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The Courier
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Courier
Inside Dundee's Wellgate with the shoe doctor selling vintage trainers for £900
'When I was younger, what you saw on the streets was cool,' says Kris Boyle. 'In the '90s and early noughties, if it was accepted on the streets, everybody wanted to wear it. 'Now I don't think it's the same, kids go by what they see on YouTube, or want high fashion clothes instead of streetwear.' Kris, 37, is speaking from behind the shoebox-themed counter of his shop Dundee Sole, located in the city's Wellgate shopping centre after moving from the Hilltown in 2023. Behind him, precarious stacks of trainer boxes jostle with custom football T-shirts, news cuttings and 90s music merch for attention. A design by Dundee graffiti artist Syke explodes across the wall, and a wee white dog with a missing eye pootles about under the counter. (His name is Alfie, I learn later.) The shop feels like a time capsule, spinning back through the decades to encompass casual culture and loud '80s athleisure. There are rare trainer styles in locked glass cases, such as a pair of Adidas Liverpool Originals. To me, trainers have always just been running shoes, but here I'm discovering that they are a much more serious business. Looking around, I see no price tags, but when a customer asks how much they are during our visit, the figure Kris gives is just shy of £400. I ask how what his most expensive sale has been over the years. 'A single pair of vintage Adidas ZX 600s sold for about £900 a few years ago,' he says breezily. I'm naively stunned. I want to know more about this rubber-soled subculture. An avid buyer of rare and vintage trainers – he had 3000+ pairs at one point – Kris started his business by teaching himself how to repair and restore trainers while working in a barber's shop in 2018. 'You get a buzz when you find something from a time gone by that's rare to get now,' he explains. 'It's like Storage Wars – you know when you've got a good bundle.' He was inspired by Argentine Adidas connoisseur Carols Ruiz, who was featured in 2014 documentary series Sole Searching in South America. The sight of Ruiz's shop stacked high with vintage trainer boxes became Kris' vision board. Now he has his own loyal collectors across Tayside. 'Collectors are funny people,' Kris says fondly. 'I don't actually class myself as a collector, I'm just somebody who's got loads of stuff. Collectors are mad. 'A lot of the stuff you see in here, from 2010, 2011, 2017 – you won't see that on the street. People will buy those to add to their collections.' I'm bemused – why buy trainers if you're not going to wear them? – but I roll with it. After all, people with shelves full of pet rocks shouldn't throw their (precious) stones. Kris' first shop, in a unit on the Hilltown, combined his trainer cleaning and restoration services with selling rare shoes. But since moving into his bigger Wellgate premises in 2023, he's branched out into vintage apparel too. While the stock in Dundee Sole is not what you see on high street racks in 2025, Kris' motto is: 'Fashion is temporary, style is permanent'. 'I'd say 80% of the stuff in here is just stuff I like,' smiles Kris. 'The other 20% is stuff I know people will buy.' Coming of age in Dundee in the early noughties, Kris was inspired by football casual style and films like Football Factory (2004). 'That era gave a huge revamp to lads wearing these sorts of clothes. Adidas was making a comeback, there was just a huge culture of it at the time.' What was Kris himself wearing back then? 'Anything I could afford!' As with any high street business, the cost of living crisis has put the squeeze on Dundee Sole. But the nature of the shop – quality items for second-hand prices – means Kris and has staff managed to make at least one sale a day every day over February and March 2025. 'It's good, considering the winter months are the hardest,' says Kris. At the heart of it, behind the flashy racks of clothing and shelves of shoes, is Kris' restoration workshop. It's here he spends most of his time, bringing stained or damaged shoes or handbags (Ugg boots are a popular patient) back to life with tiny hard-bristle brushes, chemical concoctions and a lot of care. 'That's my bread and butter,' he shrugs. 'That's what I started with, and it's a big part of things. It means folk can avoid buying a new pair of shoes, when sorting their own out is a fraction of the cost.'
Daily Mirror
30-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
John Parrott urged snooker fans not to listen to Ronnie O'Sullivan after accusing him of lying
Ronnie O'Sullivan has always been a bit of a maverick, but even he surprised a lot of people with his pre-World Snooker Championship routine back in 2020 Snooker icon Ronnie O'Sullivan raised many eyebrows when he said he'd rather kick back with episodes of 'Only Fools and Horses' than practice for the World Snooker Championship. The World No.5 is known for being a bit of a maverick, but even those comments managed to shock the snooker world. He made the comments in 2020, before winning his sixth world title. O'Sullivan would go on to win a seventh championship at the Crucible and draw level with snooker great Stephen Hendry. Considering his quality and brilliance on the table, BBC pundit John Parrott couldn't believe Ronnie's laid-back approach. Before clinching another victory at the table by beating Judd Trump 18-13, O'Sullivan had spoken about his casual preparation. He said: "I've watched a bit of Del Boy and Rodney before my games rather than practising." His then-fiancee Laila even teased him, comparing O'Sullivan and his father Ronnie Sr to the comedy's characters. He added: "[She] says I'm like Rodney and my dad is like Del Boy. "I kind of relate to that show a lot - Ronnie the plonker, rather than Rodney the plonker. I watch a lot of good stuff - I watched Storage Wars - then I get a knock on the door and I go, 'Sweet, I can go and hit a few balls now." But after matching Hendry's record tally of world titles, scepticism from former world champion and television commentator John Parrot ensued. He was sure Ronnie hadn't been slacking off. Parrot said: "Don't listen to him saying he doesn't practice. He is in the club grafting like a Trojan, he puts the hours in and he wants to win. "You will never see anyone like him again. He's the best player I've ever seen. His cue ball control is at another level. He's on another level to anyone who has played this game." After taking a break from the professional scene for three months, O'Sullivan made a surprising return to enter the 2025 tournament. His appearance was shrouded in mystery until he showed up to face and ultimately triumph over Ali Carter with a convincing 10-4 scoreline. The snooker maestro credited his refreshed attitude to the work done with renowned psychiatrist Steve Peters. In Sheffield, he said: "I'm surprised I'm here but I'm here. "I don't have any expectations. I'd just like to not feel all at sea out there. If I can just play and at least feel semi-competitive, I'd be happy with that. "Could I win the whole thing? I doubt it. I'm nearly 50 now and there's a lot of young guys who are hungry and competing all the time. It's a bit different to say 2012, 2013."
Wales Online
30-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Wales Online
Ronnie O'Sullivan accused of lying as John Parrott told snooker fans not to listen to him
Ronnie O'Sullivan accused of lying as John Parrott told snooker fans not to listen to him Ronnie O'Sullivan has won the World Snooker Championship seven times, but his preparation ahead of the 2020 tournament was questioned by a BBC commentator Ronnie O'Sullivan has enjoyed an impressive start to the 2025 World Snooker Championship (Image: Getty Images ) Ronnie O'Sullivan has always been box-office viewing in an interview - but one thing the snooker legend said mildly irked former world champion John Parrott. In 2020, O'Sullivan made headlines when he suggested that he barely practiced before his World Snooker Championship triumph It was a particularly curious statement, as he was unstoppable, winning his sixth World Championship. Two years later, he would go on to increase his tally to seven world titles won at the Crucible, meaning he is now only one more triumph away from overtaking Stephen Hendry. However, one BBC commentator did not believe him when he said he rarely practiced. O'Sullivan raised eyebrows by saying he preferred watching 'Only Fools and Horses' to preparing for pivotal matches in his career. After his 2020 victory, O'Sullivan revealed he had significantly reduced his practice hours, even receiving playful criticism from his then-fiancee for his penchant for TV marathons. Parrott was not convinced by his revelation, telling fans not to believe a word he says. O'Sullivan said at the time: "I've watched a bit of Del Boy and Rodney before my games rather than practising. [My fiancee] Laila says I'm like Rodney and my dad is like Del Boy. "I kind of relate to that show a lot - Ronnie the plonker, rather than Rodney the plonker. I watch a lot of good stuff. Article continues below "I watched Storage Wars - then I get a knock on the door and I go, 'Sweet, I can go and hit a few balls now." Parrott was not convinced by O'Sullivan's laid back demeanour (Image: Justin Setterfield, Getty Images ) Despite his laid-back approach, the Rocket won his seventh title two years later with an 18-13 victory over Judd Trump. After his triumph, the skeptical Parrott said: "Don't listen to him saying he doesn't practice. "He is in the club grafting like a Trojan, he puts the hours in and he wants to win. You will never see anyone like him again. "He's the best player I've ever seen. His cue ball control is at another level. He's on another level to anyone who has played this game." Ronnie O'Sullivan won his seventh world title in 2022 (Image: Getty Images ) Article continues below Despite not playing professionally for three months, O'Sullivan still entered the 2025 tournament, where his appearance in Sheffield wasn't confirmed until he walked out to face Ali Carter, whom he overcame in the first round with a 10-4 victory. O'Sullivan credited his improved mindset to working with psychiatrist Steve Peters. O'Sullivan said: "I'm surprised I'm here but I'm here. I don't have any expectations. I'd just like to not feel all at sea out there. If I can just play and at least feel semi-competitive, I'd be happy with that. "Could I win the whole thing? I doubt it. I'm nearly 50 now and there's a lot of young guys who are hungry and competing all the time. It's a bit different to say 2012, 2013."
Associated Press
25-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Associated Press
Lions Tigers & Bears to Host 16th Annual 'Wild in the Country" Fundraiser
San Diego, CA April 25, 2025 --( )-- Lions Tigers & Bears, Southern California's only accredited exotic animal sanctuary, has announced its biggest and most important fundraising event of the year: Wild in the Country, taking place Saturday, May 17th at it's picturesque 142-acre property in Alpine, CA This year's highly anticipated event will be hosted by Emmy award-winning broadcast journalist Maria Arcega-Dunn, and will feature a live auction led by celebrity auctioneer and star of the hit show Storage Wars, Sean Kelly. Guests will enjoy an unforgettable afternoon featuring: A silent auction with one-of-a-kind items. A thrilling live auction with exclusive once-in-a-lifetime experiences. A gourmet seated dinner and craft cocktails. Live entertainment in a breathtaking outdoor setting. Up-close visits with rescued exotic animals who call the sanctuary their home. Tickets are limited, and if guests can't attend in person they can still participate remotely and join-in on the bidding. All proceeds benefit the lifelong care of rescued animals at Lions Tigers & Bears and support critical rescue missions, education and advocacy efforts to end the exotic animal trade. Tickets and more information is available at: About Lions Tigers & Bears Lions Tigers & Bears is a federal and state licensed 501(c)(3) nonprofit rescue sanctuary, dedicated to providing a lifetime safe haven for abused and neglected exotic animals. Located just outside of San Diego, the sanctuary is home to over 60 rescued animals including lions, tigers, bears, leopards, jaguars, bobcats, and more. Lions Tigers & Bears, founded by Bobbi Brink in 2002, is committed to education, advocacy, and ending the exotic animal trade. Contact Information: Lions Tigers & Bears Andre Marcel (310) 871-7650 Contact via Email Read the full story here: Lions Tigers & Bears to Host 16th Annual 'Wild in the Country' Fundraiser Press Release Distributed by
