Last week, Urlfreeze News brought you an introductory look at Jordan Geller’s awe-inspiring ShoeZeum – the first of a 10-part feature exploring what just might be the most impressive sneaker collection on earth. Now that you have a rough feel for the cavernous layout, it’s time to take a closer peek inside, as we take you through some of the collection’s most noteworthy displays. The ShoeZeum has been meticulously divided up into different categories and displays, with the first stop on the tour being the ‘Welcome To The ShoeZeum’ area. This section serves as a greeting area for visitors, with a large part of the emphasis on capturing the feel of some of the hometown amenities that San Diego is best known for.
After being welcomed by the three “Money Cats” during a cruise past the former Sneak’s Kicks inspection station, you will make your way into the first area of shelf displays spotlighting a tribute to two of San Diego’s biggest tourist attractions – Sea World and the San Diego Zoo. Countless sea-creature and animal-inspired Nike shoes are strewn about among their corresponding decorative lace, with highlights being the Lobster and Panda Dunk displays, as well as some clever nods to animal print and reptile materials and an homage to the “DQM Bacon” family of kicks. Also of note are the Ugly Dunkling and Three Bears Dunks which are showcased along with themed props and even copies of the children’s books that the stories originated from.
Continuing on from the Dunklings, a nod to the Joker’s purple and men color scheme leads into an area featuring a variety of comic book and cartoon-inspired kicks that Jordan intended to serve as a common point of interest for visitors to the ShoeZeum, regardless of their appreciation or knowledge of sneakers. After a whimsical stroll through the cartoon shoes and their stuffed toy counterparts, you will come to an exhibit housing a selection of shoes based on California, the USA and San Diego’s neighbor to the south, Mexico. To the left of this display sits one of Jordan’s most prized pieces in The ShoeZeum, a ‘Cali’ SB Dunk signed by former eBay CEO, Meg Whitman.
A quick 180 degree turn from there and you’ll be facing the final welcoming touch. In a further tribute to the city that The ShoeZeum calls home, you’ll find a bit of local sports flavor thanks to some LaDainian Tomlinson shoes and collectibles and a pair of the LA Map lasered Air Force 1’s. To the right sits one of the ShoeZeum’s most over-the-top features, a pair of the SB Dunk Broncos sitting atop, what else, but a Ford Bronco. Keep reading after the jump for the full gallery of the ‘Welcome To The ShoeZeum’ display and head over to Urlfreeze News for an introduction video that will further lay out what you’re about to see. And don’t forget to check back this Thursday night for Part 3 of our adventures inside The ShoeZeum.