“Many (sneaker stores) look like libraries,” said Jon Bergman, director of sales for K-Swiss apparel in the United States and co-creator of LICK. “There is nothing fun or playful.”

Sneakers at LICK range from $45 to $200, and Bergman said the brands and styles they carry can’t be found in the local mall.

“We try to be super selective about the brands we have,” Bergman said. “We wanted to bring a New York or Los Angeles feeling to the Midwest and bring things that are really fresh in those areas to the Midwest.”

Bergman and Dan Leonardi, director of sales for LACOSTE bags and accessories for North and South America, launched its first location April 1 last year — the same date The Refinery opened its doors for business.

“They worked for vendors that provide clothing (that The Refinery was interested in carrying) and we were talking about our concept and they told us about their concept, so we sort of together came up with a store-within-a-store concept,” said Dean Miller, father Ryan Miller.

While working at Versace, Bergman and Leonardi met and began developing their concept of LICK — a cross between Willy Wonka meets sneakers, Leonardi said.

“When Dan and I were kids, there was no such thing as the Internet,” Bergman said. “If you were into sneakers, then you had to go out and find them yourself (and) when you finally found that sneaker on the wall you’d say, ‘Oh my God, I finally found it.’”

“We want you to feel like a kid in a candy store (when you’re shopping for sneakers),” Bergman said.

Last fall, the idea of merging LICK and The Refinery into one building developed as Ryan and Dean discussed the types of vendors they would like to carry.

Bergman and Leonardi represented HUGO BOSS and LACOSTE at the time — two of the vendors the Millers were interested in bringing to The Refinery.

“I thought (LICK) would bring some different styles (to the store),” Dean Miller said. “(LICK brings) some east and west coast to Michigan. (It makes The Refinery) a little more urban, a little more edgy and it’s still able to complement the jeans.”

As the first official LICK location, the East Lansing business is testing the high-end sneaker and streetwear market, Miller said.

“We got a chance to start it here and (we’re) kind of using this as a pilot program,” Miller said. “We like the idea because we feel like (the sneakers) can help us sell jeans.”

Both stores are considered a boutique, a term that Miller said defines a business that is able to adapt quickly to a changing market.

“We’re a single store, so we’re not locked into being a chain. Some of our competitors are part of a larger organization and pretty much have to abide by their product selection,” Miller said.

“With everything from The Refinery’s denim selection and upscale, casual clothing to LICK’s designer sneakers and streetwear under one roof, Miller said shoppers don’t have to make the trip to Chicago or Detroit to get the brand names they want.