Melbourne rewards a sneaker itinerary built around the stores’ differences. UP THERE and Above The Clouds connect footwear with fashion, The Sure Store brings skate roots, and Up There Athletics and Sole Motive speak directly to runners. Add Royal Arcade’s collector shops, brand stores, and a basketball destination in Port Melbourne, and there is more here than a hunt for one release.
This guide covers 18 current stores: 12 in the central city, four at DFO South Wharf, CourtSide in Port Melbourne, and The Running Company in Yarraville. UP THERE and Up There Athletics are separate stops. The older frontage at 87 Anderson Street is context for Yarraville, not an additional stop.
Flinders Lane and Collins Street: three approaches
Flinders Lane offers two distinct Up There addresses: the fashion boutique at number 69 and the running specialist at 179. Above The Clouds on Collins Street adds another footwear-and-fashion perspective nearby.
UP THERE
UP THERE began in 2010 upstairs on McKillop Street, which explains the name. Now at 69 Flinders Lane, the independent boutique ranges from A.PRESSE to Viberg and has collaborated with New Balance, ASICS, Needles, and Norse Projects. The selection reflects an interest in clothing and craft as much as sneakers.
Its own collaborations are part of that identity, with the 2002R Backyard Legends explored later in this guide. Current hours are Monday–Saturday, 10 a.m.–6 p.m., and Sunday, noon–6 p.m.
Address: 69 Flinders Lane, Melbourne VIC 3000. UP THERE’s story and store details.
Above The Clouds Melbourne
Above The Clouds announced its Melbourne store in May 2025, bringing its mix of footwear, clothing, and accessories to 80 Collins Street. The catalog ranges from sneakers and skate influences to denim and more formal clothing, making it a useful stop for seeing shoes within a broader wardrobe.
Address: Shop T0.07, 80 Collins Street, Melbourne VIC 3000. The ATC store page lists Monday–Thursday and Saturday, 10 a.m.–6 p.m.; Friday, 10 a.m.–7 p.m.; Sunday, 10 a.m.–5 p.m.
Up There Athletics Melbourne
Up There Athletics is the running-focused counterpart at 179 Flinders Lane. Performance footwear and specialized training apparel are central to its selection; its current catalog includes ASICS race shoes, Salomon, and R.A.D. This is a different shopping brief from UP THERE’s fashion boutique at number 69.
Address: 179 Flinders Lane, Melbourne VIC 3000. Up There Athletics Melbourne. Hours: Monday–Saturday, 11 a.m.–5 p.m.; Sunday, noon–5 p.m.
Royal Arcade: sneaker collecting
KICKSTW Royal Arcade
KICKSTW divides its Royal Arcade space between Korean fashion on Level 1 and sneakers, streetwear, and collectibles on Level 2. The consignment format makes it a collector-oriented stop, with each pair’s condition and sale terms more useful than assuming a standard brand-store policy.
Sunday hours conflict. Royal Arcade’s directory says closed, while the retailer publishes noon–5:30 p.m. and the city directory gives noon–5 p.m. Confirm directly before a Sunday trip.
Address: Levels 1 and 2, Royal Arcade, 314 Little Collins Street, Melbourne VIC 3000. The KICKSTW contact page lists Monday–Saturday hours of 11:30 a.m.–6:30 p.m.
The Archive Store Melbourne CBD
The Archive Store is an independent sneaker, streetwear, collectibles, and trading-card retailer at Shop 14 in Royal Arcade. It is separate from KICKSTW and is not an official Nike or Jordan store. Hours are Wednesday–Monday, 11:30 a.m.–5 p.m.; Tuesday is closed.
Address: Shop 14, Royal Arcade, 335 Bourke Street, Melbourne VIC 3000. The Archive Store locations.
Russell Street and Little Lonsdale Street
SUBTYPE’s basement concept and The Sure Store’s skate-oriented selection add two different perspectives north of the Flinders Lane group. Save the street and entrance details rather than looking for a generic sneaker storefront.
SUBTYPE Melbourne Concept Store
SUBTYPE combines sneakers with premium clothing and accessories; its Australian catalog includes ASICS, Salomon, Fear of God ESSENTIALS, and A Bathing Ape. The Melbourne Concept Store is below street level at Shop 2, 118 Russell Street, so “The Basement” is an important part of the address. The official listing gives this basement address; opening hours have not been reconfirmed.
Address: Shop 2, The Basement, 118 Russell Street, Melbourne VIC 3000. SUBTYPE Melbourne listing.
The Sure Store
The Sure Store mixes skate footwear and hardware with streetwear and its own clothing. Its current catalog includes Vans, Last Resort AB, Lakai, Karhu, and Saucony, giving the shop a different range from a retailer built mainly around collector releases. Use Little Lonsdale Street rather than the older Manchester Lane address.
The store publishes Monday–Wednesday and Saturday hours of 10 a.m.–7 p.m., Thursday–Friday hours of 10 a.m.–9 p.m., and Sunday hours of 11 a.m.–6 p.m.
Address: 273 Little Lonsdale Street, Melbourne VIC 3000. The Sure Store location and hours.
Running in the CBD: The Strand and Little Collins Street
ASICS Melbourne
ASICS Melbourne is listed in the brand’s Running Experts store collection at The Strand. It is a dedicated brand stop for the city-center running group, separate from ASICS branches in the suburbs. The brand also lists Melbourne for FOOT-ID, which uses video of a short treadmill run to help guide shoe selection. Ask about appointment availability and any fee; this is not a medical assessment.
Address: Shop T02, The Strand, 250 Elizabeth Street, Melbourne VIC 3000. ASICS FOOT-ID locations and appointments.
Sole Motive Melbourne
Sole Motive’s CBD store offers free shoe-fitting appointments, video gait analysis, and walk-in visits. It also lists click and collect and race-pack pickup. The Run Club section currently says “Returning soon,” despite a general Wednesday-run description elsewhere on the page, so confirm a restart before planning to join. Fitting is retail guidance, not a medical diagnosis.
Address: 148 Little Collins Street, Melbourne VIC 3000. Sole Motive CBD services and booking. Hours: Monday–Friday, 10 a.m.–6 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m.–4 p.m.; Sunday, 11 a.m.–4 p.m.
Lonsdale Street: Melbourne Central and Emporium
This group spans two shopping centers: adidas at Melbourne Central, and Nike and Salomon at Emporium. The full mall name and unit make the distinction clear.
adidas Brand Center Melbourne Central
adidas Brand Center Melbourne combines the brand’s footwear and clothing with a listed Print Shop. Check the available products, designs, and terms if personalization is the main reason for visiting. Regular hours are 10 a.m.–7 p.m., extended to 9 p.m. on Thursday and Friday.
Melbourne artist Lukas Kasper’s flagship mural gives the store a local visual connection, combining trams, Australian rules football, skateboarding, and graffiti in blue-and-yellow illustrations.
Address: Shops 37/38, 300 Lonsdale Street, Melbourne Central, Melbourne VIC 3000. adidas Brand Center location and amenities.
Salomon Emporium
Salomon Emporium gives the route a dedicated outdoor-sports brand, with footwear that also has a strong following in contemporary streetwear. Its ground-floor unit is G-035, distinct from the Salomon locations at Chadstone and South Wharf.
Address: G-035, Ground Level, Emporium Melbourne, 287 Lonsdale Street, Melbourne VIC 3000. Salomon Emporium locator.
Nike Emporium
Nike Emporium lists Nike By You, Member First Access, and Reuse-A-Shoe recycling. It does not accept returns for Nike.com or Nike App orders. Hours are 10 a.m.–7 p.m. Sunday–Wednesday and Saturday, with Thursday–Friday extended to 9 p.m.
Address: Shop 1-027, Emporium Melbourne, 287 Lonsdale Street, Melbourne VIC 3000. Nike Emporium services and hours.
South Wharf: four brand stores at DFO
Nike Unite South Wharf
The store now uses the name Nike Unite South Wharf, while older references still call it a Factory Store. The store lists Reuse-A-Shoe recycling and does not accept Nike.com or Nike App returns.
Address: Shop TG21, DFO South Wharf, 20 Convention Centre Place, South Wharf VIC 3006. Hours: 10 a.m.–6 p.m. Saturday–Thursday; Friday, 10 a.m.–9 p.m.
The archive identifies this photo as an earlier interior layout; its date is unconfirmed. Do not use it as a guide to the current floor plan or offers.
New Balance Outlet Southwharf
Address: New Balance Outlet Southwharf, Shop G-016A, DFO South Wharf, 20 Convention Centre Place, South Wharf VIC 3006. New Balance outlet listing.
New Balance’s branch profile covers running and lifestyle shoes, apparel, and accessories. Hours are 10 a.m.–6 p.m. Monday–Thursday and Saturday–Sunday, with Friday extended to 9 p.m.
adidas Outlet Store South Wharf
Address: adidas Outlet Store South Wharf, Shops TG17–19, DFO South Wharf, 20 Convention Centre Place, South Wharf VIC 3006. adidas outlet location and hours.
This is the outlet-format adidas stop, separate from Melbourne Central’s Brand Center. The brand publishes daily hours of 10 a.m.–6 p.m.; do not assume the later Friday closing listed for Nike and New Balance applies here.
Brooks Running DFO South Wharf
Brooks adds a running-specialist brand to the DFO group. It is a useful focused comparison with the broader sportswear shops in the same center. Consult the dated branch calendar for your visit, since special trading periods can extend the usual hours.
Address: Ground Level, DFO South Wharf, 20 Convention Centre Place, South Wharf VIC 3006. Brooks branch information.
Port Melbourne: basketball at CourtSide
CourtSide Melbourne
CourtSide Melbourne combines basketball retail with a sports facility in Port Melbourne. Its catalog includes Nike, Jordan, Converse, adidas, New Balance, and Li-Ning alongside jerseys, equipment, and accessories. Basketball is the organizing idea, not simply one category in a general sneaker shop.
Retail browsing and court use have separate arrangements, so check bookings if you want to play. Store hours are Monday–Tuesday, 10 a.m.–5 p.m.; Wednesday–Friday, 10 a.m.–8 p.m.; Saturday–Sunday, 9 a.m.–5 p.m.
Address: 522 Graham Street, Port Melbourne VIC 3207. CourtSide location and hours.
Greater Melbourne extension: Yarraville
The Running Company Yarraville
This undated frontage photo is associated with 87 Anderson Street, not the current running-store entrance at 77A.
The Running Company’s running store is at 77A Anderson Street; number 87 now houses Walking by The Running Company. The Yarraville business opened in 2017 and is owned by Renee and Brad Fuller. The running location describes two treadmills and bookable shoe-fitting consultations.
Yarraville is in Greater Melbourne, within the City of Maribyrnong. Treat it as a separate trip from the central shops. Published hours are Monday–Friday, 10 a.m.–5 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m.–4 p.m.; Sunday, 10 a.m.–3 p.m.
Address: 77A Anderson Street, Yarraville VIC 3013. The Running Company Yarraville and appointments.
Melbourne sneaker-culture archive
Visual archive: UP THERE and the 2002R collaboration
UP THERE’s first New Balance collaboration, the 2002R “Backyard Legends,” turned Australian suburban life into a sneaker story: backyard cricket, barbecues, and everyday tasks rather than elite athletic performance. The announcement was published June 28, 2022; the shoe launched in-store July 15 and online July 16. Suede, fused panels, shrouds, and 2000s-style laces carried the concept into the design.
How to choose your stops
Choose UP THERE for the boutique behind Backyard Legends, or Above The Clouds for another clothing-led footwear selection. For an actual training shoe, switch to Up There Athletics or Sole Motive rather than assuming the two Up There addresses serve the same purpose. Royal Arcade adds collecting, The Sure Store connects shoes to skate hardware, and CourtSide makes basketball the reason for the Port Melbourne trip.
Keep South Wharf, Port Melbourne, and Yarraville as distinct parts of the plan. A four-store outlet cluster is not the same outing as a CBD boutique visit, and the two suburban specialists deserve their own travel time.
The 18 stores are options, not a one-day checklist. Start with one or two groups that match your interests and use their individual opening schedules, especially for Sunday visits and Friday evenings.
Compare the final AUD price and the policy for the channel where you buy. A retailer’s change-of-mind terms are separate from Australian consumer rights when goods are faulty. Keep the receipt and avoid assuming that an outlet accepts returns from the brand’s website.
Frequently asked questions
- Are UP THERE and Up There Athletics the same stop?
- No. UP THERE is the footwear-and-fashion boutique at 69 Flinders Lane. Up There Athletics focuses on running at 179 Flinders Lane, with different opening hours.
- Where can I book a running-shoe fitting?
- Sole Motive advertises free fitting appointments and accepts walk-ins at 148 Little Collins Street. The Running Company Yarraville offers bookable fitting consultations at 77A Anderson Street; its page does not establish a free service. These are retail services, not medical assessments.
- Can I return a Nike.com or Nike App order at these Nike stores?
- Neither Nike Emporium nor Nike Unite South Wharf accepts those returns, according to their own branch listings. Follow the return route for your original purchase rather than bringing it to either store.
- Which hours or activities need special attention?
- KICKSTW’s Sunday hours conflict across the retailer and directories. The Archive Store closes Tuesday. Sole Motive’s Run Club says “Returning soon.” At South Wharf, adidas lists a 6 p.m. Friday close while Nike and New Balance list 9 p.m.
- Where is The Running Company’s Yarraville running store now?
- Use 77A Anderson Street. The location at 87 Anderson Street is now Walking by The Running Company and is shown only as archive context here. It is not an additional running-store stop in the count.
An itinerary for comparing styles and approaches
Melbourne’s strength is the contrast: an independent boutique that helps design a New Balance release, a skate shop with its own clothing, and specialists built around running or basketball. Give each stop a reason to be in your day rather than chasing the longest possible list.
Before visiting: Some photos are archival and their dates are unconfirmed; interiors and stock may have changed. Check the current address, hours, and availability of any pair you want.
