Think you’re a Nike shoe fanatic? This guy takes it to a whole new level.  For Jordan Michael Geller this all started as a few words on a piece of paper.   This University of San Diego School of Law alumni opened the Shoezeum in the Old Town neighborhood of San Diego, a 9,000-square-foot (840 m2) gallery of collector sneakers. The Nike ShoeZeum was an idea Geller used for a project while in college.  Kind of crazy right?  If fulfilling his dream of owning a “ShoeZeum” wasn’t enough, Geller also holds an MBA in E-Commerce. Extra points for shrink wrapping each shoe. This industry doesn’t believe in actually wearing the shoe, much like a coin collector would never actually use the collected currency.

2000 Pairs of Nike Shoes in 11 Minutes

 

The sneakerhead market has begun to manifest itself in different venues. The growth of online retailing and auction sites has armed sneaker collectors with better methods to hunt down the rarest shoes. Maybe you can buy Kanye’s next pair of sneakers on Ebay. I mean, his last pair of limited edition Nikes sold for $90,000.  Stores such as Sole Control in Philadelphia and Flight Club in New York City offer rare and exclusive sneakers, and take inventory in from the general public, selling sneakers on consignment. Foot Locker recently launched Sneakerpedia.com, a wiki based online community for shoe collectors.

 

 

Online sneakerhead trade has grown to such an extent that a large counterfeit supply chain has developed.

 

 

Think you love shoes so much you could major in it? Well, as a part of their Student College program, Carnegie Mellon University has offered an official course in the history of sneaker collecting called Sneakerology 101.

The school’s website states:

It’s always best to start a friendship on the right foot. Carnegie Mellon seniors Jesse Chorng and Elliott Curtis take that literally.

The pair met at orientation four years ago and immediately noticed each other’s vintage shoes — a sure sign they were both “sneakerheads.” Last spring, the students turned their passion into an official Carnegie Mellon course — Sneakerology 101.

The course — now in its second year — explores sneaker culture from its 1970s roots in New York City streetball to shoe design, manufacturing, child labor issues and marketing. The course encourages students to purchase shoes that express creativity and individuality.

So, next time you complain about your girlfriend’s shoe addiction, be thankful you aren’t dating this guy.