Name: Joshua P. Leak
NikeTalk/ISS Member Name: NikeTalk [Ftrztkp] / ISS [Soopaman0102]
Current City: Durham/Bull City, NC
Age: 21
How many Pairs do you own currently?
35 – 45 Pairs
What is your most prized possession within your collection?
Man, that’s a tough question. A year ago, I would’ve answered my black and cement Jordan IIIs. At the beginning of the summer I would’ve named these Olympic Jordan VIIs that I’ve spent years looking for in “damn near DS” condition, but I honestly hold my Converse Fragment collection near and dear to me. I’m sure you don’t hear someone name a non-Nike kick huh lol?? But I own every pair (Black high and low, (Red) lows, Navy lows) except for the super limited Product (RED) high tops.
What do you regret sleeping on, that you still don’t have till this day?
Yeezy’s, by a landslide. My jerk of a manager wouldn’t let me take off that weekend for my alleged “family emergency.” I’ve come close to paying a decent “rape” price, but I’ve battled whether or not I’ve truly wanted them—for that price that is. There’s a big difference between retail of $215 and resell of nearly $500-600. I have the same problems with ‘hype’ now that I do with authority.
Where do you normally purchase your sneakers from?
I cop my newer releases from the mall, local “Mom & Pop” stores, but lately I’ve been relying on internet forums (i.e.—Niketalk, Solecollector, Hypebeast).
What is the most you’ve ever spent on a pair?
Retail, for a Countdown Pack. I think the second place winner would be on a pair of Visvims. I’ve been quite blessed to make a lot of friends throughout the retail industry who look out pretty much all the time.
What is your favorite Sneaker Brand?
I used to love Nike, but I’ve found myself cheating since getting older. Now I find myself buying more Converse, Vans, Visvim, and other random casual kicks.
Do you collect a variety of Brands?
I do. Basically everything.
What model do you like to collect the most, Jordans, Air Force 1’s, Air Max, SB, etc?
It used to be mostly SB’s. That’s where I got my “REAL” start at collecting. I had chances at purchasing Jordan’s when I was younger, but my mother really had a lot of issues with making that purchase especially in the early 90s when kids were getting slain, robbed, or ass kicked over Jordan’s and Bull’s Starter Apparel. I’ve played catch-up since becoming older and purchased all the pairs I cared about or missed out the first, second, and third times lol. Currently my collection consists of a little bit of everything. You gotta have a pair of shoes for any and every occasion, so I buy a little bit of anything—as long as I like it.
When did you notice that you were a fiend for Sneakers?
It became a real problem when I would skip class to buy kicks. And I had to explain to girl friends why I was waking up early, or sleeping outside in front of the store to buy a pair of shoes. That’s when I realized kicks have completely infiltrated my life.
Any fond memories of you collecting?
My best and fondest “collectors” memory is the night before the infamous MF Doom Dunk High’s released. Me and three other friends camped out in front of Vertical after missing the 7pm release at Endless Grind. Mind you, this camp out started at like 8 PM, so this is more than a 12 hour thing we’re talking about lol. Not only were we the first, but we called other people out there to make fun out of it all. Otherwise, we probably would’ve died of boredom lol.
Do you like to be called a Collector or a Sneakerhead, or does it even matter?
It honestly makes me no difference. I’m just a guy with an abnormal love for kicks. Everyone is so caught on the title nowadays, and go out their ways to express that they’re a “Sneakerhead” and such, but it more than just shoes. Most of my friends, like myself, have some kind of story, or recollection to go along with the kicks embedded in our memories. It’s not just “oooh man, you copping the Jordan Vis, everybody’s hype over ‘em..I gotta get em”. I remember at laughing at so many supposed “Sneakerheads” who bought the Space Jams, because of hype and couldn’t even recollect what movie the shoes were infamous for. Talk about irony!
What do you think of the Sneaker
I’m glad to see sneaker culture growing and people expressing themselves through their kicks and fashion. In the past couple of years it has grown from it being more of a underground thing, to more of common hobby. I’m sure this causes some to become angry or upset, but it’s not so bad when you think about it.
Do you think NC will ever get its respect that it deserves in sneaker collecting?
I think in the next 5 to 10 years the sneaker collecting scene, as well as the fashion scene, will change for the better in NC. We’re one of many states that doesn’t have a lot of “go-to-boutiques” like other cities (i.e.-Atlanta, DC, NYC, etc.). So a lot of things that are copped here are done so on pure chance and luck, from mom-and-pop spots, or we resort to traveling and other things such as online shopping. Us, collectors, exist here in great numbers, but our scene just isn’t as vibrant as other places. If that changes, everything else will, including our kicks/collecting scene.
