BRIDGEWATER—Camping outside of sneaker stores in anticipation of the next Air Jordan release was one way a local man spent his time as a kid. Now he’s all grown up and has a sneaker store of his own.
Clean N’ Soles, located at 47 Broad St., Suite 104, Bridgewater, isn’t your average sneaker store; it’s a “lifestyle” store.Co-owner Zak Freitas has been passionate about sneakers since he was a child. He’s 27 now, and his love has not changed.
Freitas remembers his mom dropping him off at the Taunton Galleria Mall at 6 a.m. to secure the newest release. Some days, he struck luck, and other days, he left empty-handed.
But on both days, Freitas had fun.
“My favorite part is how each shoe has a different story and meaning behind it. Growing up, I always had to save up for my sneakers, so I took good care of them and learned which products to use, and my knowledge expanded,” Freitas said.
What does the store offer
The store specializes in cleaning sneakers and selling the latest trending apparel and sneakers.
You can find quality pre-owned sneakers, Yeezys, Adidas, New Balance, and much more.
“We are fairly priced. We are not the store with everything overpriced; we aren’t here to take advantage of people, but we still provide good deals and a good price point for shoes,” Freitas said.
Although online shopping has changed the way people buy and trade sneakers, Clean N’ Soles is trying to stay true to sneaker culture.
Most “sneakerheads” would agree that the sneaker game is entirely different from 10 years ago. One of the best parts of owning a sneaker store is interacting with customers and creating outfits based on their preferences.
Freitas partnered with Will Crimmins to open the store and bring exotic sneakers and apparel to Bridgewater.Crimmins is one of Ebay’s top sellers.
“We became business partners by consistently conducting business together and decided to join forces and bring together the ultimate one-stop sneaker shop,” Crimmins said. “Growing up, we wish we had a place like this to come in to, so we always welcome the town’s youth to come in and see what the sneaker culture is about.”
