Love may conquer all, but passion sometimes holds the trump card.

It’s that way for Max Anton. Loving basketball but passionate about soccer.

The sport took him around the world to play, helped get him a college degree, created a pitch of friends. Now the 28-year-old is giving back to the game that gave him so much.

Anton has opened Paradise Soccer Club, a small store in Kailua across from Pali Lanes. The focus goes beyond the normal soccer gear such as shirts and shoes.

It sells soccer as a lifestyle.

"I traveled a lot playing soccer and I always would go into different soccer stores," said Anton, who played for the Honolulu Bulls, Kalaheo High and Hawaii Pacific. "So when I decided to open my own, I knew what I wanted it to be and what I didn’t want it to be.

"I wanted something to be proud of. Something in Kailua where I grew up. Something different that would break the mold of the cookie-cutter shops you find everywhere on the mainland.

"We brought in street wear, hats, backpacks. Pretty much everything a soccer player would use, on and off the field. I guess you could say we are a soccer lifestyle boutique."

It is pretty much "Soccer 360" when stepping inside. Autographed jerseys framed by Anton in koa, the stars of the jogo bonito, the beautiful game: Pele, Messi, Bale, Ronaldo.

Most of the shelving, display cases and tables were made by Anton and friends out of recycled shipping pallets. So, too, are the soccer ball chair and sofa, which are covered in recycled leather.

Play foosball on the table. Watch futbol on the flatscreen. Talk World Cup draw and debate the U.S.’s "group of death" draw with Portugal, Germany and Ghana.

Anton has the background to converse at any level, having played for the Bulls’ U-19 team that was the first — and still only — team from Hawaii to win the USYSA regional and national championships. He also attended the IMG Academy in Florida, playing two seasons in the Premier Development League while pursuing his dream to play pro soccer, a dream that was cut short by a family emergency that brought him back to Hawaii and to HPU.

The PSC workers have equal street cred, from Kainoa Kahui (Bulls, Kamehameha, HPU) to Kelsey Baker (Leahi, Punahou, Pepperdine).

"Soccer is under-served and our focus is to make the soccer market available to everyone," Kahui said. "I love seeing the kids come in and get into the soccer vibe. It’s why we have kendamas in here. We want them to feel welcome.

"And we got foosball. We’ve had some pretty heated games between dads and sons. Intense but fun."

PSC opened in June. Business is steady, relying on both local customers and visitors.

Although there is no official club team, PSC does sponsor youth teams. It has a presence at the Honolulu Night Market and puts on street soccer events with cash prizes.

Originally, Anton hoped to open an indoor soccer facility with PSC as the storefront. With affordable space hard to come by, he is concentrating on the Kailua store with expansion plans for the neighbor islands and perhaps Tahiti.

There’s also the debut of PSC’s custom jersey, a camouflage design with the club’s emblem. The jersey launch is set for April 18.

With the FIFA World Cup in Brazil coming up (June 12-July 13), the store also will host viewing parties and soccer videogame competition.

"Soccer is an alternative sport here in Hawaii, behind surfing, American football, baseball and basketball," Anton said. "With the World Cup coming up, hopefully we can change the perception a little bit and get those athletes to come try soccer.

"I developed my love for soccer when I was young. It gave me my education, a group of friends and now my business. I owe a lot to the sport."