The Sneaker Community You Didn’t Know Existed on Substack
Sneaker culture exists beyond Instagram... you just have to know where to look
Instagram’s algorithm decides what you see. Twitter’s timeline surfaces whatever drives the most engagement. TikTok feeds you content optimized for retention, not quality.
You know what’s not beholden to any of that? Substack.
People subscribe because they actually want to hear from you. No algorithm between the writer and the reader. No gaming engagement metrics. No hoping the platform decides to show your work to the people who signed up for it.
That’s the kind of community I want to build in 2026. One where transparency, authenticity, and actual conversation matter more than likes and shares. Where the people matter more than the products.
And I’m not trying to build it alone. There’s already a sneaker community here... you just have to know where to look.
I want to establish a real sneaker community here in 2026. Not replacing Instagram or Twitter or wherever else you get your sneaker fix... just creating a different kind of space. One where we go deeper. Where the writing matters as much as the product shots. Where people share what they know instead of just what they bought.
So I’m starting by highlighting some newsletters I genuinely read and respect. Not all of them are explicitly about sneakers. But they’re all connected to the culture that makes sneakers meaningful.
The Core Sneaker Voices
The Kicks You Wear
“The intersection of sneakers, business and culture injected directly into your inbox.”
Mike D. Sykes, II writes for Business of Fashion and understands that sneakers aren’t separate from business or culture... they’re right in the middle of both. If you want analysis that goes beyond “these dropped today,” Mike’s your guy.
Snobette News
“I write about how culture moves through sneakers, fashion, and the business behind them.”
Lois Sakany has been doing this for years. She’s still figuring it out like everyone else (her words), but that honesty is exactly why her perspective matters. Culture moves through sneakers, not the other way around. She tracks that movement better than most.
The Sports and Culture Connection
SportsVerse
“Award-winning journalist Daniel-Yaw Miller’s analysis of all things sports, culture, fashion and money.”
Sports, culture, fashion, money. That’s basically the sneaker industry in four words. Daniel-Yaw Miller brings the journalist’s rigor to topics that usually get covered with hot takes and hype. Twice a week in your inbox.
Beauty Of A Game
“Exploring the Beauty of Sports through the Art, Design, Photography & Maker communities.”
This one hits different for me. It’s about visual storytelling in sports. The design, the photography, the aesthetics that make sports memorable. If you’ve ever cared about a shoe because of how it looked in a game or a photo... Beauty Of A Game is for you.
Hard Court
“A weekly tennis briefing that goes beyond the baseline—exploring the business, culture, and style of tennis.”
Tennis has made a much-needed comeback in the past couple of years with new stars reshaping the game. Tennis is filling a gap that basketball used to own where performance meets style. The sneaker stories in tennis are underrated. And Hard Court covers the business and culture side of the sport in ways that’ll sound familiar if you’ve been paying attention to sneakers.
The Fashion and Style Perspective
Blackbird Spyplane
“Your No. 1 source for ‘unbeatable recon’ into style, travel & culture.”
Blackbird Spyplane has its own language, its own vibe, its own universe. They cover style in a way that’s genuinely fun to read... which is rare. Sneakers show up when they matter, not because they have to. If you want to understand how footwear fits into actual style (not just hype), this is essential reading. Related: I just accmolished #4 on their 7 techniques for joy list.
Jake Woolf
“Product recommendations and other (mostly) clothing-related musings.”
Jake Woolf has been covering style and culture for years, including work with GQ. He understands how sneakers fit into broader fashion conversations without losing sight of why they matter beyond just looking good. Plus, his Substack has its own IG, so you know it’s worth the sub.
street night live
“Fashion recommendations for developing a better sense of style.”
Sneakers don’t exist in a vacuum. They’re part of how you dress. street night live helps you think about style in a way that makes your sneaker choices make more sense. Not just “what dropped” but “what works.”
The Business and Industry Intel
RETAILBOSS
“Stay informed. Daily roundups to stay ahead of the competition.”
Daily retail news. If you’re in the industry... or just want to understand how the business actually works... this is non-negotiable. retailboss covers the moves, the deals, the shifts that impact what ends up on shelves and online.
Next & Winning
“Job opportunities, industry updates, and all things sports, tech, and consumer culture.”
Tiffany P Henry tracks where sports, tech, and consumer culture intersect. That’s basically the sneaker industry’s entire ecosystem. Plus job opportunities if you’re trying to get into this world (or make a move within it).
Running Supply by Cole Townsend
“Running Supply tracks the latest in running fashion, marketing, gear drops, and emerging brands.”
Cole Townsend has been building with Sole Retriever and brings that same energy to covering running culture. He covers it like sneaker media used to cover basketball shoes... the fashion, the marketing, the culture. If you’re curious about what’s happening beyond hoops and lifestyle, this is it. I may have even interviewed him many many moons ago.
Why This Matters
I spent 20 years building other people’s platforms. Complex Sneakers. StockX. Stadium Goods. Finish Line. Eastbay. All of them had audiences and communities. But those communities lived inside structures that prioritized growth and profits over connection.
Sure, Substack probably uses algorithms for Notes and discovery. But the newsletter itself? That’s direct. You subscribe, you get the email. No platform deciding whether you’re worthy of reach today.
That’s the kind of community I want to build in 2026. Where the people matter more than the products. Where the stories connect us instead of just informing us.
And if you’re not writing your own Substack yet... maybe you should be.
Your perspective matters. Your stories matter.
The barrier to entry is just deciding to start.
These newsletters I’m highlighting? They’re all doing that in their own way. Some of them are explicitly about sneakers. Some of them are about the culture surrounding sneakers. All of them are worth your time.
And all of them prove that sneakers... and everything they represent... have a home on Substack.
If you’re already reading any of these, let me know in the comments. I’m curious which ones resonate with people here.
If you run a sneaker-adjacent newsletter I didn’t mention, drop it in the comments too. I want to find more voices doing this work.
And if you know someone who’d appreciate any of these... share this post with them. Let’s build something real here.
-Nick
PS - I'll be highlighting more voices as I find them. If you're reading someone on Substack who should be on this list, share them in the comments. Let's make sure good work gets seen.
I’m Nick Engvall, and I’ve been writing about sneakers and culture for nearly two decades, from building Eastbay’s first blog to being employee #9 at StockX. I run Sneaker History (website and podcast) and write The Sneaker Newsletter... sneaker lore, and the stories that connect what we wear to who we are.
If you want the deeper stuff - the industry analysis, the “From the Vault” stories from my 20+ years in this business - become a paid subscriber.
Thank you Nick!
I'm new to Substack. I've heard a lot of sports writer's talk about their substacks but I never looked. It was you that brought me here and this list looks great. I need less algo or more nuance back in my life.