Kith Brings Special Sneakers to Everyone A FEW weeks ago, Nike released the Air Yeezy 2, a more abundant and less daring shoe than the original but still a rare and coveted one, reportedly limited to 3,000 pairs. The usual lines formed outside the usual stores. One of them, at least, tried to put a happy spin on the frenzy. Kith, with one outpost in Manhattan and one in Brooklyn, held a contest to give one pair away, a small gesture of civility and access in a world of exclusivity and mayhem. The modern specialty-sneaker era isn't quite as intense as it was at its peak a few years ago: it is no longer a subcultural pursuit. Kith's key innovation is the understanding that almost everyone wants to believe they have special sneakers (and shoes), even if they didn't pay a lot for them. Elitism and swagger are general interest now. Kith feels like a rejoinder to the tyranny of Alife Rivington Club, which for a while turned high-end sneaker shopping into the apex of snobbery, cloistered behind a buzzer-only door even while its selection was limited. Flight Club cast a wider net, and solidified the business of vintage sneakers, but it remained a specialty store. The arrival of Brooklyn's Kith, which opened late last year on a spit of Flatbush Avenue that has not historically been hospitable to retail, felt like a winning blow for access and the democratization of style. It doesn't carry luxury sneakers like those by Balenciaga, Dior or Rick Owens, but the creative cream of familiar brands like Nike and New Balance, collaborations like Puma's line with Alexander McQueen, and smaller, sometimes slightly left-field companies that emphasize tweaks to the formulas of the major brands. It's the brainchild of Ronnie Fieg, who cut his teeth at the Broadway shoe souk David Z. and who has made inroads into sneaker design with a series of impressive collaborations. Mr. Fieg has a suave way with detail, rescuing even brands I have negative interest in, like Asics: last year he took a navy Gel-Lyte III and made the toe box salmon, along with the trim on the logo on the side of the shoe. Then, in collaboration with Shades of Grey, he made a smashing baseball jacket to match. He has also spent time tweaking details on such tried and true shoes as New Balance 999s, taking utilitarian and neutral looks and streamlining them to where they begin to look refined. Kith carries Fieg designs, though they often sell out quickly. What mostly fills the shelves are often smart twists on trad sneakers: JS Gorillas, designed by Jeremy Scott in partnership with Adidas, with huge gorilla heads atop the ankles ($200); or leopard-print cutout high-tops by Gourmet, a relatively little-known California company that has been making innovative style strides in recent years. There are limited-edition Nikes, sometimes more notable for rarity than style, as was the case with some recent Air Force 1s in a neon blue with digital camouflage uppers ($200). There are shoes, too, that are becoming as customizable and flexible a wardrobe item as sneakers, ethereal off-white boots by Dr. Martens and slick gray wingtips by Florsheim. For summer, there were navy espadrille-inspired casual canvas shoes with rope outsoles by Pointer ($88), a strong compromise between comfort and style. THE Brooklyn location is one of two for Kith: there's one in Manhattan, too, which occupies a cramped rectangle at the rear of Atrium, the downtown Broadway stalwart of aspirational flash. For the most part, the offerings are the same at both, though a handful of the higher priced items appeared to be Manhattan-only. Such was the case with my favorite pair of shoes on offer, a red suede chukka-style sneaker by Del Toro, with red soles and laces ($335). The Manhattan location also prominently featured the recent collaboration between Pro-Keds and Play Cloths, the clothing line by the rap duo Clipse - the best was the gleaming floral print canvas low-tops ($100) - and the Nike Lunar Flow Premium ($140), a tan, aerated running shoe that's one of the handsomest that company has made in years. Kith's Brooklyn location sits on a resurgent little stretch of Flatbush Avenue just a bounce pass away from the Barclays Center, which has been swelling into fullness over the last year and is scheduled to open in September. The impact on the neighborhood is already being felt. As in Manhattan, this Kith is attached to Atrium, a more skeletal version of the Broadway standby, where hip-hop kids get weekend-night-out outfits. And just up the block is Vinnie's Styles, recently relocated from a much smaller patch a few blocks away. Immortalized in rhyme by Fabolous ("Closet lookin" like I opened up a Vinnie's Styles"), this store has more of a sense of humor and kitsch than Atrium, which has upmarket aspirations, sometimes at the price of flamboyance. Vinnie's Styles, though, tends toward bright colors and exaggerated rock-band logo T-shirts and shiny sneakers. Dressing well should be fun. And it's for everyone. Kith 233 Flatbush Avenue, Brooklyn; (347) 889-6114; kithnyc.com. FOR ALL Rare sneakers were once for the select few. Kith takes that world and makes it available to all, with a careful selection of forward-thinking footwear. SOFT AND LOUD There are various levels of flamboyance here, satisfying those who want polished takes on classics and those who think their sneakers should be closed with buckles instead of laces. GET FRESH Kith is part of a retail emergence on Flatbush Avenue in the shadow of the Barclays Center, which will feature an outpost of Jay-Z's 40/40 Club. This is where you can get dressed before trying to get in.