With every lace cleaned, sole restored, sneaker bottom re-iced, stain removed and surface repainted, Revival X Brooklyn is not only repairing sneakers for the community — it’s showing what’s possible.
Originally founded in 2023, Revival X Brooklyn has moved from its principal location in Bedford-Stuyvesant to a new shop in Bushwick. The move marks a full-circle moment for owner Ricardo Pierre, a Brooklyn native who grew up in the Sea Rise Houses in Coney Island. Pierre uses his store as a platform for young people, placing them in positions to succeed.
Pierre, like most kids, spent his time cleaning his own sneakers before going out. Growing up in New York, he learned the importance of fashion and the emphasis on having fresh sneakers. He worked in sneaker retail at places such as Converse, Nike and Stadium Goods, a popular resale store in SoHo. His proximity to the business and encounters with sneaker collectors on the job deepened his appreciation and understanding of the industry.
Sneakers helped Pierre find community. He also appreciated how the industry brought so many people together from different backgrounds. He remembers how long sneaker lines used to be on the day of new sneaker releases, how he and his friends would wake up early for raffles. It was always bigger than sneakers.
“It’s a community,” he said. “We all want and care about the same thing.”
Pierre was inspired by his brother-in-law’s sneaker business, which was gaining momentum. At first, he didn’t think he could turn sneaker cleaning into a career. But after seeing the demand — and how far people were willing to travel to Mount Vernon for the service — he realized he could provide the same in Brooklyn.
Early on, Pierre said he didn’t fully understand his calling or the broader purpose behind sneakers.
“Honestly, in the beginning, I was just doing it because I needed to do something with my life and I wasn’t trying to work for anybody,” he said. The community’s response validated his work. Most of his clientele comes from returning customers and referrals. “When kids come out of school and they see me — a young Black male with my own business — they’re just like, ‘Yo, I can’t even believe this.”
Pierre has become a role model for young Black and Brown youth in Brooklyn. Through Revival X, he shows that it’s possible to create something positive regardless of where you come from. He is also breaking stereotypes. Many of the kids “always tell me they never pictured someone like me being their boss, because most bosses don’t look like me — they’re usually in a suit,” he said.
Through the city’s Summer Youth Employment Program, Pierre has helped many young people get jobs at his business. He has also helped some turn their lives around.
In the summertime, I get kids with active court cases,” Pierre said. “These kids feel like they have nothing to look forward to — like it’s either the streets or nothing. They tell me how hard it is to focus in school because there’s too much going on. When they see me, I just tell them, you’ll get through it. Trust me, you’re gonna realize you’re in a better place.”
Three years in, Pierre said opening a business was one of the biggest risks he has taken. There are still aspects of running a business he doesn’t fully understand, and he learns something new every day. And the reward, he said, has been worth the risk.
“If you’re gonna work for yourself, you gotta be all in,” Pierre said. “When I decided to work for myself, I made sure I had no backup. The struggle is just going to make me stronger.”
Pierre encourages young people to look into the sneaker cleaning business as an avenue of making income and using it as a way to network. He also hopes that the youth expand their horizons and get out of their comfort zones.
“Try everything out,” he said. “The first thing you want to do might not be what you want to do for the rest of your life. I’m not even sure if I want to do this forever, but it’s gonna get me somewhere until I figure it out.”
For more information, check out Revival X Brooklyn on Instagram, or stop by the shop at 1399 Myrtle Ave. in Bushwick.
