The best sneaker stores in Melbourne

Not your regular run-of-the mill sneaker store, Up There has been providing heads with a diverse mix of contemporary street stylings since 2010. While so many stores have come and gone, Up There has remained a steady staple in the scene thanks to three mates with a common vision cultivating a memorable retail experience that has stood the test of time. The shop has a focus on harder-to-find brands and collaborations, and don't miss the monthly overnight lineups in McKillop Lane with crazy collectors fighting to get their mitts on limited-edition drops at retail prices. Up There's online store game is also strong, so you won’t have to get out of your PJs to snag some new kit. Make sure you peep Up There's Instagram for exclusive sneaker content and raffle contests. While you’re, there bookmark Up There Athletics if you’re an avid runner too!

Strictly for the honeys, Sole Finess is Australia’s first and only sneaker store catering only to the ladies. An online concept created by the amazing Murata Pajumas way back in 2016, Sole Finess saw a chasm in the market that left a huge demographic of sneaker fiends without access to many of the releases that were dropping in stores nationally.  The idea sparked an empire, and PJ's shopfront has grown from a recently closed brick and mortar on Smith Street to a bigger and better showroom in Collingwood. 

The OG of all consignment stores, Kickstw tapped into a niche market of resellers way back in 2013, with no website, no online store, just two guys with a huge vision and an Instagram account. Fast forward to 2021, the team has expanded from a small warehouse space to their walk-in closet shopfront on Collins Street to a mega-mart of holy grails at the previously occupied Don’t Come Gallery in Royal Arcade. Panoramic walls are lined with literally every new hard to get sneaker release (think Jordan, Yeezy, Nike SB and the list goes on). Add to that rows and rows of toys, collectibles, clothing and more – it’s a must-visit. Or let your fingertips do the walking online now and pick up some epic rare bargains if you dig hard enough. 

Concrete Jungle is a tribute to a time when neighbourhood stores ruled the streets and community was key. Opened in 2015 in its Brunswick location, Concrete Jungle heavily focuses on heritage athletic/sneaker brands and classic silhouettes – adding room for local streetwear designers and brands on rotation. You can also shop online.

Maybe there’s something in its humble name, but Underrated Melbourne has been killing the online and IRL game for rare kicks and streetwear since early 2017. Started up by business partners Billy and Rowie as a place where purveyors could stalk shrink-wrapped kicks that once seemed so hard to buy, Underrated went from online to pop-up to physical store – doing the rounds of Camberwell and Highpoint before settling on its recent space in Docklands. From Bape to Yeezy, Supreme to Jordan Dior, all your must-haves are only a click away.

Transporting yourself into an underground haven of futuristic backlit neon shelves, stacked to the brim with carefully curated selections of exclusive footwear and clothing, you’ll find the immaculately Instagram-able boutique Subtype store. Founded in Sydney in 2014 and eventually expanding to the cultural hub of Melbourne’s CBD, Subtype combines all elements of street culture into a melting pot of exclusivity, creativity and innovation. Top it off with a super sneaky hidden gallery space tucked behind a secret door for emerging art shows, Subtype is a truly immersive retail experience. You can jump online now and get a taste of what the shop has to offer right now. 

If you’re a sucker for a good “how did ya get here” story, Secret Sneaker Store’s owner Edwin delivers the goods travelling the long road to kicksville via a money-draining journey through life coaching. Turning his back on selling intangible products and risking it all via OPS (Other People’s Shoes), Secret Sneaker Store opened its first consignment store in 2017. It now spans three physical locations – Melbourne Central, Chadstone and Sydney – and you’ll find everything from limited-edition Nike Dunks to Yeezy, Jordan, New Balance and more. If you don’t see what you want online, hit the “sourcing” tab and leave the team a message. The team have got your back with all your fantasy footwear needs. 

When rumours of a Supply Store Melbourne started circulating around the traps in 2018, the local sneaker scene crossed its toes in the hope they would no longer have to make the pilgrimage to Sydney’s affectionately known “proddy triangle” to cop their latest Bape, Supreme or Stone Island gear. Supply came through with the goods, opening its local laneway store in 2019, and it’s since become a haven for the best hard-to-find kicks and apparel. The only sneaker store down under to carry the coveted Nike Tier Zero account, it’s quickly become a destination spot to cop the best international brands streetwear has to offer. If you want to forgo trying to find a park in the busy CBD, get those trigger fingers flexed on Supply's constantly updated online store.

If sustainability and exquisitely handcrafted designs are your jam, then Feit is the footwear choice for you. Founded in 2004 by Aussie brothers Tull and Josh Price, Feit takes the spotlight off volume and excess, with a focus on product integrity and considered design. Each shoe is intricately handmade by a small, selected group of master craftsmen, with attention to detail and natural materials that improve with wear. Having opened a Melbourne store smack bang between lockdowns in November 2020, Feit took a chance to expand its already thriving retail experience in Sydney, New York and San Francisco while simultaneously pivoting extra services online. The brand offers the My Feit repair and refurbishment program, providing leather care and repair. Feit’s online experience is matched only by the brand's awe-inspired showrooms. Cop your one-of-a-kind design today.

Some might say Sneakerboy predicted an online-only world with its innovative business model, which seemed so polarising in its beginnings in 2013. But like every good new idea, it sparked a huge trend. With no inventory on-site except for a sparse display of high-end sneakers (think Alexander McQueen, Gucci, Balenciaga, Margiela, Dior and beyond), the futuristic fit-out invites customers to drool in their luxury fantasies, making purchasing super easy through their instore app. Once you’re done, you walk out empty-handed, only to have shoes delivered directly to your door a few days later.