Sneaker Gallery Opens Tuesday on Beach 129th
By Katie McFadden
It has great restaurants, delis and bagel stores, a nail salon, a liquor store, an event space, clothing stores and now, a shoe store will open, making Beach 129th a one-stop block for all your local needs. Just in time for the holiday shopping season, Sneaker Gallery officially opens this Tuesday, December 12.
Over the past few years, Beach 129th has undergone many changes with a bunch of new businesses opening on the block. Now the latest business, taking over the old East Meets West located at 421A Beach 129th Street, is Sneaker Gallery. John Mazzola, owner of La Sorrentina, saw a need when the space opened up across the street. So, he reached out to his friend, Paul Singh, who he had sold Station Liquors on Beach 116th to a few years ago, knowing that Paul owns five other shoe stores in Brooklyn and the Bronx. The two decided to partner up, along with John’s son, Joseph, and Paul’s son, Kenny, to fill the empty storefront with something Beach 129th didn’t offer yet, and something Singh has plenty of experience with.
Sneaker Gallery will have all of the top shoe brands including Nike, Jordan, Adidas, Vans, Timberland, Champion, Yeezy, Skechers, New Balance and even Uggs. They’ll have shoes for men, women and children in all sizes. And if they don’t have what you’re looking for or your size, they can quickly order it for you. While online stores have become competition for all retailers, Sneaker Gallery will give locals the opportunity to see and try on shoes in person to make sure they fit just right, and go home with a new pair that day, something online retailers can’t offer.
“We have restaurants, clothing, a mini mall, and now we have a shoe store,” Mazzola, a longtime local resident, said. “We needed a sneaker place. There’s a lot of kids in the neighborhood and families and now they don’t have to buy shoes online or go off the peninsula, they can touch it and try it and take it home.”
In early November, signs went up on the storefront for Sneaker Gallery and Mazzola says neighbors have eagerly been awaiting their opening. “The neighbors are already happy. I have a lot of people stop me and say they’re so happy for us to open and they can’t wait,” he said.
Starting Tuesday, the wait is over. Sneaker Gallery will open at noon on Tuesday. However, their hours will be 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sundays. For more info, call 718- 971-1262. For product updates and more, make sure to follow sneakergallery129 on Instagram.
