The Rise of Saved Soles: Where Sneakers and Faith Create Community in Topeka | Eric Patterson

Eric Patterson turned his childhood sneaker obsession into Saved Soles, Topeka's first high-end sneaker store where faith and footwear create unexpected community. This 23-year-old entrepreneur shares his journey from selling lemonade door-to-door to opening a thriving business in Westridge Mall.

• Saved Soles specializes in buying, selling, and trading high-end sneakers like Jordans, Nikes, and Yeezys
• The store has been operating in Westridge Mall for about nine months with plans to expand to a larger location
• Patterson explains how certain sneakers become valuable collectibles, with some models selling for thousands
• Growing up as a pastor's kid, Patterson integrates his faith into his business practices and name
• His first entrepreneurial venture was "Little Eric's Pink Lemonade" at age 8, turning $80 into $500
• Patterson's father taught him important business lessons like "if you don't make a sale, you can make a friend"
• The new, expanded Saved Soles location will feature a custom shoe lab where customers can personalize their footwear
• Despite skeptics saying a sneaker store wouldn't work in Topeka, the business has thrived through local support
• Patterson recommends Price Package for burgers, a food truck at 21st and California for tacos, and Doughboy's Pizzeria
• He's completed over 100 escape rooms across the country, becoming a self-described "escape room connoisseur"

Visit Saved Soles at Westridge Mall in Topeka or find them on Instagram, Facebook, and especially Snapchat, which Patterson says is still their biggest audience.
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0:00 - Welcome to Saved Soles Sneaker Store
5:00 - The High-End Sneaker Market Explained
11:36 - Saves Soles: Business Growth and Expansion
18:33 - Early Entrepreneurial Beginnings
27:15 - Faith's Role in Business Success
36:02 - Topeka Business Insights and Challenges
39:13 - Rapid Fire: Local Favorites and Hobbies

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