FOR Arvil De Lara and Christine Sapaden, medical frontliners in the province of Ilcoos Norte, helping fellow Ilokanos find their solemate was an opportunity that they couldn’t miss.
Given their profession, it seems that looking out for others has always been intrinsic for Arvil and Christine.
“Taking care of people is something that I always wanted to do,” said De Lara.
“Being a nurse is my ultimate dream,” added Sapaden. “I always imagined myself wearing that neat white uniform, being knowledgeable and skillful enough to have the confidence that I can and will help people in suffering.”
Between the two of them, Arvil has been the bonafide sneakerhead since the beginning. But his influence rubbed off on Christine, to the point that she, too, grew fond of sneakers.
However, being a sneakerhead in Ilocos Norte can be difficult. The chances of seeing a trendy pair pop up in the department store was absolutely zero. The biggest shoe brands did not even have their own specialty store in the nearest mall.
And even with the rise of online shopping in the past years, reserving and buying from brand’s websites or other shops is still a struggle.
But with that challenge came realization — and then opportunity.
Frontliner sneakerheads help run Solemate Ilocos
“It all started when we were looking for a pair of Nike Air Force 1 Pixels and we really couldn't find it nor get it in any physical store and online shops here in the province,” recalled Sapaden.
“We found a way to solve that problem through resellers — but we thought to ourselves: Why should we limit this accessibility to just us when we can share it with others and make it a business?” reflected De Lara.
But rather than starting from scratch, the couple decided to join forces with a existing shop.
Solemate Ilocos, a Facebook based local shoe reseller, was originally founded by their friend Charles Estavillo in 2016. The shop started off by selling plastic shoe boxes and transitioned to sneakers in 2017 when he started receiving inquiries.
The shop business slowed down in the ensuing years, and with the challenges brought by the pandemic, it felt like this was the best opportunity for Charles, Arvil and Christine to restart the business together.
Admittedly, as frontliners serving in the battle against COVID, this opportunity also served as a way to shore up their income. But, the heart of the business is truly what matters: “To bring convenience and accessibility to all kinds of footwear and spread this love to the sneakerhead community here in Ilocos,” as the couple put it.
“We wanted to give more options to our fellow Ilokanos who shared the same interest in sneakers and for those who are simply looking for new shoes but are limited with what is available here.”
The team kicked things off with only three pairs: a Nike Air Force 1 1 /1, a Nike Air Force 1 Pixel “Summit White”, and a Jordan 3 “Cool Grey”. Closing the sale for each pair fueled their fire to keep things rolling.
AJ4 Retro ‘White Cement’ is their highest profile pair so far
As of today, the Jordan 4 Retro “White Cement” has been the most high profile sneaker they’ve been able to offload, at least in terms of the rarity of the model.
“The most high profile sneaker that we have sold is yet to come in my opinion,” Arvil mused.
As was the case for many small businesses here in the Philippines, the consequences of the hard lockdowns spared no one and brought new lows for Solemate Ilocos.
“We were at a low when Ilocos Norte was on ECQ in 2021. We got inquiries and we had customers expressing their intent to buy, but most of them didn’t have a chance to follow through because of the situation.” they shared.
The business is steadier now.
“Our main challenge is that we are not yet as recognized as we want to be by our local market here in Ilocos Norte,” they continued. “But, we are being patient and we plan to keep on going and do what we can to keep expanding our network of clientele.”
While they have sold a substantial amount of sneakers and other footwear, they believe that a brighter future still lies ahead.
“At this time we have sold a lot of pairs already but we aren’t satisfied. We take it as a challenge and our motivation to keep going and pour twice, thrice of our efforts into Solemate Ilocos.”
Apart from the income they are earning, the biggest benefit the business has brought is the new relationships they have made in the community. From first-time customers to repeat buyers, the friendships they have made also extend to other resellers they have gotten in touch with — many of whom have been provided invaluable advice.
Solemate Ilocos looks to the future
After all, everything has been a learning process at this point. The biggest lesson these medical workers have picked up is how to keep their finances in order.
“You really need to be disciplined with your money. If you have extra money set aside, why keep it lying around when you can invest it in something that could help it grow?” asked the pair rhetorically.
“We are now better at budgeting our finances and are more deliberate in balancing our needs and wants.”
Ironically, Arvil’s own sneaker collection had to take a back seat to the business.
“In the sneaker business, I think you should resist buying pairs for yourself,” said De Lara. “ Especially if you are still starting. And with a small capital, the focus should be on reinvesting what you earn to get more pairs and expand. [But]I promised myself that if we are able to reach our target, I will buy a pair for myself.”
So what’s next for Solemate Ilocos?
Their team is focused on strengthening their visibility and expanding their menu of products.
“Some plans are already in the works. We're adding our logo to our packages, getting more sneakers to sell, accessories and other essentials like cleaning kits.” they shared.
Locally branded apparels are also in the pipeline.
“Our main plan and goal right now is to really double down on our marketing efforts to expand our reach and be recognized here in Ilocos Norte.”
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