Exploring Life & Business with Row of Rich Kickz

Today we’d like to introduce you to Row.

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
My ambition and journey toward owning a sneaker store started while working at adidas and the designer brand Bally. For 5 years, I worked at the Citadel Outlets, getting off work at adidas and walking a few stores down to clock into my second job at Bally. At the time, being young, I only saw the paycheck and not the bigger picture. But as I got older and gained more knowledge about sneakers, everything finally started to make sense.

Without realizing it, I had been preparing myself to start my own business the entire time. I learned the two most important sides of the sneaker industry — the market for athletic sneakers and the world of high-end designer footwear. On top of that, I learned the importance of customer service and building relationships with people.

When the time came, I started buying sneakers one by one and stacking them in my room with plans to sell them online. It sounded simple, but I failed my first few attempts because I lacked patience. I wanted quick money instead of trusting the process. Eventually, I learned that success came from buying the sneakers, posting them online, and allowing them time to sell instead of rushing everything.

After about 2 years, my room became completely filled with sneakers. It became hard to even walk through the room because shoes were stacked all the way to the ceiling. My mom constantly complained about how much space they were taking up.

Even then, I still didn’t think I was ready for a storefront. I knew I needed more space, but I was afraid of the responsibility that came with opening a location.

Then one day, I woke up and sneakers literally fell on me while I was getting out of bed. At that moment, everything became clear. I knew it was time to stop thinking small and finally look for a store location. From that point on, finding the perfect location became the goal. After few months of searching we finally found it and that’s the start of Rich kickz. Now we moving into our second location that’s bigger and better.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
This journey has been far from smooth being a sneaker store owner. We’ve dealt with break-ins, robberies, and even a car crashing into our store, causing thousands of dollars in damage and lost inventory. There were moments when everything felt like it was falling apart.
At one point, I had to move everything back into my room for months just to regroup and get myself mentally back in a stable place. It was one of the hardest periods of my journey, but it also taught me resilience. Once I regained my confidence and believed in myself again, I knew I was ready to build everything back up and do it even bigger than before.

As you know, we’re big fans of Rich Kickz. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
I’m from Los Angeles, and I started a sneaker resale business that brought creativity and genuine customer service into a space that was often known for rude business practices. Creating has always been a passion of mine. From sneaker kids books to sneaker coloring books, I love turning ideas into reality.
One of the things I love most about being an owner is that there are no limits to my dreams or creativity. Whatever idea comes to my mind, I have the freedom to bring it to life and share it with my customers. I enjoyed working at adidas, but realizing that my ideas would never fully come to life because it wasn’t my company was the sign that I needed to build something of my own.
What separates me from other store owners is that I’m involved every single day. I’m at the store daily, making sure every customer has the best experience possible. I learned that having great products is important, but customer service means even more. That’s what truly keeps customers coming back.
I’m proud of myself for having a vision that started in my bedroom and turning it into a successful sneaker store. Seeing how far it has grown is an amazing feeling and proof that taking a chance on yourself can change your life.

RICH KICKZ is known for good prices, limited edition sneakers, and strong community outreach. More than just a sneaker store, the brand represents hustle, creativity, and giving back to the community while bringing people together through fashion and culture.

Is there any advice you’d like to share with our readers who might just be starting out?
For anyone starting a sneaker business, my biggest piece of advice is to put security first. Make sure you handle your insurance, security systems, and security gates because protecting your investment is extremely important. I learned that lesson the hard way through break-ins, robberies, and damage to the store.
The second thing I would say is to keep believing in yourself no matter how slow business may seem. It’s easy to lose faith when money isn’t being made, but success comes from staying consistent and continuing to push forward even during your lowest moments. If you keep your ambition and stay focused, eventually you will win.
The third thing is to always be a good person. People will support you over other businesses simply because of the way you treat them. Take every interaction seriously because you never know who you’re talking to or what opportunities can come from it. Good energy, respect, and genuine customer service can open doors that money can’t.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: richkickzla
• Youtube: richkickzla