In New York’s Lower East Side, where sneaker culture reigns supreme, it’s not uncommon to see a line wrapping around the block outside of District One, a resale store “for the people.” Opened in 2021 by native New Yorkers and husband-and-wife duo Daniel Arango and Kristi Gonzalez, the shop is known for dropping the latest releases and selling pre-owned sneakers for a steal.
Daniel made a name for himself in the streets lining up for new releases, and used that credibility to join forces with his rival shoe seller, Simon Lum, leading to the launch of two brick-and-mortar stores. He’s also been a prominent seller on eBay since 2007, moving over 14,000 pairs and bringing NYC’s sneaker scene to enthusiasts worldwide.
We sat down with Daniel and Kristi of District One to hear how they turned their passion for sneakers into a profitable business, in their own words:
A love of NYC and sneakers
Daniel: We were both born and raised in NYC and have extreme pride. I’m from Queens and Kristi is from the Lower East Side. Being from New York and opening a sneaker store in New York and running what I think may be the biggest buy-sell-trade business in New York is a blessing, and we're so proud.
Kristi: Actually our store name, District One, is an homage to the Lower East Side. District 1 is the school district in the heart of the neighborhood, where Daniel and I met in high school. I wanted a name that would represent where the store is and where we came from. No matter where we go from here, this is where we started.
Daniel: New Yorkers have always been ahead of the game when it comes to sneakers. Since I was a kid, I’ve loved seeing what sneakers people were wearing. I couldn’t afford them, and my mom would only buy me one or two pairs a year. As I got older, I wanted to amass a collection, and that’s what ultimately led me to reselling.
Their journey from streets to storefront
Daniel: My journey in the sneaker business began 12 years ago. I would line up for new releases in NYC, take them home, and then list them on eBay and sell them for more. Once I graduated from college, I decided I was going to focus full-time on reselling. I started buying everything that was coming out and listing them on eBay.
Kristi: In 2015, Daniel asked me if I’d quit my corporate job and join him because he couldn’t keep up with the demand. I used my background in customer service and retail to help him scale the business so he could focus on what he was really good at, finding the dopest sneakers in NYC.
Daniel: In 2019, we partnered up with Simon, my main competitor. We joined forces to sell out of an office, and then used the profit to open District One in the Lower East Side in 2021. It was life-changing for us and we made more money than we ever have. From there, we opened our second storefront in February and continue to scale.
I think our street cred is why we’re one of the most well-respected sneaker resellers in New York, but also the country. We put in our work in the streets for seven years and started from zero. People know we’re fair, we don’t overprice our sneakers just to make a dollar.
Selling to collectors and everyday New Yorkers
Daniel: We basically sell a lifestyle. So without the sneaker community, we wouldn’t be anything. Sneakerheads cash out all the time for the newest releases, both in our store and on eBay. So we cater to a lot of collectors as well as average people who just want a nice pair of sneakers.
Kristi: My favorite shoes that we currently sell for collectors are the Futura Nike SB Dunks. Futura aka Leonard McGurr is a graffiti artist whose work is reflective of the Lower East Side and New York in the ‘90s when there was graffiti art everywhere. Another favorite is the Bad Bunny Adidas Gazelle San Juan. Bad Bunny is a popular musician from Puerto Rico who speaks to the plight of Latinos and celebrates our culture.
Daniel: We also sell what everyday New Yorkers are wearing. The trend has evolved recently from Jordans to Asics and New Balances to Hokas and On Clouds. We carry shoes in a wide range of prices, so you can walk in the store with $20, $50, $100, or even six figures and find a pair. There’s something for everybody.
The Futura Nike SB Dunks (left) and the Bad Bunny Adidas Gazelle San Juan (right) are two of Daniel and Kristi’s favorite sneaker collabs.
Dropping sneakers on eBay to create hype
Kristi: We do what we call drops on eBay. Every Wednesday and Saturday we schedule a bunch of new listings to go live at a certain time and advertise it on our Instagram and TikTok channels. It excites buyers and helps them know when they can get the new merchandise.
What sells in our eBay store is a little different than what sells in our brick-and-mortar store. On eBay, there’s a wider audience, so we see a ton of sales for Jordans and Adidas. People also love vintage sneakers on eBay, so we sell a lot of Nike Dunks and other shoes from the early ‘00s like the Adidas Yeezy Boost 750. Pricier stuff sells well on eBay, too.
Daniel: Having an established brand outside of eBay that’s trustworthy differentiates us from other eBay sellers. With around 8,500 people following our eBay store, we get a lot of repeat customers. So we reach out to that community and provide exceptional customer service so they’ll stick around.
Their advice for sellers
Daniel: Everyone wants to open a sneaker store, and I find it amusing because we didn’t open one until we were 10 years in and had saved up a lot of money. I recommend selling out of your house until you’ve built up some capital.
Also, follow the trends, and don’t be scared to evolve your business. You can’t be hard-headed when the market is changing. The market doesn’t care about your feelings, and you’ll get left behind if you don’t adjust. Be malleable, and never get stuck in one way. We sell our product differently every year.
Lastly, ensure your sneakers are authentic. We hired someone with 10 years of experience in authenticating sneakers, and we look at every shoe with two pairs of eyes before we make an offer on it.
Giving back to the Lower East Side
Daniel: We do a lot for our Lower East Side community. We've given away thousands of pairs since we opened, and we give out turkeys at Thanksgiving and free food at events. People call us a bank because we’re open 7 days a week, and we buy 200 pairs of shoes a day from regular, everyday people. We pay out same-day and we’ve helped neighbors in a pinch pay for weddings, funerals, and cancer treatments.
As first and second-generation Latinos, we’re grateful to have made it to the point where we can care for a lot of people. Right now we have 21 employees, and in five years I hope we have 100. We just want to keep pushing and creating opportunities and becoming financially independent. But we’re only 32 years old, we’re not retiring yet.
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