Tracking Down Today’s Athletic Shoes
Chances are your children know exactly what kind of shoes they want for school. Unless they never look at television, close their eyes when they pass a billboard, don’t read magazines or newspapers and experience no peer pressure, their choices usually lean toward the high-end stuff.
Shoes can be the most expensive single item on the back-to-school list, a fact that anyone over 40 finds hard to comprehend. Sneakers for $130? But they aren’t called “sneakers” and certainly not “tennies” anymore. They are “athletic shoes” of leather not canvas and the price tags range from high to outrageous. Boots can run even more.
If Michael can’t show his face that first day of school without a pair of Magics, head for the Converse Factory Store (423 S. Lincoln Blvd. in Venice) where the shoes endorsed by the Lakers’ No. 32 sell for $50 instead of the usual $70 to $80. Converse’s other popular designs are the ERX 260 and ERX 360, which retail for $80 and $109, respectively, but are tagged here at $44.99 and $59.99.
If Michelle has her heart set on L.A. Gear Brats, then head for Price Busters Shoe Warehouse (5100 E. Whittier, Los Angeles) where you can get two pair for $50, unless you’d rather lay out $40 to $45 each somewhere else. The “two-fers” here are an excellent deal and include brands such as Vans, Pony, Adidas, Avia, Kangaroo and L.A. Gear--but only certain models. Reebok’s Showtime is $29.99 instead of $50, Air Jordan is $60 instead of $85. Nike’s Quantum Force has a solid price of $29.99, not the $45 some places get.
Price Busters is set back behind a parking lot on Vancouver Street and is not too visible from the street, but it’s worth the search. The store sells only athletic shoes. Although this looks like a small store from the front, you’re in for a 4,000-square-foot surprise. It’s self-serve, well-organized and there are bilingual clerks to help if you need it.
Kitty-corner from the Sun Valley site of the Price Club is Shoes Here (10951 Sherman Way) with excellent deals on some of the big names the kids want. Reebok’s Club Champion is priced well at $29.98 (retails at other spots from $40 to $45) for boys and girls. Several styles of Jordache for both sexes are $29.98 instead of $45. If, by some chance, Michael or Michelle are pushing for boots, Shoes Here has the Dingo boots for $69 to $100 (retail $100 to $160), or 35% to 40% off. Granny boots (retail $90) are $49.90 and the Equestrian boot is also $49.50 (retail $100).
For those individualists who prefer work shoes, the 9-West oxfords are $29 to $38 instead of the usual $60 plus.
All of these stores carry children’s sizes 8 1/2 to 13, and 13 1/2 to 2 1/2 in youth sizes.
