The Collectibility of Chummy’s Custom Footwear with Colin Szumski

Could you do something with a Jordan rookie card built into a shoe?

I definitely guess we're thinking we can definitely come up with something cool.

That's nice.

Welcome to the Collector Nation podcast here on the Collector Nation Network.

Whether you're chasing trails or calling bluffs,

you take you inside the hobby.

Here's your host, Ryan Alford.

Collectibles aren't just cards and memorabilia anymore.

They're experiences, stories, and one of kind pieces that can't be replicated.

Today, we're talking about a brand that treats sneakers the same way collectors treat trails.

Colin Chiminski, the founder and creative director of Chummy's Custom Shoes,

creates true one-of-one pieces.

We're who with major teams, athletes, and brands where no two pairs are ever the same.

We're breaking down how custom sneakers fit into the collectibles world.

What it's like creating for the biggest stages and why scarcity and story matter.

More than hype.

Colin, welcome to Collector Nation.

Appreciate it, Ryan.

Thank you for having me.

Yeah, man.

Did our intro segment get it right?

I think, yeah, overall, I think that's the big picture for sure.

Definitely telling a story through our shoes for sure.

Yeah, I mean, it's cool, man.

It's like, you think about it in some ways, and I know, look, I'm in the shoe game like

that much.

Like, I know what I like.

Stuff hits my radar and I buy it, but I'm not like, I'd be lying to say, I'm like,

oh, I'm knee-deep in it.

But you know, I know like shoe surgeon, some of the like pioneers like creative custom shoes,

those kind of people I'm connected with and aware of.

So it's not necessarily new, but it's not, it's interesting that we haven't

maybe come further along in this.

But when I saw what you were doing, I was like, this makes a lot of sense.

When did you realize, you know, what you were making wasn't just footwear,

but what was collectible?

Well, funny enough, I actually, so after I graduated,

just kind of skipping around a little bit, I actually visited the shoe surgeon,

in a way to potentially work there.

Didn't get the job, but there's what it is.

Everything happens for a reason.

Yep.

Um, so, but I mean, yeah, so I went to school for architecture, so that's kind of like my background.

So I think I've always felt I've had a different way of looking at things.

So I was just creating shoes all throughout school.

During COVID, that's when I started.

And then I was just kind of making just, I think it really started just making cool things

and trying to thicken outside the box.

But I think when it really started to click with the collector market,

was when we introduced our jersey shoes, which is, if you're not familiar,

we pretty much take your favorite players jersey, your favorite team jersey,

and cut that up and put it onto a shoe.

And doing that, that's been able to bring us a lot of cool opportunities,

and bring us to a lot of cool events, meet a lot of cool people.

And that really started from, it was when the Chiefs and the Super Bowl, yeah,

the Chiefs and the Niners were playing in the Super Bowl in Vegas.

And around that time was a Christian Jiu-Sek, I've always put your name.

But she's a girl.

That's a tough one.

Yeah, tough for the mind.

I thought Tom Skie was hard, but you know, now that I know it, I got it.

Right.

Yeah, well like she was, that was like when the big rise and

popularity around the Jack, the custom game day fits and the Jackets and things like that.

So I just thought of like, no one has really done it on a pair of shoes.

So that's when the first shoe came about, it was during that Super Bowl.

And then I did it one for both the 49ers and the Chiefs.

And those videos did really well.

And then ever since then, it just been kind of a steamroll.

Next player was Jason Kelsey, then Mahomes, and then

Palamalu and then Aaron Judge.

So I think it's cool how these shoes are not just for football.

Like it could be any team, any player from any sport we'd done rugby shoes before.

I mean, a bunch of people have reached out to us about like cricket.

So motorcross F1. So I mean, I think that's one of the cool things about what we do is there really is no

really is no limitations on what we can do.

It's how many people are bot.

How many people are wearing these shoes versus just putting them in the case?

So that's a good question.

I feel like it's 50, 50.

I'll take that back.

I think people wear them once for the event or for the moment or whatever it is.

And then they'll put them up.

So I think, I mean, I've had a couple people, they like, they wear them to like a meet and greet.

Like one one guy we had a meet and greet with Jason Kelsey.

He wore them, showed them the shoes, and he signed the shoes, and then he put them up in a case.

So that's part of the cool thing too is players have seen these and signed these.

And I was just on Mark Price's interview or podcast about a month or two ago,

because he saw the shoes that someone made, and then he signed those.

The basketball player?

Yeah, it cares.

So yeah, I don't know.

It's cool to see how these shoes have given us access to all these different types of people.

Yeah, man, it's smart.

I mean, and also just, it's not surprising when a creative guy, you're, look, I can't open the

ad agency business.

So I'm the, I was the strategic creative account guy.

So I was a weird hybrid of these things.

So, uh, but creative people using that creativity also to start kind of,

because you could point that towards a lot of different things, but using your kind of ability

to design and, and build and do these things creatively in a space that has kind of this

culture and commerce, and it's super smart.

And like, it's so cool, because it gives you this access, like you say, because that's how I was

thinking, I was like, how this guy created this thing that then these superstars, and you're right,

they want to get behind it, because they're attached to it, right?

Yeah, no, for sure.

I think, I think the coolest, one of the coolest moments for me was, uh, definitely going to

the Super Bowl and meeting the Manning Brothers and doing a pair for, for them.

And those shoes have like, luckily, they, I mean, they won two Super Bowls each, so it was

cool to have like, each of the toe boxes had one of the patches from the, the jersey.

So, and then also meeting, uh, DeWayne Wade, this past, our basil and Miami, to, uh,

to celebrate his 20 year, uh, 20 year anniversary for the Miami Heat06 finals win.

So, I think it's cool how, because I don't know, I feel like guys of their stature,

they like, they just get products and gifts and stuff that don't like mean anything,

or like, they see it once and then it just goes in their closet and they're probably never

be seen again. So I think what we do is cool how, I feel like, the biggest thing that we do is

drag emotion out of what we get or what we serve, um, and just seeing the reaction on the guys

face, because it's like, most people have never seen something like this before.

So it's always cool to see their, their genuine reaction. And I think you can tell it kind of,

it hits, hits them close to home a little bit. It kind of takes them back in their career.

I mean, Josh Allen's my favorite player, Colin, if you wanted to know, I was staying.

I know we could put him right up by those green ones there.

I can, this, I mean, you can move right out. You know, we could put a label, Colin, which,

you know, Tommy's his, his, you know, you have to cut me a, you know, a deal on something.

Is, uh, if you don't mind, what are we talking about here? You know, let's go right at it,

because if I'm listening, I'm going, damn, I want me some custom shoes. So if you're willing,

like, what, what are we talking about, like starting point, like for something that you do?

I would say starting point is probably around 850, uh, which, which in, at least for our

pricing, it includes the shoes, the Air Force ones and the jersey. But I would say the more design

stuff, or I guess anything on top of that is probably around the 1100 to 1250 ish.

A reasonable for custom. I'm telling you that's not, I mean, that's reasonable.

Yeah, I think, yeah, I agree. Is that, yeah, I'm just telling you, if you're listening, like,

and you're going, whoa, let me look, you paid, you know, $4, $5, $600, some of these shoes that are

just like everybody else's. So you get a one-on-one, I mean, is everything one-on-one still Colin?

Are we duplicating anything? For the most part, everything is one-on-one, but we always have

people come into us for, for, for bulk orders, um, things like that. So they might get

5, 6, 7, 8 of the same thing. Yeah, sometimes, but I mean, we've had orders as big as like 70 to

100 pairs. Yeah, for these companies and brands. So all starting with, so everything starts with

the base shoe of an Air Force one. That is the most popular. And is this, I mean, am I holding up

essentially what you start with? Pretty much. I personally like the Air Force just because,

at least, how our style is, I think it fits better. I think there's more space on the side of the

shoe. Yeah. You'll be able to see more of the player name, but it's, yeah, essentially, yeah,

similar. Yeah, we could do any brand, Adidas, Puma, some people send you the shoes. Yes,

some, if they have like a very specific, if they want like a Jordan 3 or 11 or something like that,

or if they already have it, yeah, that would work. This is my brand color, my original brand,

radical, my ad agency. So these are some of my custom. Yeah. But yeah, the, uh,

similar, I mean, it's the exact same model shoe, actually. Yeah. So I mean, people,

they send us a shoes, they send us a jersey if they have like a collection, or maybe like,

if they have like an old player that doesn't play for the team anymore,

like Cooper Cup. We've had a lot of people reach out to us about sending their,

their Rams jerseys to us, just because what are they going to do with that now? But hey,

now you can make a cool shoe out of it. I think we need a mashup between Tommy's with, uh,

you know, a reclaimed cards, like it's a, like you get the shoe and then the card together,

like framed or something like that. Yeah, I agree. We've actually, we've have talked to

a couple of times. So that's, you know, that could be a cool collab. I think, I think

collector nation needs to be in there, like bringing it together. You know,

here in, at collect, uh, collector station, we've got a huge store in like, we need like,

we need like factory build right now. I'm getting a report, but we'll bring it together somehow,

some way. Uh, and maybe it's a, look, we had him on, you'll get a kick at this column.

I have a Jordan rookie. It's probably PSA five. I haven't had a grade yet. Um,

those are going for about six K six seven K depending on whatever. I was just going to let him

butcher it, cut it up and turn it into something custom, but a real card. Yeah. Maybe you could,

what, what would you do? Could you do something with a Jordan rookie card built into a shoe?

Have you ever done that? Something with a card. Now, within like the memorabilia itself,

like the jersey or something. I haven't. It definitely gets me thinking though. Yeah. There's,

there's something something. I can tell there was something baller about just going, cut that

six thousand dollar card, but then it goes into something one to one and it was made with the

real rookie card. I think there was something. I mean, Jordan's my favorite player. Yeah,

the like basketball was Josh Allen football Jordan basketball. Um, anyway, I think it's,

I think it's interesting because some people could look at that and think that it's worth more,

but then also people think, oh, you just ruined it. Now it's worth nothing. So I think it's,

I don't know. It's a cool, cool conversation, cool, cool perspective. Good job.

Blit it. Could you make it? And I don't know. It's probably easier for him making a custom card out of

a card. Or you, I don't know how you build, you know, you might have to cut the cardboard, you

know, shave. I don't know. It's how you're creative. You might just come up with something.

I can look. Hey, that might get you guys excited because I'm giving you a half,

giving you a six, six cake hard to work with. That could be, uh, and then if we had a,

a signature and a game warns like jersey, it could get pretty bad ass. Yeah.

So we'll think about that. Um, I know every, you know, we talked about it.

You create a, I mean, look, you create a shoe and it creates a story. But a lot of these shoes

have stories because of, you know, the game warn or whatever, you know, remember Bill, you might

have come with it. Um, how important is that for you? I think it's really important to be honest.

I think that's because we always, I mean, as Chummy's, we believe that we're more than a shoe

company. Like, yeah, we make the shoes, but that's not, I feel like that's not the main thing

that we sell. I think we really sell the story really, ideally, pretty much. I get, we really

strive on our moments. So whatever that moment is trying to take that and put it into a shoe

to be able to put it up on your shelf like these. And now every time that you look at it, you can,

it takes you back to, to that moment, whether whatever that moment is, it doesn't have to be

a sporting accomplishment. It could be, I don't know, maybe you sold your business or

maybe you just had a kid or something like that. So I don't know, just life, championship moments,

I really, what, what we focus on. Um, that's really what drives everything, especially for me,

personally. I think, yeah, I think that's, that's what we want to get out of life really. Just

moment. How many pairs of shoes has Colin custom made, personally, personally, is it thousands

at this point hundreds? I would say, I would say in the thousands, for sure, I mean, at this point,

I'm not, I'm not touching every single shoe. Yeah, at this point. Yeah, let's talk about that

growth and that scale. You know, what's that been like and how have we done it? It's been good

and tough overall good. But I think the hardest part for me was letting go because I think of, I'm

like, I don't know, this is kind of like my baby. Yeah. I have found people that I trust a little

bit enough to, to get me hands off. It's been hard, but I mean, I've found Chris, I don't know,

he's more like the CEO business guy. So I found him to be able to take care of all the,

all that side of stuff so I can really focus on the creative and what I'm good at. But yeah,

no, it's been, it's been tough to let go. And so that's, that's something I'm, I'm trying to

work on and just trying to get confident and for sure. How many shoe makers do we have or,

and is it all, I mean, is it all by hand still? Yes, I mean, right now we have, I would say four or

five artisans right now, but if we have a big order, we can bring in more. Eventually our goal,

or one of our goals is to create our own shoe. So working on that to be able to large your numbers

and be able to play with the designs more and things like that. And honestly, it's to get

away from Nike too, because I know you probably know what happened with the surgeon and everything.

Yeah, they're very, so happy. I was saying, yes, they got money to throw lawyers. That's the thing.

They can always outspend you, you know, like, I'll care for your ability. I mean, Nike can always

not at ten times outspend you if they want to. Right. But it doesn't make sense, you know, it doesn't

have to make sense. Yeah, but I will say what we're doing is completely legal. We buy the shoes and

the jersey from licensed retailers, the products, and we cut that up and make it into a one-on-one

piece of art. So we are in the clear. No, that's good. It's smart. You don't, I mean, you just,

you don't need to poke the bear. Right. No need. And you know, and you like their shoes,

oh, and you're good with their shoes. That's how you probably love all their business practices.

Most people don't. But, you know, what do you do? So when did the big teams start knocking on the door

and what's that process been like, you know, working with, you know, more of the larger corporations

than the major teams? Yeah. The first one was the Philadelphia Eagles. So what we did with them

was they actually gave me a game used football and a game war and brain and grained jersey.

The cool thing about that jersey was it was the salute to service game jersey. So it had the

the KMO captain's patch. So what they wanted to do with that was we commissioned, we were commissioned

to do, I think it was seven or eight pairs from that one jersey. Half of them weren't going to be

auctioned off for the Eagles Autism Foundation. And they actually gifted one to Brandon Graham.

And I'm not sure what they did with the other ones. But that was like the first, first big

brand deal. And then it kind of moved into the sponsored content. So pretty much, like for Pringles,

for example, we worked with them. It was the start of football season. They wanted to make

a custom Pringles fleet and then we recorded video and post it. So that was like another big brand

deal. But yeah, I don't know. I think I've learned a lot from that first one compared to

to where we are now, how everybody operates and things like that, how to make it go smoother,

for sure. Yeah, the brand thing's interesting. I mean, it's probably a good way to augment.

Hey, I hope you're marking it up. Big town for this brand. It's not like I got a lot of

pump it up. You know, throw in some extra, you know, I don't know, frizzle frazzle. I call it

a, it's called the pita tax, paying in the ass, a deal with a big brand. Usually, and I'm not

any of my Pringles. I don't know, I've worked with them specifically, but I've been the ad agency

world. I've worked with the largest brands in the world. We're great. And a lot of them are

paying the ass. Yeah. But hey, they got corporate lawyers. They get all that stuff. And what happens

in the custom shoe if he, if it's not reinforced and someone slips, you know, and yeah, who knows,

what you can get into, but that's cool, man. What's your favorite, like, was there like a pinch

myself moment, like a player or somebody, you know, you've already named some big names, but like,

you know, for you personally. I think the first one was bringing my homes. We did, we worked with

her stylist to do a pair for her. This was two years ago or so, but she wore them on the field

and she posted them too, which that kind of led. That's nice. Yeah. So thank you. Yeah. So that

actually led us into getting an article of People Magazine, which I was super cool. And then

this past November, I'm from Cleveland. So I don't know if you know who machine gun Kelly is.

I know exactly who. Yeah. So being from QK is. So we gifted a pair to him when he was performing

in Orlando. So I was super cool just to give to someone that kind of is your, I don't want to say

hometown hero, but someone that's made it big deal from your hometown. I would say my dream client

or celebrity would be, I'll give you my top five. All right. I might use these guys going,

all right. Let's hear it. Number one is LeBron. Just because I saw him actually from a lineup,

which is like 30 minutes from Akron. So I grew up, I played basketball growing up. So watching him

on the cast was pretty cool. Yep. I got a friend. I ran his agency. So all right. That's a good

start calling on access. All right. Who we got next? Tom Brady. Yeah. Yeah. TB. We know TB. He's

a big and hard game now. Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. Sorry. Yes. I met him at the national and then ran

into him at the Finax Fest this past year. Smart guy. No, yeah. I think obviously he's super

talented. Goat. But also very smart. Yeah. No, for sure. I think Tiger Woods is up there. Yeah.

Great. For sure. Drake. Drake. Yeah. That'd be a cool collab. I mean, Drake, Jake, be down for this.

He needs to be down for this. I know. He's got everything. Yeah. And then I think Michael Phelps

would be pretty cool too. Yeah. That's cool. So it's right now thinking about the Olympics. I know

it's Winter Olympics, but yeah. It's kind of tough of mine. But yeah. Phelps would be cool.

Get a lot of cool shit with his though. So a lot of a lot of goats. Yeah. Check it. All right.

Hey, man, though, he got nowhere to go. But you know, like up, you got momentum behind you.

You know, you're getting the word out and all that. I mean, obviously, no one has to tell you

that influencer marketing works when the homes miss my homes drops a post. But what is,

I mean, you guys have how do you market? I mean, is it just social and like the word of mouth?

I mean, I would think you probably got all orders you want just from the word of mouth that happens.

Yeah. I think your Instagram and TikTok social is very prominent in our in our marketing.

The content that we post does fairly well. And then yeah, the word of mouth is big for sure.

Just referrals and things like that. And I also think the people that we have done stuff for

kind of builds credibility and definitely helps with our case of our pricing.

Because I know it's, it's definitely up there. But it's been organic up to this point.

So it's been good, but we could always grow more. That's what we're trying to do.

So scarcity is everything in collectibles a lot of times. I mean, how intentional are you

about keeping pieces truly limited? Pretty much every piece that I've made for a celebrity or

athlete, I don't make that again. Most of the stuff that you see on our Instagram and TikTok is

our from clients. So pretty much the, I don't want to call them standard, but the standard team

jersey shoes of like the Florida Panthers or like the Rams or Seahawks or something like that.

We do create or recreate those based on the clients requests. But anything that's

delivered to an athlete or celebrity, we, I think that's how it should be is state that one

of one just for them. I don't know how you look at it, but that's that's kind of how I.

Yeah, man. I mean, I guess the right way. And I mean, do you

seems like if we're not already there, we're quickly moving towards like, I mean,

custom shoes being viewed the same way as game worn more memorabilia. I mean, if not greater,

especially if they haven't built into it. No, yeah, sure. I didn't think about it like that.

Yeah. So I mean, how do you protect authenticity as demand grows?

You thought about that at all?

Yes. Yes.

Number one is definitely trademark.

And then

thinking, introducing some sort of technology to, to authenticate it in a way,

blockchain or something. Yeah. I think Nike, I think Nike actually just did something like

that recently with their new tech. I don't know. It was the one with the balls on the bottom.

Yeah. They're, they're, they're dabbling in that for sure. Yeah. So, yeah, and they,

they had some sort of system. So I mean, yeah, as, as we keep growing, I think the, the pieces

I were making now, I think are co-op and value as we grow. So I think a good,

we talked about it a little bit, but let's be explicit for our listeners and viewers.

Hopefully you're viewing, you know, all this, all these lovely shoes behind me.

That aren't show me his unfortunate links.

Come on, I wear, I wear people out. I'm just going to tell you.

I don't. All right. The process from start to stop like on this, we talk, we kind of jump

straight into it because it may be one or higher. We'll be talking about a price here. But

they talked about the, what's the typical process for someone start to finish on an order?

For the most part, people come with an idea already because they've seen what we've already created.

For example, so everything that we post on Instagram has been a commission of some sort.

And in order for us to make a new team or new design, someone has to purchase that design

because it's very costly to, to make, because the way we got about the shoes at whatever price,

and then the jersey at whatever price. So it's, it's a lot of money and effort to

make a new design without any proof or that someone will order it.

So someone will be like, oh, can you do Tampa Bay Lightning?

And which, yeah, we can. We can do any team, any player.

So they would fill out the form on our website or reach out to us. And then we would kind of

go back and forth if they want to add anything. They're like, switch it up. Maybe they,

they like a patch on the toe, but instead they want to put on the side. So we kind of go kind of

like a consultation. Kind of go back and forth until we're both satisfied. And then we purchase

some materials or you send us some materials. And then from there, we just go into production.

I would say average production time is about three to four weeks roughly.

Yeah. And then after that, we send you final picks and ship it out in a nice box and

you're ready for that unboxing moment.

Just the fact that I wear a size 15 at any complexity to this.

No, I mean, honestly, I think it's easier to work on bigger shoes than the use shoes for sure.

Plus if it's bigger, you can, I don't know, you can see more of the

exactly. I was hoping you'd say that.

Yeah, exactly. So I heard the process. So are there some though that I guess maybe for a lack

of better word columns, a bear with me here, like getting commissioned. So to speak,

because someone has bought something and you can make a lot more with the, is there ever like turn

key where someone comes in and they know they want a certain player and you have, or you market

on your website, like, okay, we're going to make 10 more with this certain thing that part of

the process sometimes. Sometimes I think if it's around like a certain event or like a championship,

kind of like how fanatics does the, like they drop the championship shirts right after.

Yeah. So that's also a play for us is like, oh, we're only making 10 Super Bowl theme

see off shoes. And then that'll kind of add that scarcity and kind of cement this moment.

Is there any shoes within grabbing distance that we could show off to our smart viewers who

are watching this on YouTube? Colin is grabbing something in the background here.

Something amazing. I can tell already. Oh, yeah. All right. We got it. Let's see it.

This was nice. This was our Super Bowl inspired design in New Orleans for Super Bowl.

X. So the backstory with this one is we were brought out by Fandall to do some live customs

on site, which is also something that we do is live personalization and hospitality on site.

So pretty much they brought us out and we for their VIP members and we designed 25 shoes before

we got there. And then on site, they were able to personalize it so pretty much adding some type

of initial date or whatever meant, whatever meant to them to put it on the shoe.

So this was the shoes that I wore during that weekend. Super Bowl inspired.

I like this or the LAX logo. I thought was a lot better than this past years.

Yeah, but so yeah, so I mean kind of like what I said before, I wore these for the weekend.

Yeah, and then I put them up on my shelf. So I think it's I think it's cool. And then this one was

this was a show I know it's honey. We did a series not or two years ago. So it has like his

embroidered autograph in Japanese on the toe box. And then it's got like the world, I don't know,

the diamond sparkly waist clip. And then he got Dodgers wrong back. I can wear these a little bit.

You could tell. Just put him put him back up on the shelf. I guess you could take him down when

you need him. So limited limited wear for limited edition, you know, like exactly.

You know, I wore my new Jordans to the airport. That was a mistake.

White Jordans like everybody was stomping on my feet and I was like giving them desks.

Yeah, that's what I mean. Yeah, exactly.

Dude, so much fun. I mean, it's just, you know, you got shoe culture, sneaker heads, and you got

card culture and you got merch culture and game worn player worn. I mean, there's, you know,

it's really cool blend of a lot of things that are, you know, going up in value and collectability.

So for smart man, really a big fan of what you're doing. Thank you. Appreciate it a lot.

Talk to me about where everyone listening can learn more, do some orders, get in touch,

all those sorts of things. You can follow us on Instagram and tip top at underscore chummies,

underscore C H U M M Y S. If you're looking to do a custom order or any events at sporting events,

any activations at sporting events or response or consent, you could reach out to us at

chummiescustoms.com. And yeah, we're looking forward to making something unforgettable.

I've got some ideas around that. We were working with some brands of people,

Brian Luddon from LudEx, we're doing some activations for some different events at LudEx,

Card Shop and Dallas at the Texas Ranger Stadium. I'm going to brainstorm with him and maybe come

out with some ideas. That could be cool. I love it. I love it. Really appreciate you for coming on,

man. No, yeah. Thanks for having me. This is cool. Hey guys, you never find us. ThecollectorNation.com.

You go to the App Store search forcollectorNation. We got the app live and in control right there.

Get access to live feed with all the episodes, including this one. And of course, links to all of

chummies stuff, the stuff. Look, don't go by another card that you could get anywhere or whatever.

That's not really that scary. It gets you one-on-one shoe, baby. That's what this is about.

Collectible Nation right here. We appreciate chummies. We appreciate Colin and we appreciate you.

See you next time on Collector Nation. Thanks for tuning into the show.

Be sure to follow us on your go-to podcast platform and catch the full video episode over on YouTube.

Visit us at collectornation.com and follow Ryan on Instagram at RyanAlford.

Now get out there and collect yours.