New footwear store comes to Moncton
Monday July 21
Times & Transcript
By MARY FAHEY
https://www.telegraphjournal.com/times-transcript/story/38481279/new-footwear-store-come
Courtside Sneakers is in the business of selling footwear to a market that needs it: big-footed basketball lovers.
The PEI-based store is expanding to Moncton, where the demand for unique and performance-quality sneakers is on the rise, according to Nathan Clark, the store’s owner.
“We’re one of the first stores in Canada that has such a strong focus on basketball,” said Clark.
Courtside Sneakers first opened on October 1, 2011. They started at a small, 500-square-foot location and within six months of opening, they had to expand to a larger site. Clark said the store has been at its current location in downtown Charlottetown for two years but the time has come for another step forward for the business. And Moncton offers Clark just what he needs.
“(Business) is good enough to expand. It’s to the point where it doesn’t make sense not to and Moncton...has proven its economy is good. It’s one of the fastest growing areas in Canada,” he said.
Clark has always been a basketball lover himself. He’s been a player since junior high and he still plays regularly today. He wanted to keep basketball in his life in some fashion. His love and history of retail gave him the idea to open his own business to provide for a niche, but necessary, market. Clark is familiar with the problems presented to people with big feet - he takes a size 14 himself - and he wanted to cater to a market that’s interested in good sneakers.
“I’m somewhat of a taller person. I was never able to buy any shoes locally. It’s always in the back of my head that PEI in particular could use a basketball specialty store,” he said. “The basketball community in New Brunswick is massive compared to PEI.”
Courtside Sneakers focuses on the Canadian market but they ship their wares all across North America. They want to make themselves available to anyone who wants or needs their products regardless of where they live. Clark’s store is a considered a specialty store in Nike’s view, so this gives them access to products some other larger stores, like Foot Locker or Sport Check, don’t have. Courtside Sneakers carries shoe sizes up to 14, because that’s what Clark needs, and they can place orders up to size 18.
“Most stores only go up to a 13,” he said. “The majority is still the average 10 and a half, 11...but we’re known to be a place that the big-footed person can come and get a pair.”
The store’s focus also includes retro-style basketball sneakers. They carry styles from the ‘80s and ‘90s from retailers like Nike, Vans and Asics that are back in fashion.
“It’s funkier, older stuff,” said Clark. “Typically stuff the big stores don’t carry or can’t carry.”
With this mandate on basketball and retro as its focus, Courtside Sneakers has cornered a market that many people in the Maritimes wouldn’t have access to otherwise. As far as a long-term plan, Clark looks to have a store in every Atlantic province before heading to the Western side of the country. He’s also open to expanding the store’s products to include other niche markets that are currently being ignored by big-name retailers. But for now, the basketball sneaker market is keeping him busy.
“It’s bigger than I expected,” Clark said. “Basketball itself is the fastest growing sport in Canada right now, so that’s where we’ve been successful.”
Courtside Sneakers is having its grand opening on October 1. Their Moncton store will be located at 1633 Mountain Road in the Lounsbury Centre.
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