Vans DQM General Store

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Originally conceived as a pop-up shop collaboration between DQM, one of New York’s premiere boutique skate shops, and the iconic shoe brand, this spot was made a permanent fixture after DQM founder Chris Keeffe convinced Vans that the idea had legs. The shop, which represents the older Vans-wearing “Soho punk skaters,” as Keeffe puts it, provides quality apparel without the typically loud graphics. While firmly rooted in the skateboarding culture, the clothing suits a customer who still rides but has grown up from the days of beat-up shoes and ratty hoodies. The 2,000-square-foot, multi-level store stocks everything from tees, fleeces, and hats to duffels, sunglasses, and beer koozies. There are also rare and hard-to-find Vans shoes from the California and Vault lines, as well as an exclusive First Issue shoe line found only at the shop. And, of course, there’s a selection of decks that hang on the wall. — Matthew Kitchen