Half of the sneaker game is knowing what kicks are out when, and which shops have them. Our Shelf Space column looks at what shops around the country are stocking in a given week, and gives a quick glimpse into the mind of the buyer/manager/owner who put them there.
This week, we checked in with DQM, one of the best sneaker spots in New York. Richards of DQM took us through 10 of the hottest kicks in the store and told us a little about each one. Hit the jump to see his selections and make sure you stop in DQM, located at 7 E. 3rd Street when you're in the big city. dqmnewyork.com
Nike - Stefan Janoski White Perf, $75
"In my opinion, this is the best shoe Nike makes. I rarely wear socks so I'd like to personally take the time to thank whoever poked all the little holes in the leather. Nike is really taking strides to prevent swamp foot."
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Nike SB - Dunk High Solar Orange/Black, $93
"The Philadelphia Flyers are in the Stanley Cup Finals, and even though this shoe is a tribute to San Francisco, it will match your jersey perfectly. This is one of the better colorways I've seen in the past few years. The Flyers are losing the series 2-0 [Ed.—now 2-1!] but if you buy these, there is a chance they could make a valiant recovery and win."
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Vans - Supercorsa Golden Brown, $55
"If you know me, you know that brown is my favorite color. I would show up to work draped in brown like a monk given the chance. Whoever came up with this brown is a genius. It's just like heaven. These shoes are a suede version of a stripped-down Old Skool. Made to shred...and did I mention that they are suede? FYI: The song "Black Velvet" by Canadian artist Alannah Myles was originally titled 'Brown Velvet' and it was about me."
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Converse x Number (N)ine - Chuck Taylor All Star Oxford, $100
"I was at the beach the other day, lying under an umbrella hiding from the sun. I had my Converses at the edge of the bed sheet I was using as a blanket. Next thing you know this dame in a bikini runs up, grabs my shoes, and starts drying herself off with them. Afterwards, she put them on the sand and just laid down on top of them! She looked over at me and whispered: 'Soft like beach towel.'"
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Converse - Blackflag Sea Star, $55
"I love boats of all kinds: sailboats, freighters, tugboats, frigates, barges, canoes, Chris Crafts, schooners, yachts, etc. If I knew anyone that lived in Nantucket, I'd go there and wear these. The solid sole makes for great traction when the white caps start hitting the deck."
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Adidas x HUF - Rod Laver Ice Grey, $90
"I had a dream that Huf and famous tennis player Rod Laver went into the desert to personally wrangle all the snakes to use on the heel panel on these bad boys. It was crazy. Rod was backhanding them with his racquet while Keith lip-slid the beasts. The whole process took nearly two weeks. True devotion to material sourcing. What a great buy."
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Adidas x DQM - Rod Laver Night Shade, $80
"Then Rod calls DQM (obviously still feeling the adrenaline from the snake hunt) and says, 'Me, you, shoe,' and hangs up. Shortly thereafter this is what happened. We figured he'd want a shoe that he could wear at night in the desert with Huf. Stealth is key when hunting rattlesnakes."
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Nike - Dunk High AC South Africa, $70
"The first people to vulcanize shoes were the Vulcans of course, but as you know that took place way in the future. So what ended up happening was that Spock got sent back thousands of years in a time machine to Oregon. He showed up randomly at Nike headquarters with strips of rubber in his hands and thus bestowed the secrets of vulcanization upon the human race."
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Gourmet - Uno White, $120
"Not for nothing, it's an Uno classico."
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Vans - Native American LX, $70
"Ollie pads were lost shortly after the Airwalk 540. I hadn't seen them since. I was sad. I went into a fit of depression that lasted nearly 20 years. I tried everything to get happy: Prozac, Xanax, Valium, swimming. Then, out of the blue, the sky opened up and Jesus threw a pair of Natives at me. Funny how life works. "
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