DR. FRANK RICHARDSON
Words: Nick Santora | Photographer: Deven Cucolo
Location: Atlanta, GA | Age: 51 | Occupation: Doctor of Education
Collection: 700 pairs
@KhaliVegas on Instagram isn’t a collector. The “real life” Dr. Frank Richardson refers to
himself as an “organized hoarder” who’s amassed over 700 pairs of sneakers, some released
as far back as the early-1980s and still in their boxes, complete with all the original booklets,
tags, and other accoutrements. Not only has he held on to almost every single pair of sneakers
he’s bought over the past thirty years, he still wears most of them and manages to keep them
in pristine condition with a meticulous regimen that includes Sea Glow, lots of scrubbing, and
sunshine. If you’re skeptical, take a look at the sneakers featured here, and then follow him
on Instagram.
If this wasn’t mind-boggling, let’s take it one step further and consider the pieces in his ro-
tation. We’re not talking about your run of the mill assortment of everyday sneakers. He’s
bringing some very technically advanced, while relatively obscure, pieces to the party. There’s
a lot of attention given to European brands like Diadora, Superga, Lotto, Sergio Tacchini, and
Le Coq Sportif. Some sneakers represent the pinnacle of performance, style, and luxury, with
models featuring the signatures of tennis superstars Boris Becker, Ivan Lendl, and Arthur
Ashe. These shoes weren’t available at Marshall’s back in then. You had to go to your local
tennis or running shop, dedicated to importing these expensive brands and models.
In a time when the term “OG” is thrown around very loosely when describing retro products
and Instagram sneaker celebrities, we truly have a real one on our hands with Khali Vegas.
For someone to have the desire to buy these particular sneakers back when they came out,
and then have the foresight to keep them crispy for all these years while wearing them, is ab-
solutely amazing. Think about that for a second, and then enjoy this interview with the most
interesting sneaker preservationist you’ve ever met.