LORETTA CLARK AND MARK SHEFFIELD. SHEFFIELD OWNS FIRE SNEAKERS & MORE IN THE MALL AT ROBINSON. (PHOTO BY ROB TAYLOR JR.)
The holiday season is upon us, and the next time you travel to The Mall at Robinson, take note of the four Black-owned businesses there that are making their mark, aiming high on the success meter each day in front of a diverse group of shoppers.
Mom knows best.
Loretta Clark had this feeling, this intuition about her son, Mark Sheffield, early on. Maybe even before Sheffield himself knew. She said her son always wanted to have his own, not settling for working for someone else.
“I always thought he was going to be an entrepreneur, because of the way he carried himself growing up,” Clark told the New Pittsburgh Courier.
It never really dawned upon Sheffield, the whole “entrepreneurial” thing, as he traversed the walls of Wilkinsburg High School, graduating in 2013. But when he would travel to New York City with his children, he was instantly drawn to the fashions there that you couldn’t find in Pittsburgh.
“I got inspired from out there,” Sheffield said. “I wanted to bring it to this city…I know we’re pretty late on stuff so I’m here to help out.”
Sheffield, who loves the Yeezy shoe brand, talked it over with his mother and on April 8, 2023, “Fire Sneakers & More” was born, on the second floor of The Mall at Robinson. A walk inside, and you’ll find the high-end streetwear from brands like BAPE, Supreme, Hellstar, Essentials, Denim Tears, and more. Shoes, clothes, accessories, it’s there. Young Thug’s Sp5der (pronounced spider) brand, it’s there, too.
Sheffield said the first year was a good year for business, but the second year has seen some challenges. He said business is starting to pick back up, and with the holiday season about to be in full swing, Sheffield is hoping to reap the rewards.
“I’m really proud of him,” Clark said of her son. She also said her friends are happy for Sheffield, too.
Sheffield told the Courier he’s in the process of making his inventory available for purchase online through a website, but he gets plenty of interaction on his Instagram page.
“It feels good,” Sheffield said about being a business owner, and one of a few Black-owned businesses in The Mall at Robinson. “Don’t get me wrong, it’s not easy. When it’s slow, you gotta manage your money, you don’t want to overdo it. Whenever it gets slow, I want to be able to work through it and not get hit hard.”
Sheffield, a father of three, said no matter what, he’s not giving up. He said he has that “tunnel vision” in order to “stay focused.”
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