5 Of The Best German Sneaker Stores That Should Be On Your Radar

Check out our handy guide exploring some of the very best German sneaker stores all the way from Frankfurt to Berlin selling the hottest sneaker releases from raffles to restocks.

Germany is a country full of history, subculture & of course sneakers. Household names like Hugo Boss, Karl Lagerfeld and adidas all vouch for the German’s ability to stay on top of the fashion world. The German streetwear and sneaker scene is, of course, no different. Some of the most exciting and exclusive sneaker and streetwear stores can be found spread out over Germany from Berlin in the North East to places likes Darmstadt near Frankfurt in the southwest. From exclusive adidas ZX drops to the latest European sneaker releases, in this feature we explore some of the hottest German sneaker stores that should be on your radar.

Overkill

Overkill started as a Berlin based graffiti magazine back in 1992. At the time Berlin had a huge graffiti scene and the lack of established graffiti magazines was noticeable. Overkill took off right away and it’s fair to say their concept has only grown and improved throughout the years. Located in Berlin’s trendy Kreuzberg district, Overkill’s main store still pay homage to their early graffiti beginnings. Sporting Berlins largest spray inventory the 650 square feet store stands alone as graffiti king of the German capital.

But graffiti isn’t the only thing Overkill specify in. Sneakers and apparel have also become a big focal point throughout the years. The online and physical stores feature brands like Stone Island, M+RC Noir, Jordan and C2H4 and have over 500 sneakers for you to choose between. Overkill has come a long way since 1992. The brand currently have two stores in Berlin, the main store and a woman’s exclusive store located right next to it. Once in a while the store will also host events such as art exhibitions, parties and raves. What else could you possibly want?

Solebox

Since 2002 Solebox have run their unique and innovative sneaker store concept across Europe. Every store have their own unique interior, none like the other. With their five uniquely designed stores, Solebox is a definite top contender when listing the best sneaker chains in the world. Solebox carry some really unique brands, in fact they’re one of the few places in Europe that sell Bape in-store. Other brands found are Billionaire Boys Club, Gosha, Helmut Lang, Heron Preston and of course Nike and Adidas. On July 9th 2014 the doors opened to the first Solebox store in Germany in Berlin. The futuristic, laboratory inspired interior features the iconic “Solebot”. An industrial robotic arm that hands you the sneaker of your choice. Definitely worth a visit if you’re ever in Berlin.

And if the Berlin store represents the future, the Munich store represents the past. Placed in an ancient wine cellar, Solebox Munich was the second Solebox to open in Germany. When entering the store you’re greeted by a mirrored corridor that leads you into a majestic cellar, filled with sneakers. The chain wanted to keep as much of the venues history as possible by keeping the French tile floors and the wooden side shelves. However the 200 year old shelves no longer support wine bottles, instead they support some of the most limited and exclusive sneakers on the market. If you’re ever in a city that have Solebox, it’s worth a visit. Whether it’s to cop sneakers or to appreciate the unique interiors, you won’t be disappointed.

43einhalb

Sometimes passion gets you a long way. Mischa and Oliver, the 43einhald owners, know all about this as they went from writing sneaker articles to running one of Germanys best sneaker chains. Everyone at 43einhalb is a proper sneakerhead, they live for sneakers and guarantee at least a ten minute run through on every sneaker in the store. Currently 43einhalb have two stores in Germany. One in Fulda, located in central Germany, and one in Frankfurt. The stores have sneakers from brands like Karhu, KangaROOS, Adidas and Nike as well as apparel from brands like Stüssy and Carhartt. They also have exclusive Yeezy and Jordan rights meaning some of the most hyped sneaker drops take place here.

Once in a while 43einhalb will release their own designs and takes on sneakers. With a small background in sneaker-design, Mischa and Oliver also linked up with brands like New Balance and KangaROOS to create their own masterpieces.

AFEW Store

AFEW STORE definitely deserve to be one of the best stores in Germany. The beginnings were far from easy for brothers Andy and Marco who started the concept. It all began with a basketball interest, an interest that quickly lead to wanting the exclusive sneakers worn by players like Pippen, Jordan and Penny Hardaway. The brothers became exclusive sneaker plugs for their friends and eventually took to local flea markets in Düsseldorf to increase sales. But amidst it all Andy and Marco lost their main shoe supplier and they were forced to decide whether to go all-in for the sneaker selling or to go back to their old jobs. Luckily they went all in for it and got their first venue. But two weeks prior to opening the venue was shut down due to faulty construction and the brothers we’re set back once again. After hitting the bottom the boys found a new venue and the Düsseldorf store could officially be opened. After a couple of years AFEW STORE was created.

After a face-lift in 2017, the store now sees transformable magnetic shelves hold up sneakers from some of the most exclusive brands out there. The inside will always alter depending on what kind of even they’re hosting that day. AFEW have also established themselves in the collaboration scene with collaborations with brands such as Nike, Adidas and KangaROOS.

Asphalt Gold

Last on our list, but definitely not least, is Asphaltgold. Established in 2008, the Darmstadt based store has been a dominating sneaker force for years. With exclusive sneakers from brands like Jordan, Mizuno and Karhu as well as apparel from brands such as Patagonia, Stüssy and Levis, Asphaltgold is 70m² of streetwear dreams. In 2016 the owners expanded their concept by opening AGC, Asphaltgold club. A separate store with a selection of the finest, most premium sneakers and apparel that they have to offer. The ACG store is located just 350 meter from the main store but has that extra touch on exclusiveness. The Asphaltgold team also recently launched the free Fittingroom app, an app that allows you to find your perfect sneaker size, no matter the model.