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Being a true sneakerhead means more than owning the latest Jordans.
Just ask 20-year-old Matt Steinberg, who’s been collecting since his early teens.
“I’m in the heart of the sneaker culture,” he said. “I surround myself with this stuff every day, all the brands.”
Over time, his collection has grown to over 300 shoes, which he estimates being worth about $200,000.
One of the things that helps Steinberg keep up on the latest gets is working for one of the most exclusive streetwear boutiques on Long Island: Krudmart, which moved to a new location this month.
Krudmart, which started as a Buffalo clothing store in 2002, was introduced to Long Island when Setauket-native Sean Cassidy bought into the company in 2012.
Cassidy later added sneakers, and the rest has been history.
“We carry sneakers that Footlocker can’t carry,” he explained. “We have stuff that has re-sale value.”
It all started in his first store on the island, which was across the street from Se-port Deli at 268 Main Street in Setauket.
“Kids started bringing in their sneakers,” he said. “And next thing you know I started selling them.”
After collecting some of the most popular brands like Nike, Adidas, and Supreme, he started to outgrow his location.
This March he moved into his biggest location yet, but this time in Stony Brook at 1099 Route 25A.
The boutique, which is next to Station Pizza & Brew and Green Cactus, is an ideal location across from the LIRR, says Cassidy.
“[People] come from the [Manhattan], from New Jersey, from Upstate,” he said.
The clientele ranges from people just starting their collection to the experts.
“We try to cater to everyone,” says Cassidy.
There’s also famous (some don’t want to be named) athletes and musicians who travel to buy his latest sneakers, like Craig G of the Juice Crew, pictured below.
Krudmart gets its rare sneakers by constantly buying and selling with other sneakerheads across the U.S.
“I just bought two shirts from that guy over there,” said Cassidy, as he pointed to someone shopping in the store last week.
One of the more unique products Krudmart has ever carried was the Eminem x Carhartt x Air Jordan 4 Retro.
“There was 100 on in the world,” said Cassidy. “It was Eminem’s personal shoe he had made.”
That pair sold for $14,000.
But not every sneaker is that expensive, of course.
If you want the most limited sneaks, be sure to check the “Heat Rack,” which is above the check out counter.
That’s where you’ll find the latest Yeezy’s and Air Jordans.
In addition to sneakers, Krudmart also sells a variety of clothing and other branded materials like skateboards and backpacks.
“I don’t think there is any store on Long Island right now that can say they have what we have here,” said Cassidy.
To learn more, watch the video above by Yellow House Images.
Top: Photo of Krudmart owner Sean Cassidy at his new Stony Brook store. (All photos courtesy of Yellow House Images)
