Whether you know him as Two Js Kicks or the founder of Urban Necessities , Jaysse Lopez is no doubt one of the biggest sneakerheads in the game. Over the past few years, he has grown a massive consignment empire with diehard fans from all over the globe. With that said, even though he has almost half a million followers on Instagram, he is one of the most humble and down-to-earth individuals you could speak to. Whether it's about sneakers or life, Jaysse will always impart some wisdom that will stay with you for a very long time.
We sat down with Jay himself for our latest Under The Influence segment to discuss what got him into the industry in the first place, the future of sneaker retail, any advice he'd give to those wanting to get into the game, and so much more! Whether you're a hardcore footwear veteran or just getting started, this is an interview that you definitely do not want to miss!
To kick things off, can you tell us a little bit about how you got into sneakers in the first place? How I got into sneakers was really falling in love with hip-hop and trying to be like those I watched or saw on TV. I fell in love with the culture. I wasn’t the type of sneakerhead that knew the name of everything or why or where stuff dropped. That didn’t really happen until about 10 years ago. At the same time that I got into sneakers, I was homeless, I lost my job and pretty much everything, so I figured that I could try and sell sneakers until I found another job. And the rest is history.
Urban Necessities has become a staple for sneakerheads worldwide. Is it what you envisioned when you first opened the store? For me, Urban Necessities was a play on the needs of the Urban Culture. I never wanted to just do sneakers so it had to be a name that allowed me to take it in any direction as well as be something that was accepted and had support from all walks of life. It’s been extremely humbling to see so many people from all over the world check in when they hit the city. It’s becoming what we had hoped and dreamed it would be.
Do you remember what the first sneaker you sold was? The first sneaker that we resold was the Nike Barkley Posite Max "Area 72". Without that shoe, Urban Necessities would not exist.
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Last year you uploaded a video touring Mayor’s massive collection. What was the most memorable pair? Man! Mayor had so many wild shoes. He had so many bespokes that eventually became actual releases. But if there was one shoe that stood out among the rest, it would probably be the Nike SB Dunk Low "Paris" with the Air Force 1 midsole.
Looking back at your career, is there a single moment that you're most proud of? I still feel like I’m at the frontend of my career. There’s been so many surreal and crazy moments. I’ve been very blessed along this journey, but if I had to pinpoint it to a singular thing, it would have to be the fact we have been able to connect so many people globally. It’s become way bigger than our backyard.
What do you think the future of sneaker retail looks like? If you think about it, the future of sneaker retail is already here. It’s consignment shops. Consumers are now more excited than ever about being able to walk in and look at walls filled with coveted pairs.
Tell us about three up-and-coming fashion brands that you're most excited about! Three brands that I can't get enough of are St Michael, Kid Super and Readymade.
What's your favourite sneaker-related moment and why? My favorite sneaker-related moment has to be the grand opening of our location at the Caesar’s Palace. So many of my friends and family and people that I look up to from athletes to rappers were there to share that moment with us. As a matter of fact, Bun B, Statik Selektah and Termanology made a song about me and the shop. It was so wild! I love rap so much and to hear mentions about us was top!
If you could collaborate with anyone or any brand on anything, what would it be? If I could collaborate with anyone, I would say it would have to be a brand that would allow for the story to be told correctly. I’d love to work with all of the major companies honestly because there’s so many silhouettes that I absolutely love and would love to put my own twist on.
Is there anything exciting that you have coming up? There's a lot of wild stuff lined up for Urban Necessities and expansion is always one of the conversations with my brand. An international store has always been part of the dream. Hopefully one day.
If you could give your 18-year-old self some advice, what would it be? If I could talk to 18-year-old Jay, I would definitely tell him to take things more seriously. It took forever to fix that and understand the real power behind it.
Do you have any advice for those looking to get into the sneaker industry? If I had one piece of advice for anyone looking to get into the sneaker industry, it would to not get caught up on what you don’t have. From lack of support, knowledge or resources, it takes 10 years to become an overnight success, and sometimes, longer than that.
Stay true to yourself. Do it for the love and not the money. It’ll always show in the work if you’re doing it for money and that will never have long term success. Be passionate and always tell the story as if it’s the first time telling it. At the end of the day, it’s always new to someone.
While you're here, make sure you check out some of our other Under The Influence interviews down below:
