In July 2020, Joseph “JoJo” Petruzzelli, then a 13-year-old eighth-grader, used his love for sneakers to benefit the Hoboken Jubilee Center by hosting a pop-up sneaker store to raise funds for the Center. The success of the pop-up event meant Joseph was able to expand to a larger location for a longer period of time at 407 Washington Street – and has managed to continue operating Elite Kickz there for longer than originally anticipated. Now, he has opened a permanent storefront location at 630 Washington Street in Hoboken with a partner. Read on to learn more about Elite Kickz’s new store in Hoboken and what to expect at the shop.
^ The former pop up shop
Elite Kickz buys and sells limited-edition sneakers and apparel. “At 11 years old I turned my love for sneakers and streetwear into a business called Elite Kickz, reselling rare kicks at trade shows and to the sneaker community,” Joseph told Hoboken Girl. “To me, being a sneakerhead is having a passion for the sneaker culture.”
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Sneakerheads, streetwear lovers, and vintage enthusiasts alike will be thrilled to know that Elite Kickz will be a permanent one-stop shop for unique sneakers, clothing, and accessory finds.
In addition to limited-edition pieces, the shop will also carry limited-edition and vintage baseball cards, from a 2003 Lebron James rookie card to a 1996 Allen Iverson rookie card.
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New to the Elite Kickz team, Hoboken BNR resident Jason Pelligrini has joined forces with Jojo as a partner and will be hands-on with sourcing limited edition sneakers, clothes, and baseball cards.
^ Jason + Jojo
“This is not a pop-up anymore, it’s a permanent location so it’s very exciting. We can now have more inventory than at previous pop-ups. I also have a partner, Jason Pelligirni who is another young entrepreneur. He is extremely knowledgeable in the sports card space as well as having a passion for sneakers,” Jojo shared with us.
See More: A List of Hoboken + Jersey City Boutiques to Shop Online
Elite Kickz experienced major success because of its quality products and because it met the needs of local street style collectors – a demand that hasn’t been met since Foot Locker closed in Hoboken in 2016.
The hours of the shop will be Wednesday – Saturday 12PM-7PM and Sunday 12PM-5PM.
To stay up-to-date on Elite Kickz latest happenings, follow the shop’s Instagram page here and the baseball card page here.
