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By Danielle N. Coley
Correspondent
VIRGINIA BEACH
Vans apparel company has partnered with 17th Street Surf Shop to market an exclusive shoe for Virginia Beach skaters.
The surf shop recently unveiled the 17th Street Chukka Low model sneaker, the second of its series. The shoe sports the shop's logo inside the sole and on the tongue of the sneaker. It comes in a black and charcoal color, with blue trim and charcoal threading on the insole.
The design protects skaters' from ankle injuries. The surf shop has franchises from Virginia Beach and Chesapeake to Wilmington and the Outer Banks of North Carolina.
"Our partnership with Vans will help us continue to serve our core market," said Tom Brown, 17th Street's president and merchandise manager.
The shop sold out of the shoes within the first two weeks and saw an increase in sales for other products that match with the shoe, Brown said.
"The great thing about our store is that we are recognized nationwide," Brown said. "I think it's great that it resonates with people that we are a Virginia Beach icon, but we wanted to branch out," Brown said.
Vans contacted 17th Street after discovering that the shops sell high volumes of its inventory.
Among the 17th Street design team members were men's buyer Tyler Brown, marketing intern Matt Schmucker and hard goods buyer, Kevin "KC" Terrell.
"Vans usually only reaches out to exclusive boutiques," Tyler said. "They try to target the subculture, and they felt that we could reach that market in the mid-Atlantic region."
Terrell, who also skates and has a strong rapport with the customers, said he enjoyed being a part of the overall process.
"Coming up with a design for the shoe doesn't take that long," Terrell said. "It's the feedback from the customers that can slow the process."
Vans is in talks with 17th Street about debuting a spring 2012 collection, giving skaters longer accessibility to the exclusive brand.
There are also talks of unveiling a new surf shoe collection, which offers the shop more flexibility in design than the Chukka Low sneaker.
"Collaborations have become so big because kids want a mixture of something they recognize with something that is all their own," Tyler said. "The more a kid can tell a story of his individuality with his clothing, the more loyalty we've built with that customer."
Danielle N. Coley, daniellecoley88@gmail.com
