Hibbett Sports (NASDAQ:HIBB), Birmingham-based premium footwear and athleisure retailer with more than 1,000 Hibbett Sports and City Gear specialty stores nationwide announced another episode dropping today from the popular Small-Town Sneakerhead (STSH) video series, featuring sneaker enthusiasts from small towns across America. In the third episode produced by Hibbett, Nike, and NiceKicks, viewers are introduced to female sneakerhead Ashley Dawson from Hampton, Virginia, who has 125 pairs of sneakers in her collection and counting.
Small-Town Sneakerhead launched in 2020 as an unscripted conversation with sneaker collectors, captured in their hometowns offering viewers a glimpse into the world of sneaker culture. In part one of episode three, we meet twenty-something Ashley Dawson, also known as, Daws, who started her sneaker collection in grade school. Dawson first learned about STSH on Instagram when she caught the first episode featuring Tiona Deneice from Buffalo, New York.
“I never thought I would be selected to be part of something like this, but I think it is great that regular people who are passionate about sneakers get featured and have a voice rather than just celebrities and influencers with huge followings,” said Ashley Dawson, Sneakerhead. “I was into sneakers long before social media and before they called us sneakerheads. I am lucky that my shoe size has stayed the same since middle school and I keep my shoes clean so I can keep growing my sneaker collection.”
“We love producing this series with Nike and NiceKicks because it gives viewers a different perspective on sneaker collecting than what you might see in bigger cities,” said Sarah Sharp-Wangaard, VP Marketing, Hibbett Sports. “Hibbett has always been a go-to place for sneaker collectors in small towns across America and we are inspired by hearing all the unique stories, like Ashley’s.”
During part two of her STSH episode, Dawson, a graduate of Norfolk State University, takes us to her favorite hot spots, eateries and landmarks around Hampton and shares why it was a great small town to grow up in. Dawson also talks about the need for women to be represented in sneaker culture and how she sees more women getting into sneakers than ever before. Dawson says she styles her outfits after choosing which pair of sneakers to wear and her very favorite pair of Sean Wotherspoon, Nike Air Max 1 97’s are versatile with neutral colors and go with everything. Dawson, said that every pair in her collection has to have three key elements; a great story, great colorway and a great silhouette.
“Lately I’ve seen people buying shoes just to say they have them, knowing they don’t truly like them – they just want to impress other people,” said Dawson. “I can say there is no real right way to be a sneakerhead, just do what genuinely makes YOU happy and not social media.”
The new STSH episode featuring Dawson will be released in two parts on May 13, 2021 and May 14, 2021 across digital channels and social platforms including Nicekicks.com, Hibbett.com, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter.
“As sneaker culture continues to grow and evolve, so too does the face of sneaker culture and not just the who, but the where,” said Matt Halfhill, Founder and CEO, NiceKicks. “It has been an enjoyable opportunity to continue to work with Hibbett Sports and Nike on this project to illustrate the diverse culture of sneakerheads, including folks from all walks of life and from towns large and small.”
