The closure of Atmos leaves a void in Philly’s sneaker community

After three years of operation, boutique sneaker shop Atmos will permanently close its doors on Jan. 31. The store, l at 1509 Walnut St., announced a 70% off closing sale on Instagram last week. Its closure adds to the string of big-name retail stores that have shuttered in Center City, including Rainbow, Kitchen Kapers, and West Elm, among others.

Atmos was the go-to spot for Philly sneakerheads, including South Philly native Jerome Whitfield Jr.“It was instrumental [in sneaker culture] because Atmos, with its regular “tier-zero” shoe drops, was one of the few boutiques you’d see with exclusive shoes,” he said. “But now that Atmos is gone, it’s one less local option.”

The closure comes less than a year after the city’s first-ever Sneaker Con, which drew thousands to the Philadelphia Convention Center in February 2023 to buy, sell, and trade the world’s rarest sneakers.

“Philadelphia is one of the most underrated sneaker communities in the country,” Sneaker Con founder Alan Vinogradov said then.

Years before Atmos was established, the Walnut Street location was already a staple in Philly’s sneaker community, said Northeast Philly resident Luis Ledesma

The Tokyo-based Atmos replaced famed boutique UBIQ, a prime sneaker shop that served customers for nearly two decades. The brand merged with Atmos in November 2020 to create Atmos USA.

“I was blessed to witness the glow up since the UBIQ days when I first started collecting [shoes],” Ledesma said. “Atmos really became a central hub for the city. The brands Atmos carried definitely added [the] style that Philly needed.”

Atmos’ Philadelphia location isn’t the only one to shut down. Last October, Footwear News reported the closing of all Atmos stores across North America, including its New York and D.C. locations, and announced the brand’s plans to expand in Japan and throughout Asia.

”We are confident that this is the right move for Atmos and will help us continue to work in service of bringing sneaker and street culture to our customers in Asia,” said Patrick Walsh, Atmos senior vice president and general manager, in a statement to the outlet.

With Atmos and other retailers closing along Chestnut and Walnut Streets, Whitfield said it has made visits to Center City less desirable. “It was always a place to hang out with friends and shop, but now that they’re gone, I don’t know if it’s worth making that trip anymore,” he said.

For photographer and West Philly resident Will Williams, the only remaining storefront for high-profile sneakers is Lapstone and Hammer, which sells high-end kicks and apparel on 1106 Chestnut St.

The boutique, Williams hopes, will continue to be a mainstay in the area. “Lapstone and Hammer have community events all the time, so they’re really locked in with the people who are shopping there,” said Williams, who previously worked as a photographer for Snipes. “That’s one of the unique advantages that smaller businesses have. Bigger businesses aren’t really going to take that approach.”

As businesses move in and out of the area, Williams wants a “healthy mix” of stores like Lapstone and Hammer and big name brands in Center City. “Big retail giants are cool and all, but let’s get some local stuff going on in here,” he said. “Let’s get the people in here who are from our neighborhoods.”