It's a bit of a departure for me, considering I buy the same pair of New Balance sneakers every time I make a sneaker purchase.

Ben Winrauke, chief operating officer of City Jeans on Fordham Road, let me try on some Air Jordan Retro 5's in an earth/metallic gold color on a recent visit.

They're expected to make a big splash with so-called "sneakerheads" when they go on sale to the public. City Jeans has made a name for itself offering up exclusive sneaker releases.

"I think that all the shoes that people are actually freaking out about don't last very long here, so they usually sell out in a day or two," Winrauke said.

City Jeans is just one of the many places to get some cool kicks on Fordham Road. Ivon Silver, of the Fordham Road Business Improvement District, says there are 63 stores that sell sneakers on the strip.

According to a neighborhood study from the BID, Fordham Road has the highest concentration of sneaker stores per capita in the nation. 

“I think it really sets us apart, and it adds that little sprinkle on Fordham. A lot of people don't know that's a thing. We have all the sneakers here. We have so many sneaker stores, and I think it really does make the difference for everybody here on Fordham," Silver said. 

There are chain stores, and mom and pop businesses, like City Jeans, which is a family-run company started by Winrauke's dad and uncle in 1993.

They have nine stores in Queens and the Bronx. So why sneakers? Winrauke says sneakers will always be a thing, because they are a fashion statement, and part of everyday wear.

"Some years, it's people but the apparel before the footwear. Some years, people buy the footwear and then the apparel to match it. Either way, putting together an outfit and sneakers being an integral part of that has always been a culture in New York and now with social media, it gets even more amplified," Winrauke said. 

As for all these stores that sell sneakers, Winrauke says competition is healthy for everyone.

"We always are down for people to come and open around us because we know that we have a certain lane that we stay in and we have our niche and no one does it better than us, and everyone has their niches that we don't step into either," he said. 

Winrauke says the competition keeps them on their toes, and more sneakers mean more consumers in the area, and that's a good thing for everyone.