Dime is the premier basketball magazine, covering the NBA, NCAA, High School, Playground and International basketball - as well as sneakers, fashion and music.
SNEAKER SPOT BUSINESS WORDS & PHOTOS. Jarrod Hale
ShoeZeum
Te pictures alone don't do it justice. As a member of the sneaker industry, I've been fortunate enough to be surrounded by sneakers every day, but as I took a private tour of the breathtaking and sprawling warehouse that is Jordan Geller's ShoeZeum this past July, I could barely say anything. I did, however, stop partway through to pull out my phone and text a few close friends: "I hope this is what heaven looks like when I die."
According to Geller, who's been collecting kicks since 1999, it's more about the stories and in- spiration behind the 2,000 pairs in his private collection than it is the actual merch. Housed in a 9,000 sq. ft. warehouse in San Diego, Geller explains, "Every corner, nook and cranny in the whole place is jam packed with Nikes and nostalgic memories." But that's just the begin- ning when it comes to constructing possibly the greatest single collection in sneakerhead history.
Dime: What got you started collecting shoes and what's been your motivation behind arguably the
greatest shoe collection of all time? Jordan Geller: I have loved Nike shoes for as long as I can remember, and I have been collecting them for more than 12 years. A few years ago, I made the decision to build the most comprehensive collection of Nike shoes in the world. I built the collection so that I could share my love and passion for Nikes with others. I also wanted to teach people about Nikes and I thought the best way to do that would be to build the ultimate Nike classroom.
Dime: Buying and selling the amount of shoes you have, how were you able to keep up with the
number of orders you were taking? JG: I started my business with $300 and built it from the ground up. At my peak, I was sell- ing 200 pairs per day, seven days a week. The systems and processes that I built to deal with the volume of orders grew very organically. I am very organized and extremely detail oriented, and the business that I created was, and still is, a well-oiled machine.
Dime: What's your all-time favorite pair of kicks? JG: My 1973 Pre Montreal Track Spikes are my favorites. They were
made for Steve Prefontaine to wear in the 1976 Montreal Olympics, but he tragically passed away and never got to wear them in the Games. I bought these shoes for $3383 on eBay.
Dime: What about the ShoeZeum are you most proud of? JG: I am proud of the ShoeZeum because it is a culmination of
my life through Nike shoes. The shoes are laid out in a way that tells my personal story, as well as the story of Nike. I am proud to tell my story and to teach about Nike. I love inspiring people that come and visit me. It brings me great pleasure to bring joy and happiness to sneakerheads and collectors everywhere.
Dime: Why only collect Nikes and Jordans? JG: Plain and simple: Because they are the best. (laughs) My love
of Nike stems from the fact that my dad ran 10 marathons in Nike waffles and Air Maxes when I was a kid. Plus my name is Jordan Michael Geller. For these reasons, it would be an absolute travesty if I supported any other brand.
Dime: What's the next step for the collection and its curator? JG: The ShoeZeum is still alive and well in San Diego. I am cur-
rently exploring options to move it to L.A., Vegas, NYC, and abroad. Right now, the ShoeZeum is housed in a warehouse right next to the Adult Depot. It is in an industrial part of town and there is very minimal parking. Needless to say, the location is not ideal for the collection.
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