ABLAJ | Sneaker & Clothing Boutique — Local services in Bellevue

The store has a decent selection of shoes in store and the prices are around market or above but some of the pairs are extremely above market for example: they are selling panda lows for $400 but market has been around 200-240 for a few months while another example is selling all white air forces for $150 before tax when we can simply go to Nike or footlocker/champs in the same mall to buy a pair for $100 instead of $165. Some of the employees kind of lack interpersonal communication skills while others are pretty cool. The response from the Mecca reviews responder for the prices being so high is that "there's cheaper alternatives if you don't mind waiting 1-2 weeks" while almost 90% of their stock can be found by your local Instagram sellers for a cheaper price and if they go to using an more expensive pair as a counter response there is many other resell shops in Washington with a almost similar selection. Another example they use on why the prices are so high is because you pay for the “experience”, but idk what experience they are talking about in which I feel like I get the same experience walking into Whole Foods, so the claim that you’re paying for the experience isn’t a valid claim to use. I will salute that they get early pairs but then most of early pairs are shoes not worth buying way above market before the release since they sit like $20-$50 above retail after release compared to paying way more to have them 2 weeks before anyone else even though you'll probably end up wearing them after the official release date. Also going into the store then looking at the reviews, some of these people who wrote reviews are the same people who lack customer service when working at the Mecca. Overall 6/10...

Terrible service and store policies. Do not recommend if you aren’t a fan of sneakerhead culture appropriation and purely exclusive transactional retail exchanges. Vibe was all the way off on 9/22/23. I rarely leave negative reviews (typically no matter the negative experience), cuz folx livelihoods are at stake. However, I was compelled to share that not only was there negative service energy and no hospitality from the moment I walked in, staff were obviously not true sneaker heads in the cultural sense. Per store policy, I was immediately asked not to walk in any shoes I tried on and to put up my drink up on a table for safe keeping when entering the store. No visible signs posted to forewarn me of these requests before entering. All around weird energy that was very off putting. Owner was identified in store and confirmed policies. I shared I was a NY’er (not a native but spent a decade there and go back multiple times a year) a place where there are many after market sneaker boutiques and never heard of such requests in a place that amplifies sneakerhead culture. I mean to not become familiar with the feel of shoes you may buy and spend a gwap on is strange. Doesn’t work for me when I’m not sure if I want a shoe. So I left. Lost not just a purchase, but a customer. Way better when Mecca management was in charge. Not...

The selection is cool and staff is friendly enough. I would say the prices are alittle higher than anyone should pay for these shoes… and yes unfortunately I did end up buying a pair of yeezy’s 350 V2 lights for 400$ from them because I wanted to wear them that day particularly. No big deal but it does feel kinda dumb paying about 150$ more than the stockx price. Oh well, my mistake but I guess in my situation, money isn’t a big issue in my life. Plus I love my purchase so I guess the 150$ was worth the smile on my face that day, even went to have drinks at Ascend with some homegirls to celebrate my new Yeezys lol

If you truly want some nice shoes, I would use this place as a in person look at the shoes you wanna buy, chat up with the guys that are willing to help you, and then go on your way to ONLINE and buy them at the true retail price. I personally am not a “sneaker head” myself but I’m pretty sure I speak for a majority when I say that this type of pricing is not a good culture of the sneaker...