Ron Crawford is the sneaker store UBIQ‘s “Mr. Everything” here in Philly. So by that extension, to a certain strata of Sneaker People, he is the Everything of Everything. Ron does the buying for the store, along with the marketing and general day-to-day operations of the store on 1509 Walnut St. But he’s also an ambassador of Sneaker Culture; check him out explaining the culture of sneakers and streetware as the media liaison for SneakerPimps USA. After the jump, Christopher Tucker takes five with Ron; we learn things.
 
CT: Hey Ron.  As I mentioned in our chat today, I love the original Adidas SL72s. I think that all sneakers fall short of that shoe. But when I go to the sneaker culture stores, I never see that style. What’s up with that?

RC: Weird, huh? I just saw a blue SL72 over at the Adidas store on 5th and South. Adidas has so many slept-on styles, and I think that every company out there is trying to keep up with the others, so they mock each other’s styles and color ways, instead of just believing in their own product.

CT: What is the world’s most important sneaker?  Like, if there were a United Sneaker Federation and they took a vote on it, which sneaker would come out on top? 

RC: I can give you two, and they’re both from the same company. The battle would be between the AF1 (Air Force One) and Jordan.The Real OGs  (I am talking about my old heads) would vote Af1; the new school kids would go Air Jordan…Hands down The Af1 has more history, but the AJ has more of a legacy to it. I am going to call this one a draw.
 
CT: How do you feel about Velcro?

RC: Wow! I can’t do it…unless it’s a strap, it’s a wrap!
 
CT: I have a five-year-old son. His baby shoes were sneakers: Rod Lavers, the archetypal ones in forest green. I’m getting them bronzed, the way parents used to have their baby’s shoes bronzed. Is this normal? Like, have you heard of other parents doing this? 

RC: Hell yea! My mom has my first pair of lil’ white boots somewere… I have a few pairs of kicks in kid’s sizes, so that when I do have my kid they will have a nice starter pack ready to go…
 
CT: What kicks are you rocking right now?

RC: It’s raining right now, so I have on a pair of beaters on… Air Trainer one’s (one of my favorite Nikes styles). Prep pack from 2003…it’s actually the first shoe that I ever copped from UBIQ.
 
CT: Why do so many indie rockers wear chucks? 

RC: Kurt Cobain… nuff said!
 
CT: Best shoe ever? 

RC: I am working on it!!!

Previously: On The Scene Report: The Cure, Wachovia Center

Read more Philebrity interviews here.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, May 20th, 2008 at 10:50 am.