Today we’d like to introduce you to Amir Thomas.
Hi Amir, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
Shoes have always been a stand-out for me, since I was a young boy up until who I am today. My story started back in 6th grade! Growing up with four other siblings was tough on my mother but, she always provided the best she could for all five of her children. We weren’t poor nor rich and the environment we grew up in was always stable, but funds were consistently tight, leaving very little room for all the extra wants or recreational activities.
With that being said, I seen my mother struggle and feel discouraged, because she always wanted to provide more for her children. As a young man I understood she couldn’t buy us everything we wanted, so I had to do my part. Seeing that my mom would struggle I took it upon myself to buy my own things to reduce the stress on her. By doing that I would wash cars and cut grass on the weekends and during the summer, and come winter time I would shovel driveways and walkways. I understood two things at the time, that having my own money means I didn’t have to wait for what I wanted and I also didn’t have to ask mama anymore.
So at the end of summer going into 7th grade, I saved up my money and bought me two pairs of shoes, my first pair or Air Jordan Retro 6’s along with a pair of Air Max 95’s. Knowing that I saved up my own funds made both pairs even that more special to me. When school time came around and I wore them to school I received a bunch of compliments, which made me love sneakers even more, seeing the expression and excitement out of people brought me even more joy. I was determined to get another pair, and another pair, and another pair until it became an addiction.
Next thing you know, I was getting a pair of every release that came out on Saturday’s, and come Monday I’d be rocking them to school. I soon became the kid in school with all the shoes. There was one problem though. Not being old enough to have a job and being in school made it tough for me to maintain money for my sneaker addiction. So to stay on top of each release I would buy a pair, wear it very lightly once and then resell it for a 10-20% profit before the next hot sneaker release. That way I could still show up to school with the newest freshest drops and a couple extra dollars to save.
I did that all the way up until 2010, which was 9th grade. By then the sneaker community was rapidly growing at the time and began to open up its own market. I see an opportunity to turn something I love into a business. So throughout all of high school, I would save as much as I could from working at Starbucks to keep up with my sneaker habit. I would constantly camp out in front of malls and shoe stores for several hours, sometimes 10+ hours, Just to secure one pair of shoes.
After friends and other folks would constantly ask me to secure them a pair, I quickly came up with a strategy to secure several pairs as well as get my own pair free. I would pay my other siblings/friends who weren’t into sneakers to come camp out with me, in return of securing another spot in line to get another pair. I began securing several pairs of each release then selling them for profit, which covered the cost of my personal pair as well as leave me with a profit to do it all over again.
So then in 2014, I came up with my brand Limited Laces LLC and officially turned it into a business. I went to Virginia State University to study Business management to correlate with my future plans and have been running my business ever since. All the way up until today I have been flipping sneakers and continue to grow my business online via Instagram (@Limitedlacesllc). I hope to soon have a storefront and I give all my thanks to my supporters and the man above for my success that has come and the bigger success to come in the near future!!!
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Absolutely not, the biggest challenge has been obtaining inventory. The sneaker market is at an all-time high, due to everyone wanting to be a sneaker reseller, so when it comes to securing pairs it’s much more difficult then back then to get your hands on pair(s).
We’ve been impressed with Limited Laces, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Limited Laces is a sneaker boutique, where I buy, sell, and trade shoes. I specialize in providing a safe and secure service for customers looking to buy Limited sneakers and streetwear. I also provide my own Limited Laces merchandise, which can be purchased to rock with your limited Kicks.
I’ve always been known as a hustler, a businessman, and the guy that will get it by any means necessary. I take pride in my work and the way I conduct business, so I set my standards extremely high for myself. What sets me aside from others is my customer service skills and my attention to details. I pride myself in making sure every last transaction and customer is handled in a timely manner and with respect and care. I’m most proud of the fact that I’ve invested all of my own funds into my business alone.
I’ve gotten this far without any financial help, loans, or other team members, so for the progress I’ve made, I’m extremely blessed and thank the man above. Brand wise I’m most proud of my Limited Laces merchandise, knowing all the steps I’ve taken to get logos produced and put onto garments, and the outcome of the work really makes me proud. Especially when I see someone wearing a piece of merchandise or they tell me how comfortable and clean the design is. That’s what makes me most proud!
Limited Laces is operating via Instagram @Limitedlacesllc, where you can contact me regarding sneaker pre-orders, street wear, Limited Laces merchandise, and general questions about anything sneaker related. I’m here to help, encourage, and learn every single day.
Alright so before we go can you talk to us a bit about how people can work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
You can simply contact me via Instagram @Limitedlacesllc or by email limitedlacesva@yahoo.com for any questions, concerns, or collaborations.
Competition is for motivation but, I’ve always been a big advocate for collaborations. I strongly believe two ideas/brains are stronger than one and encourage everyone to collab rather than compete.
Contact Info:
- Email: limitedlacesva@yahoo.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/limitedlacesllc?utm_medium=copy_link
