Hidden Gems: Meet Corey Holloway of The Sneaker Movement

Today we’d like to introduce you to Corey Holloway.

Hi Corey, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
Well, my name is Corey Holloway, and I am the owner of two-small businesses, the Sneaker Movement and Forever Yesterday. I have been an entrepreneur since an early age. In elementary and middle school, I sold baseball cards, toys, and other collectibles at the local flea market. It was also around this same time that I began to collect sneakers. By high school, I was wearing a size 14/15 shoe and so shoes in my size were hard to find and expensive to buy.

I did not grow up with a lot of money so keeping my sneakers in good condition was very important to me.  As my sneaker collection grew, I had a hard time finding a cleaner that kept my kicks in the best shape possible while not degrading or destroying them  due to the harsh chemicals found in most household cleaners.

I  Like most earlier sneaker heads, dish soap and a toothbrush was my cleaner of choice for years. As I got older and started spending more and more money on my sneakers, I needed to find a way to take care of them and help them stay in the best shape possible.

One day, I was watching my wife getting ready to wash her natural hair. My wife is an avid runner and after years of trial and error found a shampoo that was gentle but effective on her hair. I don’t think I had ever asked her what product she used but that day I did. She told me that she was using a natural castile  soap that was gentle on her hair and skin but did a great job of getting it clean. So, I decided, to try some to clean my shoes. My only thought was what’s the worst that could happen?

The soap alone was a little too weak at first, but after some trial and error, tweaking of ingredients, and consultation with a science teacher friend of mine, I came up with an all-natural, biodegradable sneaker cleaner that I call Sneaker Serum

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Starting something new is never easy or smooth. I took me almost a year to perfect the Serum. I tested it on my sneakers, my wife’s running shoes, and even bought all shoes from thrift shops to practice on.

After that, I was ready to launch the Serum as part of a sneaker cleaning kit. Unfortunately, it didn’t happen as easily and as fast as I had imagined. There were more established cleaners and brands in the market, so trying to break through was and is very tough. I started going to sneaker shows, doing demos in stores, traveling out of state to show people my cleaner and how much better it was than other cleaners. Store after store would tell me I wasn’t big enough or that my name was too new. I lost inventory after placing my cleaner in a few small stores that closed down, taking my cleaner with them. At one point, I really did consider quitting because I felt like I was working hard for no reason. Nobody wanted my cleaner and nobody was willing to give me a chance outside of shows or friends/family to use my cleaner. It has always been a struggle to market my product and show people the benefits of something I work so hard on to create.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
The Sneaker Movement is a company that deals in sneaker care and cleaning solutions. As I said, part of my testing for the Serum including finding shoes to clean from various thrift stores. Out of the work, my second business, Forever Yesterday was born. Forever Yesterday is upcycle/resell business focusing on vintage clothing and collectibles. Both business are about sustainability and reducing our impact on the environment with biodegradable cleaning products and reusing/refurbishing clothing that would go into landfills.

What sets us apart from other companies is the research that goes into creating a quality product for our customer. We can care for your entire wardrobe – from head to toe and do it in a way that is sustainable and environmentally friendly. I do it because I am a collector and lover of both sneakers and vintage clothing items. I know how it feels to buy a favorite shoe or clothing item and want to keep it for as long as possible in the best shape. So, I love being able to do that for other people.  That smile customers give me once they see their item returned or that they have been looking for years, brings real joy to me and lets me know I’m doing a great job.

One thing I am most proud of is that both companies have built a consistent following with customer that know that will get a quality product every time.  I pride myself on being deliberate so that every customer gets a product  that meets ours and more importantly their standards.

We’d be interested to hear your thoughts on luck and what role, if any, you feel it’s played for you?
Over the years, I think there have been some moments pure luck that has made my business successful. I have had great finds in odd places and have been able to make very nice profits from them.  Selling at a $.25 t-shirt for $500-600 has to involve some luck, right?

On the flip side, I have had sneakers I can’t clean or repair after purchasing them to resell. I have gone weeks without finding something significant as I’m sourcing for vintage items. It’s all about timing and hoping for the best when you go out there or when a person DMs or emails you about something. It’s hard and sometimes you want to quit but you have to shake it off and know that tomorrow or the next day it could be better.

It’s basically gambling! Like Kenny Rogers used to say, “You better know when to hold ’em, know when to fold’em, know when to walk away, and know when to run”. Sometimes you have to take a break from trying to find stuff or get new sneaker cleaning clients and just work on what you already have. Those times can definitely be a relief. It also gives you time to reflect and plan for the future. I never take anything for granted and I value every interaction with people I come in contact with. I never know when that contact could be a potential sale or future customer.

Pricing:

• I have $25 sneaker cleaning kits. They include one – 4 oz bottle of Sneaker Serum, a cleaning brush, microfiber towel, mid-sole eraser, and crevice cleaning tool. One 4 oz bottle can clean approximately 200-300 pairs of sneakers. Individual bottles of Sneaker Serum are also available for $12 each
• Vintage clothing prices vary based on rarity ages and condition.

Contact Info:

• Email: feyesterday@gmail.comand sneakermovement@gmail.com
• Instagram: @sneakermovement
• Twitter: @Sneakermovement and @4everyesterday