Coastal Kicks, a sneaker and streetwear store, is expanding and relocating to downtown Fort Walton Beach.
- The store carries limited edition sneakers such as Jordans, Yeezys, and Nike Dunks. According to owner Cody Himes, they buy, sell, and trade sneakers, and are venturing into clothing and wholesale from brands.
Himes and his business partner, Ronnie Beale, started the business nearly 3 years ago in Mary Esther and have since opened a larger store in Pensacola. Now, they are moving their original store to the old Run With It location in downtown Fort Walton Beach. The new store will be 2,500 square feet, compared to their current location which is just under a thousand square feet.
Himes explained that they specialize in limited edition sneakers and streetwear.
- “We carry the sneakers that sell out almost instantly when they are released,” he said. “We are like a third party, or aftermarket, retailer.”
When asked about the inspiration for the business, Himes said that he and Beale met while reselling shoes and decided to open their own store together. They started with a low amount of inventory and reinvested in the business to grow it as much as possible.
Himes explained that the move to the downtown area is part of their plan to attract more foot traffic (😏)and grow into a larger space.
“We are just trying to get more front and center in the community and trying to just let everyone know we’re here,” he said. “The foot traffic and the amount of people in downtown Fort Walton Beach will be a lot better for us because right now we are hidden in a small plaza.”
The move-in timeline is mid-to-late March 2023, with a projected opening date between May 1-May 15th. Himes is excited to be a part of the downtown area and see how everything develops over time.
- “We’re super excited because we’re already close with a lot of the shop owners down there so it’ll be cool to be downtown and be a part of that area and see how everything develops over time,” he said.
NBI Properties, leasing manager for the building, is also excited to have Coastal Kicks in the downtown area. Dustin Parkman, Sales Associate at NBI Properties, says he has been following their growth for a while now and has experienced their hospitality and knowledge of their industry as a customer.
“I’ve spoke to Cody and his team on a couple of occasions trying to get them into a property of ours,” explained Parkman. “I wanted to give them a building and location were we could really see their expansion. When we knew Run With It was moving to a larger building, I knew they were the right group for that space.”
Parkman added that with all of the changes happening in downtown Fort Walton Beach, it remains important to energize the area.
“We’ve got an opportunity to really curate the spaces and it’s important to start putting the longterm pieces in place to make this a special area that is not only the heart of Fort Walton Beach, but also a destination for everyone from the area,” he added. “We are all very excited and cannot wait to add Coastal Kicks to downtown.”
