In 2014, one of Boston's best sneaker stores, Concepts, popped on Hudson St. in Manhattan. Since then, the store has served up a narrow slice of what the Cambridge outpost stocks, sometimes only to sell one hyped-up sneaker or jacket. But after a successful pop-up run, Concepts decided to renovate the SoHo space and put down permanent roots. In other words, the boys from Beantown are coming to the Big Apple for good.
Of course, the retail landscape is different in New York than Boston. For one, it's more crowded—especially when it comes to sneaker shops. In Manhattan alone there's Kith, Extra Butter, and Flight Club, not mention high-end department stores, like Barneys, who have put serious weight behind their sneaker offerings. So how does Concepts plan to compete? By not stocking the same stuff as the other guys. They'll have the requisite Yeezys and Jordans that cause kids to line up for days, but in between hyped-up releases there will be a steady stream of Reeboks, New Balances, and even Birkenstocks you won't find anywhere else (often made in collaboration with Concepts). On the apparel side, there's everything from in demand Japanese label Visvim to surf/skate/streetwear pioneer Stüssy, plus more mainstream finds from brands like Canada Goose.
As for the space, it falls somewhere between modern minimalist and Japanese Zen garden. In the future, plants will be hung on the walls, and a green room is being installed out back. For now, some brick flooring and incense will have to do, creating one of the most chill shopping destinations we've seen. And in the often hectic and anxiety-inducing world of sneaker shopping, that's quite a concept.
Concepts is located at 225 Hudson Street.