VIRGIN ISLANDS SNEAKER COMPANY (VISCO)
THE STORY BEHIND VISCO
Growing up in the U.S. Virgin Islands, I’ve always had a deep love for shoes. My mother couldn’t always afford the most popular sneakers, but that never mattered to me. I cherished the pairs I had and admired the ones she wore. I grew up rocking Adidas Sambas and Gazelles, Puma Suede Classics, Nike Blazers, New Balances, and Vans—what was most affordable at the time.
In 2015, I spent a year living in the DMV, and that experience opened my eyes to an entirely new world of fashion. The diversity of the area exposed me to different cultural styles from Nigerian, Ghanaian, Ethiopian, Caribbean, Hispanic, and the unique differences in fashion between Baltimore, D.C., and Virginia. I became obsessed with sneakers—spending late nights scrolling through Instagram and Google, covering the shoe names with my hand and testing myself to recognize them by brand, model, purpose, and even the year they were released. I slowly started building my own collection—not based on hype or social media trends, but simply on the shoes I truly loved.
In 2016, after returning to the Virgin Islands, my collection started to grow. I’d spend hours trying on my sneakers, lacing them up as if I were about to step out, only to put them right back. I meticulously cleaned each pair—except for the ones I felt looked better worn in. I even found myself sniffing new shoes, soaking in that fresh sneaker smell, and I knew I wasn’t the only one who got that rush of excitement from sneakers.
As I wore my shoes, I began realizing how rare some of them were—people would constantly ask where I got them, and by then, they were either sold out or simply unavailable in the Virgin Islands. Many U.S. retailers didn’t ship to the islands, and our smaller market made it even harder to access exclusive releases. Some pairs had skyrocketed in value, selling for up to 10 times their original price. That’s when I started buying multiple pairs—not just for myself, but to help my friends experience the same joy I did. And just like that, my sneaker-selling journey began.
I created VISCO not just as a business, but as a way to give back—to my home, to sneaker lovers, and to anyone who shares this passion. Sneakers have always brought me happiness, and I believe that experience shouldn’t come at an outrageous price. My mission is simple: to make that joy accessible to as many people as possible, one pair at a time.
