Sneakerheads converge at Got Sole, where Michael Vick tosses Jordans and fans ‘collect shoes with their heart’
Vick, the former Eagles quarterback and Norfolk State’s football coach, headlined the sneaker convention’s second stop in the Philly area, as vendors traveled from as far as Texas.
Standing in front of the “Jawns on Fire” vending table at the Got Sole sneaker convention in the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center in Oaks, former Eagles quarterback Michael Vick was surrounded by a crowd of fans as he eyed a pair of retro UNC Jordan 17 low shoes.
Got Sole founder and CEO Jonathan DiModica handed the sneakers to the four-time Pro Bowler to sign them. Instead of putting the sneakers back on the shelf, Vick put his quarterback skills to the test, throwing a sneaker into the crowd, finding the hands of Newark, Del., native Jeff Lorzo.
“They’re only giving you one shoe?” one fan asked.
“Yeah, I guess so,” Lorzo responded.
After sneaker shopping, Vick left the venue — signing Madden NFL 2004 covers, vintage Eagles jerseys, and sneakers on his way out. Despite his early departure, the vibes stayed high Saturday inside the sneaker convention.
Hundreds of sneaker vendors lined up in rows as a golden inflatable of rapper Travis Scott decorated the center of the venue. Boxes lined the aisles, shoes flooded tables, and the viral Labubu blind boxes slowly left the stands, finding new homes in “Got Sole” bags as sneakerheads sported their nicest shoes.
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“I would say the sneaker culture is huge in the city of Philadelphia,” said Cole Reichard, founder of Kicks Collective PA. “You see everybody here has got some heat on. Walking down the street you can see people with $100 pairs, $1,000 pairs, $10,000 Dior [Jordan] 1s.
“You never know what you’re going to find in Philly and I think that’s the best part about the sneaker culture, everybody can recognize what each other are wearing at whatever level and know you’re in the community together.”
Reichard started Kicks Collective PA in 2024, but his love for sneakers started well before that. The Doylestown native decided to attend Got Sole as a vendor to connect with more people in the sneaker community.
“We’re just trying to meet some new faces, show everybody what we are about — good service is always first,” Reichard said. “We’re trying to bring back that community, that’s why we’re Kicks Collective. We want to bring the collective back together. A lot of people collect shoes with their heart, it’s a great way to show off who they are. We want to bring that back.”
Isaac Johnson has been collecting sneakers since getting his first pair of Jordan retro 12 “Flu Game” shoes, his favorite pair of sneakers. The 32-year-old sneakerhead traveled from Dallas to sell sneakers with his business, Twin Soles.
Since Johnson started his business in 2019, Twin Soles has gained more than 20,000 followers on social media. Now, Johnson travels nationwide, attending sneaker conventions.
“Sneaker culture means a lot to me, I grew up in it,” Johnson said. “Back then, it was really about Jordan and stuff like that. Now, it’s crazy to see the runners really get involved. Now you see brands like New Balance, ASICS and stuff like that taking over.”
Johnson wasn’t the only vendor who traveled for Saturday’s event. Louie Langone, 21, arrived in Philadelphia on Friday night after a six-hour drive from Virginia. After finding success at last year’s Philadelphia event, Langone knew he had to make the drive again.
“Sales are great and the people are great,” Langone said. “Philly is always a great city to be in.”