Sneaker Con ties up Denver: Sneaker enthusiasts pack Colorado Convention Center

When Jabari Lewis started the Sneaker Convention in New York City 15 years ago, it barely filled out a church basement. 

Over a decade later, the world-traveling event for sneaker enthusiasts buying and selling their colorful finds packed the Colorado Convention Center on Saturday. A line of hundreds of people spilled out the doors to the gathering.

The event brought together various vendors from all over the country, reselling high-end, retro and one-of-a-kind shoes to countless fans who are searching for their next grail — a term amongst the sneakerhead culture that encapsulates those rare finds they are searching for. 

The love for sneakers, from Adidas to limited edition Jordans, has helped the convention travel to around 25 cities a year, with upcoming events in Japan, Australia and Hawaii. 

"When it first started, it was very much ‘How can I find my favorite pair of shoes? What did I want as a kid? Can I find that?’” Lewis said.

Nowadays, according to Lewis, you see people from every age range and background coming out to find shoes from all time periods.

"We have everything from little kids to the oldest people you can find that just love the actual culture and the networking aspect of what we have going on," he added.

And those character ranges truly shined through, with people from all backgrounds and cities coming together with one passion. 

Heidi Jordan, for example, is the mother of a sneaker seller out of Kansas City. Her son started KcMo Solez in 2019 when he was in high school. Now a college student, Jordan helps continue his sneaker selling journey while he's away at class, traveling across the country to various conventions.

“He loves sneakers and bought a high-end pair of shoes," she said. "After he wore them, he saw the value had went up, so he decided he could make money off of this passion. One pair turned into a hundred pairs.”

That's right: the value of the pair of sneakers went up after he purchased them. 

The global sneaker resale market was valued at $6 billion in 2023, according to a study by Zipdo. The global market is projected to reach $30 billion by 2030.

Some shoes at the convention went for up to $8,000, with some well beyond those prices, according to Cody of Shaka Soles. 

The desire to find and trade those rare jewels in Denver is alive and well, according to Lewis. 

The amount of people at the convention center would certainly back that statement.

When Lewis first brought the convention to Denver, he wondered why they were coming all of the way out here. Now, around five years later, ticket sales are through the roof, he said.

“There’s a culture out here. We only know so much because we’re based out of New York, but when we come to these cities and see each of their cultures and styles, it’s amazing. Now, Denver is one of our main attractions,” Lewis said.

Cody, who traveled out from Hawaii, agreed.

"The culture scene is definitely different, but that’s the interesting thing about each market," Cody said. "The shoe game is definitely growing here. There’s potential out here."

To Darren "Sraw" Arellano, an artist born and raised in Denver, events like the Sneaker Convention are great for the local art community. 

He was selling merchandise from Three Eyed Art Collective, a clothing and tattoo supply company he started with his business partner in 2017. 

"We have such a large community in Denver, not just with clothes but with tattoos and art," he said. "So, to have a place where everyone can come together and show off sneakers and clothes is amazing for the city. Denver is growing so fast in all aspects, and I really appreciate that my fashion beginning can start here and grow here, as well."