Back when Michael LoBue was selling “The Edition” t-shirts and hats in 8th grade, he was still just like any other kid who was into kicks and clothes. “My grandma used to take me to the mall and help me match all my stuff up,” he remembers. Fast-forward to the present and LoBue is the owner of The Edition Boutique, which has two retail locations in the Miami area, with a third opening soon in Broward County, FL.
So when LoBue says The Edition has “grown tremendously,” it’s an understatement. Dwyane Wade and Udonis Haslem showed up for the opening of the second store, and former and current Heat players Tyler Johnson, James Ennis and Mario Chalmers, as well as NFL running back Lamar Miller have come through to browse The Edition for sneakers, streetwear apparel and accessories. Even Raekwon stopped by recently.
In addition to carrying a wide selection of ASICS, adidas and Del Toro, The Edition Boutique is currently the only official authorized US retailer for Wade’s signature sneakers, the Way of Wade by Li-Ning. And while LoBue admits that was huge for driving customers in Miami to the store when it first opened its doors in 2014, The Edition brand itself has always been popping.
“Everyone loves our in-house brand. We always match stuff with the latest sneakers. We do stuff with ASICS, we do stuff with the Wades—whatever release we get, we try to have our own brand shirt to go with it,” LoBue says.
But all the collabs and athlete appearances wouldn’t mean a thing without the community spirit the business was built upon—something The Edition Boutique takes great pride in.
“Number one is our customer service,” says LoBue, who has visions of opening more stores in Florida and then franchising The Edition in other cities. “We share our personal numbers with our customers, so whenever new stuff comes in we can contact some of the loyal people from day one and see if they want anything. We like to take care of people and be hands-on and friendly.”
In return, Miami has taken care of The Edition.
Photos courtesy of The Edition Boutique
