McKickz Leeds: Meet the man behind the exclusive Briggate trainer store loved by Leeds United footballers

The owner of McKickz, who says he thinks about sneakers from the minute he wakes up to the moment his head hits the pillow, was one of the first to open a bricks-and-mortar trainer resale store in the UK.

Known simply as ‘Sean’ in the industry, the 35-year-old was drawn to the resale business around seven years ago, after trying to get his hands on a limited-edition Yeezy release for his partner. They sold out within seconds.

It dawned on Sean that the rate of demand for the trainers far outweighed the rate of supply and he threw himself into learning more about resellers - who purchase trainers, often limited-edition, to sell them on and make a profit.

Sean told the Yorkshire Evening Post: “I was quite renowned for parking my cars outside shops and sleeping there for about 10-12 days. I had no experience in retail, so I would study retail while I was sleeping outside the stores. At that time, the UK resale scene was practically non-existent.”

Sean launched his first pop-up inside Trinity Leeds shopping centre in January 2020 and was set to open his first shop in Briggate when the pandemic hit. McKickz eventually opened its doors in April 2021 when lockdown restrictions were lifted - and quickly gathered a loyal base of regular customers, including Leeds United players.

“It means a lot to have that support,” Sean said. “We have a very diverse range of customers, all hard-working people - and we have a lot of footballers that come into our store.

“We strive to provide a very high-value product, that’s the most important thing for us. I think customers paying for shoes at a higher market value deserve that. A lot of our competitors are happy to sell over a website. But when you provide an in-store experience, that allows customers to make a decision which is driven by what they actually want.”

McKickz recently had a visit from a very famous face, Lewis Capaldi, who Sean took a selfie with years back while he was sleeping outside a trainer store in Newcastle - a full-circle moment.

“It shows the journey I’ve been on,” Sean added. “You have to be prepared to work harder than every other person, you have to be so dedicated. You become obsessed with what you do. When I wake up, I’m thinking about sneakers until I go to bed - everything I do is all about sneakers.

“When you grow up not being able to afford something, you tend to lack the knowledge about it. I knew nothing about shoes coming into the industry. Now, my business depends on my product knowledge.”

McKicks’ most expensive trainers, and Sean’s all-time favourites, are a collection of limited-edition, handmade Louis Vuitton x Nike Air Force Ones - on sale for £13,999.99. The shoes were designed by the late Virgil Abloh, who Sean cites as one of his biggest inspirations.

He added: “It’s very important that you remember what drives you - people buy the shoes because they love them. Making customers smile keeps me passionate about what I do.”