AKRON, Ohio — It’s a dream come true for some Ohioans and lifelong friends who now open their own store in their hometown.
what you need to know
UNKNWN is a new downtown Akron retail store founded by three lifelong friends: LeBron James, Jaron Kanfer and Frankie Walker.
The store is stocked with the latest sneakers for men, women, and kids, along with some streetwear styles.
The owners hope to give back to the community that gave them their start by hosting community events and partnering with groups like Summit Lake Community Center.
Frankie Walker said UNKNWN is the store they wish they had growing up. Walker is a co-founder and co-owner, along with Jaron Kanfer and LeBron James.
Walker said he befriended NBA All-Star James when he was a kid, and now he’s like a big brother.
“We met when we were playing soccer when we were about 8 years old,” he said. “He moved out soon after and, you know, became part of the family.”
They shared a love of sports and sneakers. Keeping a close eye on what their athletic idols were wearing.
“All of these guys inspired us as young athletes and the shoes that they wore, we just tried to make sure we were up to date with what they had on,” Walker said.
A wall of sneakers in styles for men, women and children is available inside UNKNWN in downtown Akron. (Jenna Jordan/Spectrum News 1)
But being a sneakerhead as a kid wasn’t always easy.
“We had one pair of shoes to go to school and one to play,” Walker said. “That was our choice for a while.”
Even vacations and birthdays, which Walker said didn’t always work out in James’ favor.
“LeBron was a little bit different because his birthday was right around Christmas, so sometimes his Christmas shoe and his birthday shoe were the same shoe,” Walker said.
But now they have a whole wall of new footwear inside their downtown Akron store, UNKNWN. This is their second location after opening a store in Miami in 2019.
“Coming out of Akron, moving to a big city, no one knew us,” Walker said. “We didn’t know anyone there. It was really uncharted territory for us, so the name stuck.”
Bringing his concept home, Walker said he handles the sneaker selections while Kanfer stocks the clothes.
“I’m like a really simplistic, monotonous action guy. He’s a little more…adventurous with his,” Walker said as he described his and Kanfer’s style.
But both have had their styles evolve over time.
“Typical mid-30s dad team, I guess we still want to be cool,” Walker said.
A recreation of LeBron James’ signature is featured on this shoe within UNKNWN. (Jenna Jordan/Spectrum News 1)
They also want the business to represent more than just shopping. They hope to host events and workshops as a neighborhood resource.
The trio also partnered with Summit Lake Community Center during the 2022 NBA All-Star Weekend to renovate the facility and donate items like school supplies.
“We all grew up there, we played basketball there,” Walker said. “That’s where we first learned to play, so we have a soft spot for that space.”
And through all of this I’ve learned that there really is no place like home.
“I’ve traveled the world,” Walker said. “I have been to many places. I have lived in big cities. For me, nothing is like Akron. This is where I want to be. This is where my roots are. And for me there is no place in the world that I would rather be.”
Source: news.google.com