At sportswear spot Mr. Throwback, there's something for everyone

NEW YORK -- At Mr. Throwback, there's something for every sports fan - from a fan looking for game-day gear to the likes of Spike Lee and Timothée Chalamet.

Behind its larger-than-life clientele and significant following, however, is '90s childhood nostalgia and a passion for sportswear.

Michael 'Mike' Spitz, founder and owner of Mr. Throwback, recounts a childhood love for basketball jerseys and sports paraphernalia as being a major influence in the creation of the store.

"My store is actually based on my childhood bedroom. I just wanted to incorporate the '90s nostalgia," Spitz says.

Mr. Throwback found its beginnings as a popup stand at the former Hell's Kitchen Flea Market.

"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.