by Johnny Nguyen
Major is the sneaker store to visit if you are in the Washington, DC, area. At this point, it may be the sneaker store to go to period. People have traveled from across the country just to pay a visit to the boutique located at 1426 Wisconsin Avenue in the Georgetown neighborhood. In the past few years, it has become a top destination for sneakerheads nationwide, and so much more.
Major, which is owned by lifestyle marketing whiz Duk-ki Yu, has all the right ingredients, from exclusive sneakers—when Nike does a limited release, Major’s definitely landing a shipment—to celebrity clientele ranging from LeBron James to Nas, to big-time product placement—when David Banner claimed “Stuntin’ is a Habit” in his “Get Like Me” video with Chris Brown, he did so in a Major fitted hat.
But that’s not exactly why Major is a must-visit. Their customer service, customer relations, gratitude and loyalty are second-to-none. Says Yu: “From day one, we have called our store ‘The Only Store That Matters!’ We truly mean this, because if you really are a sneaker aficionado, there’s absolutely something for you at this store. You may go into any particular store and not find anything that’s relevant to your culture. That isn’t the case at Major. All you need to have is an open mind and willingness to listen.”
As a regular shopper at the boutique said to us, “They consistently service past, present and future Hoyas; Wale since ‘Nike Boots,’ and Durant before he was with the Thunder. And they show me the same love. That’s real.”
How real is Major? Real enough to open its shop after hours to host events for the sneaker community. Real enough to have celebrities and civilians attend and mingle at those same events. Real enough that, whether you’re new to the game or have been an avid sneaker collector all your life, Major is a place guaranteed to satisfy your sneaker craving.
photo courtesy of Jorge Beltran
