Former Lane Cove Cricketer opens sneaker store with restaurant style twist

space. Downstairs is a sneaker heaven with brands stocked including Saucony, Nike, Adidas, Vans, Tommy Hilfiger, and ASICS plus more.

Upstairs are more sneakers and a consignment area. There’s also a range of streetwear including local Crows Nest brand, Arthur Raymond.

Owner Jack James said, "We want to be different and I often found the thing lacking in a lot of retail was service. So I thought I would give customers a restaurant level of service where they're greeted and seated and served up shoes on a platter. Our goal is to be the most customeroriented footwear store in Sydney."

The Back Wall also has brand new limited releases from Saucony which are exclusive to the shop.

The home of $50 vans, the Back Wall offers a great range of sneakers, amazing service and a bit of cheesecake on the side.

The Back Wall at Crows Nest has opened. And it’s offering a sneaker service with a difference. Think restaurant service but for sneaker heads. The staff greet you dressed in a funky black apron and serve up your shoes on a slate platter. If you’re lucky they might be doing a cake special where your Saucony strawberry cheesecakes actually come with a slice of strawberry cheesecake.

If you’re feeling thirsty, they’ll even bring you water or tea for free while you try on your sneakers. But that’s not even the best part.

The best part is the shoes. Their sneakers are often on sale – sometimes up to 70% off.

The brainchild of former Lane Cove Cricketer, Jack James, The Back Wall marks his foray into the retail

Heather Lesley-Swan

Jungian Analyst, CG Jung Institute, Zurich, Sandplay Therapist (ISST-TM)

Seniors, Adults, Adolescents, Children 9+

Northwood 2066 www.HeatherLesley-Swan.com

Sneakers are hot property with celebrities taking to the trend including Hailey Baldwin, Emily Ratajowski, and Kendall Jenner who are partial to Nike Air Force 1s. Katie Holmes, Meghan Markle, and Reese Witherspoon wear Vejas. Dakota Johnson, Gwen Stefani, and Zendaya don Vans. And the list goes on. So a great place to make like a celebrity is now open in Crows Nest at 11 Ernest Place.

Hunters Hill Food and Wine Festival ceases to operate

The Hunters Hill Food and Wine Festival, after more than 20 years, will cease to operate.

This event raised much needed funds for local charity and not-for-profit groups, notably Sydney Community Services, Hunters Hill Ryde Men’s Shed, Hunters Hill State Emergency Services and St John’s Ambulance, Gladesville Branch. However, since COVID, the costs associated with staging the event have risen, to the extent it is no longer a cost-effective venture, with much diminished funds raised for the charitable groups.

Disappointingly, attempts to reassess and rearrange the delivery of the festival have been unsuccessful, as it was concluded the spectacle of the event would be severely compromised. The charities supported over the years will still require funding assistance to deliver their highly valued services, so other ways to achieve this are now being considered.

The Organising Committee of the Hunters Hill Food and Wine Festival would like to extend their sincere gratitude to all the wineries and other stallholders who have provided support and substantial contribution to the local community over the course of the past 20 or so years.