14 Mrz Interview SNS-Co-Founder Erik Fagerlind
During our visit, we spoke with SNS co-founder Erik about the new NYC store and plans for a potential further expansion.
Congrats on your NYC outpost! Seems that for you and Peter a big dream came true, right?
Erik: Yeah, I mean, Peter and I founded SNS on the plane to NYC back in 1998. So NYC has always been a huge part of our DNA. On top of that, it took us about 4 years from the beginning of this project until the opening. To know that the store is finally open feels just great to me.
How important is a (physical) presence in the US for SNS in a time when you could buy stuff online from all over the world?
Erik: In a world that is becoming more and more digital, a physical presence also becomes more and more important. We could of course build apps and engage with consumers locally, but to us having that brick and mortar hub is not only important, it’s also a lot of fun.
Do you have any plans for a wider (US) expansion?
Erik: In short: Yes!
What makes SNS unique and what’s the connection between all of your stores?
Erik: I guess we are unique by having stores in multiple regions. Not many other sneaker boutiques can compete with that. But more overall I think people like to come to our stores, because we offer a little bit more in terms of experience. Sure enough when it comes to find that latest Off-White release, people are just happy to find it anywhere. They don’t care much about where to get it. But when it comes to releases that are a little less limited, I think they come around because they know that all of us love sneakers just as much as they do. We connect emotionally over sneakers. The connection between the stores is a long story, and we are saving that story for our 20th anniversary next year.
To us it becomes more and more difficult to follow all the sneaker boutiques out there. There are probably too many. Do you agree?
Erik: Not really! When we used to go to New York in the late 1990’s, there was a sneaker store on every corner. Nowadays there are probably four of them in Manhattan. I think you have to look at the bigger picture. Big box retailers like Foot Locker are losing customers, but people are buying kicks more than they have ever done. The market has shifted and there are more early adopters than followers today. So I would say that there is plenty of room for even more sneaker boutiques.
What’s your strategy in today’s competitive retail environment?
Erik: Fun! Believe it or not that’s actually our main strategy. We need to allow ourselves to be personal and to be persons.
Thanks Erik! We’re looking forward to your 20th anniversary!
