by Brendan Dunne
Two years ago, when Jose Armando Bustamante of Houston, Texas, didn't have the $200 necessary to buy a new pair of sneakers he went the used route, buying a pair from a friend for $7. He took the shoes and restored them, taking the first step in what would eventually become a full-on business for the teenager.
The 17-year-old Bustamante, who was profiled in a piece by KHOU, now runs a YouTube channel with around 150,000 subscribers. The channel features restorations of beat up sneakers as well as customs, all of which he's able to sell for a profit. Take the pair of original "Military Blue" Jordan 4s in the video above for example, which Bustamante says he found in a garbage can and was able to sell for $400 after his impressive restoration.
According to Bustamante, his YouTube channel brings him around $3,000 a month.
His work is already garnering interest beyond the YouTube sneaker scene – KHOU reports that Texas rep legend Bun B is aware of Bustamante.
