Sole Purpose

LaneyKickz adds a bold new step to downtown’s revival

By: Jeremy Angione | Photos By: Ashlee Glen

During the ongoing revitalization of historic downtown Lynchburg, several new businesses have been born with the help of Downtown Lynchburg Association’s Launch LYH grant program. One of the most recent grant winners was 23-year-old Delaney Armenti, who opened LaneyKickz October 4.

LaneyKickz is, in essence, the expansion of a business Armenti was already running through social media and local popups, which buys, resells, and showcases new and used sneakers.

Armenti is a Lynchburg native who always considered herself a “sneakerhead”. Despite her passion, Armenti seemingly always prioritized her own growth.

“One of the hardest things I had to do was sell pretty much my entire sneaker collection to afford a MacBook for college,” Armenti said.

She attended Sweet Briar College to study performing arts and later transferred to Randolph College.

“I knew this small sacrifice would be an investment in my future,” she shared.

According to Armenti, opening LaneyKickz was a necessity to meet the growing demands of her customers in and beyond the Lynchburg area. She recalls being unable to walk across the Randolph College campus without engaging in some sort of business with a potential customer.

“I realized from selling my collection that there was a demand and people wanted affordable sneakers in Lynchburg. So from there, I literally would buy as many shoes as possible. Then I realized that just selling and flipping shoes wasn’t enough. I needed connections, I needed to reach people outside of the area, because I started to get online orders,” Armenti explained.

At 23 years old, Armenti believes her youth is an asset to her business’ growth and potential. With the opening of LaneyKickz, she’s made accessibility and affordability for her products a priority.

Despite now having a permanent location, Armenti keeps herself immersed in the fluid culture that often accompanies fashion and trends. She goes to conventions, boasts a growing social media presence, and ultimately, she knows and caters to her consumer base.

“Yeah, I’m 23 years old, but I’m smart enough to know that when your community will show up for you, you better show up for them,” Armenti said.
LaneyKickz nestled itself into 1107 Main Street. For those familiar with the downtown area, Armenti’s space was previously home to bike and skate shop Scene3.

“It’s clear and evident that people miss his business and that they loved it,” Armenti said.

LaneyKickz offers footwear popular in skate culture and keeps some of the skateboards up from Scene3 as a way to pay tribute to the history of the space Armenti now inhabits.

The rest of the shop, unsurprisingly, is adorned from floor to ceiling and wall to wall, with sneakers. LaneyKickz sells a variety of new and used sneakers, curated vintage clothing, and the latest in streetwear brands.

“Every single day there are new items hitting the floor,” Armenti said.

Perhaps the most unique aspect of LaneyKickz is the stage at the back of the store. While it serves as a focal point for the space, its eventual purpose is to be a hub for producing in-house online content in the form of podcasts, live music, and live content and inventory showcases, broadcasted to Armenti’s growing online audience.

No matter what she is doing for her business, Armenti likes to express her creativity, which she suggests is a cornerstone of sneakerhead culture. She credits her performing arts experience for her lively online and in person presence.

“That art is something that never really leaves your soul,” Armenti said.

She has a thriving online business due to her consistent social media presence, and due, in part, to her word-of-mouth marketing and personable attitude.

“I think being a Lynchburg native plays a big role. When you’re from this area, understand the culture, and where people come from, I can better serve you.

The Lynchburg community and the people are so deserving of nice things, and they will show up for you,” Armenti said.

She says that she wanted the space to have an upscale, city feeling.

“I wanted to provide an atmosphere that doesn’t feel like we’re in Lynchburg,” Armenti explained.

To expand her visibility, Armenti often visits larger cities like Miami, Chicago, and New York City to explore conventions and the differences in business practices and sneakerhead cultures.

Armenti says that her community often asks why she didn’t choose to open a store in one of the bigger cities where sneakerhead culture is more pervasive.

“Cause it starts where home is. It starts where people make sacrifices, and they’re invested in what you have to offer. How can you not work hard? How does that not motivate you?” Armenti exclaimed.

Compared to her passion for sneakerhead culture, Armenti’s passion for people and her community is just as strong. She recalled a time when her Instagram account was taken down due to the influx of traffic because of the recent announcement of her Launch LYH win.

Armenti’s supporters sprang into action and began to contact Instagram to have her account reinstated. She was brought to tears when thinking about
her success and being able to give back to her community.

“Some of my customers come from nothing, and some of my customers have it all, and it just feels really healing to see people getting things they’ve always wanted,” Armenti explained.

There is no LaneyKickz website, although she posts frequently to Instagram, where she showcases her latest inventory. You can find her at @LaneyKickz.