Jessica Herman

Falling on the heels (and then some) of the arrival of Puma and Adidas stores in Chicago, the newest sanctuary for practicing sneaker-heads recently settled into Wicker Park under the name Saint Alfred (1531 North Milwaukee).

Catering predominantly to men, Saint Alfred's shoe shrine pays tribute to major shoe-designing gods like Nike, Adidas and Visvim. Hovering between $60 and $300 per pair, these aren't your average kicks. In addition to new styles, Saint Alfred specializes in European and Japanese releases, dead stock from yesteryears, remakes of retro styles and a barrage of limited editions spawned from creative and promotional collaborations. You'll find everything from purple patent leather kicks promoting Lebron James to Micopacer running shoes that keep track of time and distance to the Yohji Yamamoto-designed Adidas Y-3.

Besides pricey footwear, Saint Alfred carries an assortment of bold colored tees and jackets designed by the skating and surfing scene's heavy hitters, including Stussy, Dr. Romanelli, Bittersweet, Anx and A Bathing Ape.

"It's a sickness really, and I have the results to show it," says manager Krabby Rangoon, a self-described sneaker addict since childhood. He lifts the hem of his jeans to show and tell about the work of art on his feet at the moment: Nike limited editions spiced up with blue, yellow and fuchsia splashes and "safari print" leather.

It's a fast fall from fan to fanatic, so watch your wallet. These casual kicks don't come cheap.

(2005-10-11)

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