www.solesupremacy.com<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\nBusiness Hours<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\u2022Monday-Friday: 11AM-3PM<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2022Saturday: CLOSED<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2022Sunday: CLOSED<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2022Note: Appointments can be made during non-shop hours through email<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ownership<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\u2022Owner and Founder: Derek Lew<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Company Background & History<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Sole Supremacy began in 2007 when founder Derek Lew lost his job and started selling his personal sneaker collection to generate income. What started as a necessity quickly evolved into a business opportunity when Lew realized the profit potential in reselling sneakers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Timeline:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\u20222007: Derek Lew begins selling his personal sneaker collection after losing his job<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u20222008-2010: Operates solely online, primarily through eBay and a basic blog-style website<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u20222010: Opens first physical retail location in Newark, California with his best friend<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u20222011-2015: Expands operations, hires additional staff, and moves to larger locations<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2022By 2015: Established as a major player in the sneaker resale market<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2022Current: Operates both physical retail and robust online business<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The company grew organically from Lew’s initial efforts to sell his own collection to a multi-million dollar operation. According to Lew’s own account, the business expanded naturally as demand increased, requiring additional staff and larger retail spaces.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Business Model<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Sole Supremacy operates a multi-faceted business model centered around buying, selling, and trading authentic sneakers:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Revenue Streams:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
1.Direct Retail Sales: New and pre-owned sneakers sold through their physical store and e-commerce website<\/p>\n\n\n\n
2.eBay Auctions: Used sneakers are auctioned on eBay, starting at $0.99, with bidders determining final value<\/p>\n\n\n\n
3.Beater Box Program: Boxes of used sneakers sold at flat rates<\/p>\n\n\n\n
4.Sole Steals Membership: Subscription program offering members retail-value shoes plus membership fee<\/p>\n\n\n\n
5.Bulk Collection Purchases: Buying entire sneaker collections from individuals for resale<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sales Breakdown:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\u2022Air Jordans account for 80-90% of sales<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2022Remaining sales include KDs, Kobes, Air Force 1s, SBs, and rare running shoes (ASICS, New Balance)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2022At its peak, the company reportedly generated $10 million in revenue<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2022By 2015, the company was bringing in over $3 million annually<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Market Position:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Sole Supremacy has established itself as a trusted name in the sneaker resale market, with a reputation built over more than a decade of operation. Their longevity and reliability give them a competitive edge in an increasingly crowded marketplace.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Fulfillment Process<\/h2>\n\n\n\nInventory Acquisition:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
1.Individual Sellers: People sell their sneakers directly to Sole Supremacy for quick cash<\/p>\n\n\n\n
2.Collection Purchases: The company buys entire collections in bulk<\/p>\n\n\n\n
3.Trade-Ins: Customers can trade sneakers for store credit or other inventory<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sales Channels and Fulfillment:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
1.Physical Retail Store:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2022In-person sales at Newark, CA location<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2022Limited hours (11AM-3PM weekdays)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2022Appointment-based service available outside regular hours<\/p>\n\n\n\n
2.E-commerce Website:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2022Primary sales channel (majority of business is online)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2022Sells new and select pre-owned inventory<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2022Ships directly to customers<\/p>\n\n\n\n
3.eBay Auctions:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2022All used shoes are listed on eBay<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2022Biweekly auction system starting at $0.99<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2022Market-determined pricing through bidding<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2022New shoes that aren’t moving quickly on the website are also listed<\/p>\n\n\n\n
4.Specialty Programs:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2022”Beater Box” program for thoroughly used shoes<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2022”Sole Steals” membership program<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Operational Structure:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\u2022Small team operation (mentioned employing 5 full-time friends and 2 part-time staff)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2022Separate physical spaces for retail and eBay operations<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2022No phone line – communication primarily through email<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Company Culture & Philosophy<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The company’s philosophy centers around authenticity, both in product and business practices. Derek Lew has emphasized the personal connection he feels with customers who sell their collections, as he was once in their position.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Key values expressed by the founder include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2022Helping people in financial need through fair purchasing of their collections<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2022Building trust and reputation in the marketplace<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2022Organic growth rather than aggressive expansion<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2022Understanding the emotional connection collectors have with their sneakers<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The company motto “LIFE>SHOES” reflects their perspective that while sneakers are their business, they recognize that there are more important things in life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Market Analysis<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Sole Supremacy operates in the highly competitive sneaker resale market, which has seen significant growth and increased competition in recent years. Their established reputation and unique auction model have helped them maintain relevance despite newer entrants to the market.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Derek Lew has acknowledged that a market downshift is inevitable but believes the constant influx of new collectors helps sustain the industry. He noted that “for every long-time collector that leaves ‘the game’ for different reasons, 10 younger people start collecting.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sources<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\u2022Sole Supremacy official website (solesupremacy.com)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2022Complex interview with Derek Lew (September 2015)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2022Yahoo\/Footwear News article (October 2017)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2022Dun & Bradstreet business directory<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2022LinkedIn mention of Derek Lew as owner<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Sole Supremacy: Comprehensive Company Analysis Basic Information Company Name Sole Supremacy LLC Location 5904 Newpark Plz. Newark, CA 94560 United States Contact Information \u2022Email: solesupremacy510@gmail.com \u2022Phone: (866) 258-3217 (according to DNB listing, though website states they do not have a phone line) \u2022Website: www.solesupremacy.com Business Hours \u2022Monday-Friday: 11AM-3PM \u2022Saturday: CLOSED \u2022Sunday: CLOSED \u2022Note: Appointments can […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-711","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/brianbaker.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/711","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/brianbaker.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/brianbaker.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brianbaker.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brianbaker.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=711"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/brianbaker.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/711\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":713,"href":"https:\/\/brianbaker.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/711\/revisions\/713"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/brianbaker.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=711"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brianbaker.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=711"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brianbaker.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=711"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}