Nu Sole: Jefferson Street's Latest Success Story Opens This Week

JOLIET, IL — Eight months after announcing plans to open a new gym shoe and sports apparel store at 1009 West Jefferson St., Antoine Matthews Jr. and his father Antoine Matthews Sr. are ready to open Nu Sole. At 10 a.m. this Friday, Nu Sole opens its store for customers, Antoine Matthews Jr. notified Joliet Patch's editor.

"Your closet away from home. That's what we're going to be known for," Antoine Matthews Jr. told Joliet Patch during a recent interview inside his new retail store on Joliet's busiest thoroughfare.

Nu Sole will be open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday. The store phone number is 815-726-9329.

Nu Sole carries clothes for men, women and kids.

"Everything is new," the younger Matthews remarked. "There will be a balance between affordable and high end."

Nu Sole will sell basketball shoes and tennis shoes including Nike, Air Jordan, Adidas, New Balance and more. The new store will sell jogging suits, windbreakers and other sportswear.

Nu Sole will offer a shoe repair and restoration service, Matthews said.

There will be three different services. One will be for gym shoes needing a cleaning. A second will be a full-restoration for shoes that are "beat up" or "look terrible." The third will be a full reconstruction service for shoes in need of a complete overhaul.

Nu Sole plans to rotate its clothing apparel and merchandise to keep up with the seasons, its owners said.

Antoine Matthews Jr. said that Nu Sole will feature "unique brands" because he and his father want Nu Sole to be known for having "different styles and being different."

"We feel we're going to bring something unique to Joliet and staying ahead of the fashion," Antoine Matthews Jr. told Joliet Patch.

To learn more, visit the Nu Sole Store social media pages on Facebook and Instagram.