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Family tragedy leads brothers to create 'Got Sole' sneaker swap meets
Over the past decade, Jonathan and Joseph Dimodica's business "Got Sole" has expanded from Boston to New York, Los Angeles and Miami. The sneaker-focused swap meet gives other entrepreneurs, young and old, the outlet to buy, sell and trade sneakers ranging in price from $50 dollars to $50,000. Natalie Bomke reports.
CHICAGO - A family tragedy led two young brothers to some sole searching. They built a lucrative sneaker business that has since grown from the East Coast, nationwide and next weekend it will be debuting in Chicago.
Jonathan and Joseph Dimodica founded a family business with a passion and a prayer. The idea grew out of devastation.
"Black smoke comes up, and the house is on fire and we walked out and never walked back in. You don’t prepare for a moment like that," Jonathan said as he described a fire that took his family’s home about ten years ago.
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With a desire to provide for their family, their mother a bartender and father a carpenter, the brothers began cleaning and painting sneakers for cash. Then, they had an idea.
"We went to a local swap meet type of thing and Jonathan looked at me and said why can't we do this, but better," said Joseph.
Over the past decade, their business "Got Sole" has expanded from Boston to New York, Los Angeles and Miami. The sneaker-focused swap meet gives other entrepreneurs, young and old, the outlet to buy, sell and trade sneakers ranging in price from $50 dollars to $50,000.
There are celebrity appearances, giveaways and hundreds of vendors.
"I think it's very community driven. If I see someone that's wearing a popular pair of sneakers that I like it's almost like without saying anything we're interested in the same stuff…I think that's a huge thing for sneakers, it's the community," said Jonathan as he explained the sneaker craze.
Got Sole is coming to the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont Saturday, March 11 from noon to 6pm. Entry is $35 dollars.