Father-daughter ‘sneakerheads’ from Henrico featured in national series
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A father and daughter from Henrico are the latest sneaker aficionados to be featured on Hibbett, Inc.’s Small-Town Sneakerhead digital series, a collection of short video profiles designed to celebrate sneaker culture.
The newest episode of the series features Kijafa McKinzie (a 44-year-old sneaker collector, husband and father from Henrico, with a passion for sneakers that spans more than 27 years) and his 16-year-old daughter, Dylan.
“We have featured a dozen sneaker enthusiasts from small towns since we launched the Small-Town Sneakerhead project over three years ago,” said Sarah Sharp-Wangaard, Hibbett’s vice president of marketing, Hibbett. “What makes this series so great is that we spotlight diverse collectors from often unexpected towns all over the US and the feedback from the sneaker community has been tremendous.”
The elder McKinzie, a native of Hampton who attended Virginia State University and now resides in Henrico, boasts a collection of 300 pairs of sneakers. His passion began at about the age of 18.
“My inspiration for collecting was initially just wanting to look good and wear what the sports stars I looked up to were wearing,” he said. “When looking for shoes I’m drawn to the nostalgic feel, where I was when the shoe was originally released and the colorway and silhouette. Being a sneakerhead means knowing the history, colorways and materials and how innovative the shoe is. I feel like I’m one of the more classic sneakerheads. For me it’s just a true love of kicks.”
Dylan McKinzie is following in her father’s footsteps by building her own sneaker collection.
“Ever since I can remember my dad has been buying me sneakers,” she said. “In the beginning, I wasn’t as interested in the sneakers and just wore them. However, after a while, I really started to get more into the different sneaker colorways and styles. Now I look for shoes that are comfortable, cute and complement my style.”
During their visit to Virginia, the STSH crew accompanied McKinzie to his home to see his “kicks closet” and visited some of his favorite spots in and around Henrico and nearby Richmond.
“My hometown is special because of its rich history and culture. Some of my favorite places are the Hippodrome Theater, and southern food spots like Mama J’s Kitchen in the historic Jackson Ward.”
The duo also stopped to do some back to school shopping, and Dylan had her eye on some new sneakers for the first day of school.
“Seeing her Mom and I on Saturday mornings trying to win sneaker raffles must have rubbed off on her,” Kijafa McKinzie said. “Dylan became more interested in sneakers when she got into high school, and just witnessing her interest in any sneakers puts a smile on my face. We look online for new releases and discuss what she feels could work for her style. She is a simple kind of girl when it comes to sneaker’s, so she normally gravitates to styles like the Jordan 1’s, Dunks and Air Force 1’s. I’m more into OG classics and colorways.
“The older she gets, the more interest she has and the more I am loving it. Participating in Small-Town Sneakerhead has been a great way for us to showcase our love for sneakers.”
"We had the pleasure of celebrating the generational passion for sneakers through the dynamic of Kijafa and Dylan in the humble town of Henrico,” said Matt Halfhill, founder and CEO of Nice Kicks. “In honor of the AF1 and Back to School, it was seamless storytelling, representing everyone getting ready for school shopping and style this fall, regardless of their hometown.”
Hibbett is an athletic-inspired fashion retailer with more than 1,140 Hibbett and City Gear specialty stores nationwide. The company is headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama.
