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NEW YORK — At Mr. Throwback, sports enthusiasts can discover a treasure trove of items, whether they’re seeking the perfect attire for game day or something to catch the eye of celebrities like Spike Lee and Timothée Chalamet.
What lies at the heart of this shop’s star-studded reputation and growing fan base, however, is a deep-rooted affection for the sportswear of the ’90s and a longing for the nostalgia of that era.
Michael ‘Mike’ Spitz, the visionary behind Mr. Throwback, attributes his childhood fascination with basketball jerseys and sports memorabilia as the driving force behind the store’s inception.
“The concept for my store originates from the essence of my childhood room. It was an attempt to embrace the nostalgia of the ’90s,” explains Spitz.
Mr. Throwback initially took shape as a popup stand at the former Hell’s Kitchen Flea Market, marking the start of its journey.
“I set up every weekend, and I fell in love with it,” Spitz says. “I would bring jerseys and hats and sneakers and posters and toys, anything ’90s sportswear.”
With its nostalgic selections quickly gaining traction, Mr. Throwback eventually grew into a proper storefront in the heart of the East Village.
“People were like, ‘wow, this is so cool. I grew up with this, or I have this. Do you buy?’” Spitz recalls. “And it just got to the point where I’m like, this is it. This is exactly what I want to do for the rest of my life.”
Mr. Throwback’s shift from local destination to celebrity favorite, Spitz recalls, largely began with an ESPN feature on the store.
“The next day, I’m in the back of the store and somebody opens the door. He goes, ‘who’s Mr. Throwback?’ And I’m like, ‘who’s asking?’ And he pulls down his mask, and it’s Spike Lee,” Spitz recounts. “He read the article and he was here the next day. And that was, like, the greatest feeling of my life.”
Now, the store has garnered the attention of figures such as Bruno Mars, Timothée Chalamet, Teyana Taylor and more. Despite its star-studded clientele, Spitz remains committed to offering something for anyone, for any sport, from hockey tees to wrestling magazines.
“I love when people come from all over the world. People come from everywhere, so you got to have something for everybody,” Spitz says of his customer-first approach. “If you have a great experience somewhere, you’re going to tell the world. If you have a bad experience, you’re going to tell the world. So I’d rather you had a great experience with Mr. Throwback, so even if you don’t buy something, you’re going to tell someone, ‘there’s this really cool store in the East Village.’”
Looking to the store’s success, it seems Mr. Throwback will serve as a blast from the past for generations of sports fans to come.
Click here to learn more about Mr. Throwback.