Foot Locker has been home to the sneakerheads way before they were officially called sneakerheads. Many of us remember the sweet smell of fresh new shoes in August before school started when we went to go grab some cool new kicks. Now, with adult money, we can have the luxurious experience of shopping at Toronto’s very own Power Store. 

The power store is the cream of the crop showcasing what Foot Locker is all about. Footlocker is known for carrying brands like Nike, Adidas, Vans, Converse and New Balance. Over time with the popularity of sneakers Footlocker became the place to get your Jordans, Air Forces, Huaraches and  Air Max’s, while releasing a slogan called #beacusesneakers.

#BecauseSneakers is a campaign that Foot Locker created when they would debut the most popular sneaker being released that week. For Foot Locker that became something that was chased by sneakerheads, each week Foot Locker became a hub for all things sneakers and clients and sneakerheads alike became more and more interested in what Foot Locker would release and how they could get their hands on it. 

For Toronto, a place like the Powerstore will become that hub. Toronto has a lot of sneakerheads, and it is very well known how much they love their sneakers. It will become a place where these sneakerheads will trust, become accustomed to and a place where they feel in their element. We talked with Richard Mcleod, VP & GM of Foot Locker Canada, and asked him a few questions about the store opening. 

Sneakerheads have loved shopping at Foot Locker for their essential shoes, with the new power store, what can sneakerheads expect that will be different from the regular shopping experience?  

A: The new 3-story, 14,782 sq. ft. Toronto Community Power Store provides an elevated retail experience for Torontonians and the sneaker community and features an activation space for events, as well as a barber set-up and lounge. This new property also features custom art from notable Toronto artists Alexis Eke @alexix.eke and Jacquie Comrie @jacquiecomrie.

You can expect that the Toronto Power Store will have the most popular sneakers available, as well as special opportunities for customization and capsules from local brands such as RetroKid, who will be releasing an exclusive Space Jam apparel collection in-stores soon. 

This Community Power Store will also foster relationships with community organizations in Toronto to host events and giveback opportunities. Consumers can follow @footlockertoronto to stay up-to-date with upcoming events and product drops.

Foot Locker is known for their shoes – what other products can be expected at the power store that we don’t normally see, or we used to see limited of?  

A: Our Community Power Store features an assortment of exclusive footwear from brands including Nike, Jordan, Adidas and more for men, women and kids – it provides a robust shopping experience for the full family.  Additionally, we plan to sell apparel, accessories and art unique to the local community from local designers and artists. Some of the local products that are available now are custom FOR THE 6IX tees designed by Sarah Skrlj, original prints from artists @beddoart, @kushtatts_ and @racheljoanis as well as sneaker-inspired planters from Hydroflora.

There are only nine power stores worldwide. What made Toronto the next lucky city to open a store, and will power stores continue to be exclusive or are more planning to pop up?  

A: As part of our commitment to bring the best-localized expression of Foot Locker to consumers, we are excited to expand our Community Power Store model to Toronto. Our first Canadian Community Power Store opened in Vancouver, and since Canada is a passionate and diverse market for sneaker culture, we look forward to creating immersive brand connections from the local store staff we hire to the in-store experiences and products we offer.