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Noon, I arrive in Liverpool to raucous noise. Different from a Beatles tribute act, today was host to some kids performing everyone’s favourite Disney ballad from Frozen. My day is on Bold Street. Armed with a camera and credit card I enter the first store, FootAsylum.
There’s a decent selection, plenty of Air Max, including the the latest Winter 90’s, Adidas ‘Superstar XENO’s’ and a good selection of ‘Spezial’s’ that are well priced at £59.99. It’s a pair of University Red, Nike ‘Flights’ priced at £94.99 that first manages to tempt me. This Yeezy-induced crimson sneaker fad is far from slowing down it seems. While mulling over the ‘Flights’ I move a few doors down to stop two, Giancarlo Ricci.
The moment you enter ‘Ricci, you immediately grasp the lavish undertone. The staff are super friendly and are more than willing to talk you through any new and exclusive products.
From Hugo Boss and Ralph Lauren to Y-3 and Diadora, if you’re looking to splurge that cash you’ve been sitting on since payday, this is probably the place. Triple black Y-3 ‘Qasa’s’ are the highlight, priced at £270.
I stop off for some Lebanese street food at Bakchich and grab coffee before moving on to shop three, Lost Art.
Lost Art is a skateboard shop and one of the city’s coolest spaces for clothing and footwear. A slice of San Diego on Liverpool’s Bold Street, it can add a Ryan Gosling skateboard to it’s purchasable products on top of it’s impressive range of footwear. Vans are a solid choice, but it’s the exclusive Nike SB ‘Lost Art’ Wolf Grey’s that I’m magnetized by! Available only at Nike.com and the exact store I’m stood in. If my credit card had the ability to talk, now’s where I think he’d pipe up.
I move on in good spirits to store four of five, Size?
Size? has the largest variety of brands on offer in the city, adding Asics, New Balance, Saucony and Reebok to the Adidas and Nike, staples.
I instantly notice the reliable ‘Crep Protect’ on sale and grab. Those sparkly whites can always use a bit of extra protection. Staff as always are welcoming and helpful as a company exclusive New Balance ‘1600’ colour way glistens in the corner of my caffeinated eyeballs. Priced at £99.99, I try on, strut the invisible runway and hand over the credit card. Job done!
Now for shop five and a bit of a special one, Transalpino.
Situated on the 1st Floor of Soho’s, this is the place if it’s gold dust you’re wanting to toss your English pennies on. First established in 2005, the store globally sources hard to find Adidas.
Dreamed of owning that pair of ‘Columbia’s’ from the 80’s? They’re here. ‘Micropacers’? 1000 made, one pair is here, yours for £500, in all its glory. With some well polished astro turf and framed rarities, you can’t help but marvel in Transalpino’s gleaming nostalgia. Staff were great, extremely helpful and very knowledgable.
I say my goodbyes and exit, one pair of trainers up and a mind full of the ones I opted against. Always next time, right?