Walk into Nozu, and you’ll be greeted by the University’s signature colors of green and yellow. Look to your right, and you’ll see three shelves reaching all the way to the back of the store nested in green leaves and broken up by a neon sign of a Takashi Murakami flower — Each shelf lined to the edges with rare and special sneakers mummified in a protective clear plastic film. Look straight ahead, and you’ll see clothing racks hung with duck gear, and streetwear brands like Denim Tears, or rapper Young Thug’s label, Sp5der. Look to your left, and you’ll see Alex Philavong, the owner of Nozu, most likely buying new clothes for his inventory, or selling clothes from his curated selection.
Nozu wasn’t born this way. Founded by University of Oregon alumni Christopher Kiyota, Nozu opened its doors on Jan. 21, 2023. Nozu scratches the itch for sneakerheads in Eugene, where few clothing stores offer a catalog with the niche streetwear pieces and sneakers that people look for.
During Kiyota’s time at Nozu, he helped establish it not only as one of Eugene’s hubs for streetwear, but as a beacon of community. Nozu hosted giveaways, promoted local restaurants and sponsored student athletes.
At this time, Philavong had been living in Eugene for about two years, and had gotten to know Kiyama by regularly popping into Nozu.
However, after graduating last spring, Kiyama decided he wanted to sell the business.
“I’ve always been a collector of things… the backstories are what make them cool and unique,” Philavong, an avid collector of sneakers and clothing himself, said. He said he thinks Kiyama noticed this true appreciation for the products, and decided to trust him with the business he built.
For four months, Philavong has been sharpening Nozu’s edges. He’s done remodeling, revamped their socials and built up their inventory.
During this refresh though, he said he hasn’t lost sight of what Nozu is. He said he wants to retain Nozu’s spot as a community hub. “People are more than welcome to just come in, they don’t have to buy or sell or shop,” he said. With one back corner of the store fitted with a PlaySstation and a TV, that’s certainly easy to do.
As a fellow sneakerhead, Philavong said he hates the feeling of buyer’s remorse when you buy something a little too expensive, and a little too ill-fitting. Some hyped sneakers like the Jordan 4 Retro Off-White can cost nearly $1,000, and some sneakers like the Jordan 1 Dior collaboration surpass even the $5,000 mark because of the competitive resale market. A hyped sneaker can be absolutely catastrophic for the wallet.
“I want to be here for the community… business is business, but I want to be able to be under market and get people what they want without breaking the bank,” Philavong said.
Philavong also stocks products from Ducks of a Feather, “a brand of, by and for University of Oregon student athletes,” according to its website. Its proceeds go to the athletes who helped create them.
Eugene doesn’t have much in the way of sneaker and streetwear stores compared to some bigger cities, but Nozu shares that market with other Eugene stores such as TEXTYLE, and Sneakorhead. While these stores may be aiming for the same customers, Philavong said he wanted there to be no sour relationships. “You guys aren’t competition,” he said. “I hope everyone eats.”
“I was an art student, so I’m kind of learning this as I go,” he said. Looking ahead, Philavong said he’s still putting the finishing touches onto the store and to his business model. The owner might be different, and the inventory too, but Nozu’s significance in Eugene remains the same.
