OG HEADS CHECK IN...JUST WONDERING...

[jacksodk]

Just depended on location. I started collecting around 91-92. Stores in my area (Columbia, South Carolina) would normally just get one shipment. At that time, $100 shoes sat on the shelf. If they did sell out, only the popular ones were maybe "restocked." Grape 5, Carmine 6, 8's, 9's, 10's all set on shelves. It wasn't until the Black/Red 11's and 12's did Jordans really sell out on day 1 and kids were cutting school to obtain. This is when Jordan really went to the one shipment and that was it. Oh. And if I recall, release was a Tuesday or Wednesday (I am getting old so I can't remember the exact day. I just remember early part/ middle of the week).

 

[JRepp23]

 
I started buying Js when the 5s were at the end of their run. It was nothing like today. NOTHING. Js were just like anything else. Nike made 'em and you went out and bought 'em just like any other shoe. I saw the Infrared VIs in school before I knew they were even coming out, and didnt even know at first they were Js for a second. I wondered what they were cause I had never seen such a good looking shoe. Then I saw the sole and I was like WOW......

Went out that weekend and bought a pair. Didnt even stop to consider which store I needed to go to cause I knew any store would have 'em. Parked at the mall, went to foot locker and tried on 10 then a 10.5. Like the 10.5 better and bought them. Simple. Bought the carmines and the maroons the same way. No camping, no worry about stock, nothing. A shoe came out, you went out and bought it when you had the time and felt like it.

This is why I have the love/hate relationship with Nike that I do. I love seeing these bits of my childhood being released, but I HATE the way they make us fight for the "privelege" of overpaying for their retroes. Back then, it was nuts to shell out $125 for a shoe and that was the only price of entry. If you were willing to spend that insane amount on a shoe then you could go buy Js. Simple.

Believe it or not - Js werent the pinnacle of kicks back then. They were expensive enough that not everyone bought 'em. And if they did, not a lot of people bought multiple colorways. Most bought one pair and that's what they wore. These were my high school days - 8th, 9th, 10th grade, so keep in mind most of my peers didnt have jobs and they got what their parents were willing to get them. So not everyone had Js. There were lots of other Nikes and Reeboks. Some Ewings. There was sort of a hierarchy of what was cool. This was sneaker culture back then. 

- L.A. Gears: OK for girls. If a dude wore them, he got clowned BAD. The Catapult sort of changed that, but they were sill L.A. Gears. There was some curiosity about them, but at the end of the day it was like "Why did you pay that much for some LA GEARS??? Fool!"

- Converse: Not as bad as L.A. Gear but still funny.

- Addidas: Acceptable, but forgettable.

- Reebok: Depending on what they were, either acceptable but forgettable or pretty high up there. The PUMPS were like second to Js. A little more rare, but not quite as cool. Not worn all that often because we got tired of people asking to pump them. Anything Reebok with the visible ERS on the bottom was cool, but slightly secondary to anything Nike Air with the visible sole.

Ewing: Not common, but they were pretty cool. No trick like pumps or visible air soles, but still a nice respected shoe.

- Nike: Always more respected than any other brand. Any Nike Air was OK. Depending on how high, how wild or how obnoxious the Air sole was it ran from kind of forgettable to AWESOME. Flights were second down on the Nike hierarchy of cool to Js. We all liked them.

Js: Pretty much top tier shoes. Everyone always wanted to see them if they were newer. We all checked each other's out, compared colorways, etc.

Absolute Pinnacle: Command Forces and Command Force 180s. They brought together the best of both worlds. A Pump with the Nike Brand. Believe it or not, these were even more respected than Js back then. First, they were more money so they were more rare. Second, they looked WILD. They had all the tricks. The Command Forces had visible air and a pump with the big swoosh on the side and they were like $160 so nobody's parents were buying them. Rare shoe. I never got around to buying them back in the day and always liked them. A LOT. It's why I like my current retroes so much. Cause I got to buy the one I missed out on back then.

Let's talk about the Command Force 180s. Nobody had them. I mean like overall 3 people in a high school of 1500. THESE were the absolute top tier of sneakers back in the golden age. The 180 was a double meaning. They had the 180 sole, and they also cost 180. In 1991. Back then, that was unthinkable. Keep in mind, $125 For Js was a lot. And everyone knew what those 180s cost and everyone wanted em and nobodys parents were buying them. They looked like freakin moon boots. They had that wild 180 sole and TWO pump systems. The climbed up to like your friggin knee. You wore em and everyone was drawn to them. It wasnt like oh hey nice Js. It was "DAMN! Howd you get those? How do they work? Where do you let the air out? What's that switch for? Can I Pump them? How soft is that sole?"

I worked for a carpenter from the time I was 14, made 8 bucks an hour tax free. Worked a lot and I had a ton of money so I bought any shoe I wanted. I probably spent 10 grand on shoes back then.

Js were cool. But not these mystical, next to impossible to get kicks that you guys are used to. We simply went out and bought them. On the shelf. Those of us who had jobs and money to spend went out and bought them at our leisure. They were expensive and that was IT. As long as you felt like paying for them you could go to any mall, any time and buy them. If one store was out of your size, you walked down the mall to the next store. The 5s were available right up until the 6s came out. Even after you could find a few. Same with the 6, 7 and 8.

There's your history lesson for the day. I'm off my soapbox except to say HEY NIKE - I WORK ON SATURDAYS TO MAKE MONEY SO I CAN AFFORD TO OVERPAY FOR YOUR SHOES. HOW ABOUT YOU STOP PUNISHING ME FOR IT BY MAKING THESE RETROES SO HARD TO GET.

Repped for this, story almost matches mine.  Agree and enjoyed reading.

 

[702pusha]

Welp time to get ready for this nike store raffle

 

[chihlidog]

And now that I read it back, I realize I am sort of downplaying the impact of the Js. I dont mean to. They were special to me then. To a lot of us. My first pair was the Grapes. They werent as popular as the black/silver or the fire red black tongues. Really the Fire Red black tongues were the baddest of the bad at that point. Those colors POPPED and the 23 on the side was awesome. They looked awful when they yellowed but it was accepted. I never did get around to buying them. They're one of my grails to this day because of that.

I actually think you were reading my nostalgia in another thread and I mentioned seeing that dude in the Infrareds and my jaw dropped. Those black infrareds were incredible. I remember the exact spot I was in the hall when I saw them. DOnt remember who it was, but I remember seeing them. Right at the top of the 3rd floor stairs by the water fountain outside Mr. Golla's room. Those infrareds caused a huge stir for the first 2 or 3 weeks after they dropped. They just looked incredible, no other shoe ever looked as good. We were all going insane over them. But you could go buy them, not like now. As long as you had a way to pay for them. There were plenty at retail for months after release. I dont mean to imply they werent awesome back then, cause I revered them and being able to go buy them didnt diminsh that. Heck it egged me on cause I loved having them.

For the OP - the best way to answer this is they were like, say, Lebrons now. They were a standard shoe. While the 6s were the current Js, you could go buy them. Actually, I remember going to buy my black infrareds and the Red/Silver 5s were right next to them. They just cost a lot. The price was what made them exclusive. Not limited availability.

 

[JRepp23]

 
And now that I read it back, I realize I am sort of downplaying the impact of the Js. I dont mean to. They were special to me then. To a lot of us. My first pair was the Grapes. They werent as popular as the black/silver or the fire red black tongues. Really the Fire Red black tongues were the baddest of the bad at that point. Those colors POPPED and the 23 on the side was awesome. They looked awful when they yellowed but it was accepted. I never did get around to buying them. They're one of my grails to this day because of that.

I actually think you were reading my nostalgia in another thread and I mentioned seeing that dude in the Infrareds and my jaw dropped. Those black infrareds were incredible. I remember the exact spot I was in the hall when I saw them. DOnt remember who it was, but I remember seeing them. Right at the top of the 3rd floor stairs by the water fountain outside Mr. Golla's room. Those infrareds caused a huge stir for the first 2 or 3 weeks after they dropped. They just looked incredible, no other shoe ever looked as good. We were all going insane over them. But you could go buy them, not like now. As long as you had a way to pay for them. There were plenty at retail for months after release. I dont mean to imply they werent awesome back then, cause I revered them and being able to go buy them didnt diminsh that. Heck it egged me on cause I loved having them.

For the OP - the best way to answer this is they were like, say, Lebrons now. They were a standard shoe. While the 6s were the current Js, you could go buy them. Actually, I remember going to buy my black infrareds and the Red/Silver 5s were right next to them. They just cost a lot. The price was what made them exclusive. Not limited availability.

  In comparison to the 180s, the royal foams were that to me in high school.  I never had em but very few did and that was the elite of bb shoes.  Jordans were not that huge in my school.  From 96-99.  I was the Jordan guy but most everyone else was into pennys/foams.  Those, if you had them, you were IT.  Converse dominated overall.  Lots of guys would want to know what I had on and what numbered shoe they were and were interested.  Lots of compliments but at the end of the day no one went crazy over the newest J.  That was just in my area Im speaking of tho.  Shoes just were not a big deal and could be purchased months after release.  I was probably the only shoe guy in my school.  Alot easier to get what you wanted then.  Id do remember the black/red xi causing lines also, but at the same time I had a chance to purchase and had them sold from underneath me.  As i was going back to the mall to get them.  Forgot my money.  Still salty 20+years later lol.  Got mine now though.

 

[sthebest]

I started buying Js when the 5s were at the end of their run. It was nothing like today. NOTHING. Js were just like anything else. Nike made 'em and you went out and bought 'em just like any other shoe. I saw the Infrared VIs in school before I knew they were even coming out, and didnt even know at first they were Js for a second. I wondered what they were cause I had never seen such a good looking shoe. Then I saw the sole and I was like WOW......

Went out that weekend and bought a pair. Didnt even stop to consider which store I needed to go to cause I knew any store would have 'em. Parked at the mall, went to foot locker and tried on 10 then a 10.5. Like the 10.5 better and bought them. Simple. Bought the carmines and the maroons the same way. No camping, no worry about stock, nothing. A shoe came out, you went out and bought it when you had the time and felt like it.

This is why I have the love/hate relationship with Nike that I do. I love seeing these bits of my childhood being released, but I HATE the way they make us fight for the "privelege" of overpaying for their retroes. Back then, it was nuts to shell out $125 for a shoe and that was the only price of entry. If you were willing to spend that insane amount on a shoe then you could go buy Js. Simple.

Believe it or not - Js werent the pinnacle of kicks back then. They were expensive enough that not everyone bought 'em. And if they did, not a lot of people bought multiple colorways. Most bought one pair and that's what they wore. These were my high school days - 8th, 9th, 10th grade, so keep in mind most of my peers didnt have jobs and they got what their parents were willing to get them. So not everyone had Js. There were lots of other Nikes and Reeboks. Some Ewings. There was sort of a hierarchy of what was cool. This was sneaker culture back then. 

- L.A. Gears: OK for girls. If a dude wore them, he got clowned BAD. The Catapult sort of changed that, but they were sill L.A. Gears. There was some curiosity about them, but at the end of the day it was like "Why did you pay that much for some LA GEARS??? Fool!"

- Converse: Not as bad as L.A. Gear but still funny.

- Addidas: Acceptable, but forgettable.

- Reebok: Depending on what they were, either acceptable but forgettable or pretty high up there. The PUMPS were like second to Js. A little more rare, but not quite as cool. Not worn all that often because we got tired of people asking to pump them. Anything Reebok with the visible ERS on the bottom was cool, but slightly secondary to anything Nike Air with the visible sole.

Ewing: Not common, but they were pretty cool. No trick like pumps or visible air soles, but still a nice respected shoe.

- Nike: Always more respected than any other brand. Any Nike Air was OK. Depending on how high, how wild or how obnoxious the Air sole was it ran from kind of forgettable to AWESOME. Flights were second down on the Nike hierarchy of cool to Js. We all liked them.

Js: Pretty much top tier shoes. Everyone always wanted to see them if they were newer. We all checked each other's out, compared colorways, etc.

Absolute Pinnacle: Command Forces and Command Force 180s. They brought together the best of both worlds. A Pump with the Nike Brand. Believe it or not, these were even more respected than Js back then. First, they were more money so they were more rare. Second, they looked WILD. They had all the tricks. The Command Forces had visible air and a pump with the big swoosh on the side and they were like $160 so nobody's parents were buying them. Rare shoe. I never got around to buying them back in the day and always liked them. A LOT. It's why I like my current retroes so much. Cause I got to buy the one I missed out on back then.

Let's talk about the Command Force 180s. Nobody had them. I mean like overall 3 people in a high school of 1500. THESE were the absolute top tier of sneakers back in the golden age. The 180 was a double meaning. They had the 180 sole, and they also cost 180. In 1991. Back then, that was unthinkable. Keep in mind, $125 For Js was a lot. And everyone knew what those 180s cost and everyone wanted em and nobodys parents were buying them. They looked like freakin moon boots. They had that wild 180 sole and TWO pump systems. The climbed up to like your friggin knee. You wore em and everyone was drawn to them. It wasnt like oh hey nice Js. It was "DAMN! Howd you get those? How do they work? Where do you let the air out? What's that switch for? Can I Pump them? How soft is that sole?"

I worked for a carpenter from the time I was 14, made 8 bucks an hour tax free. Worked a lot and I had a ton of money so I bought any shoe I wanted. I probably spent 10 grand on shoes back then.

Js were cool. But not these mystical, next to impossible to get kicks that you guys are used to. We simply went out and bought them. On the shelf. Those of us who had jobs and money to spend went out and bought them at our leisure. They were expensive and that was IT. As long as you felt like paying for them you could go to any mall, any time and buy them. If one store was out of your size, you walked down the mall to the next store. The 5s were available right up until the 6s came out. Even after you could find a few. Same with the 6, 7 and 8.

There's your history lesson for the day. I'm off my soapbox except to say HEY NIKE - I WORK ON SATURDAYS TO MAKE MONEY SO I CAN AFFORD TO OVERPAY FOR YOUR SHOES. HOW ABOUT YOU STOP PUNISHING ME FOR IT BY MAKING THESE RETROES SO HARD TO GET.

Great story man. Also, dont forget Filas. In Chicago, the ones with the strap that released in the early 90s and the Grant Hills were pretty popular

 

[noblekane]

you mean the fila fx-100

 

[sthebest]

you mean the fila fx-100

YES! Thats the name of the shoe. I remember they were really popular in 1992. They had a pair with african print on the strap that my best friends had and I wanted them bad. I ended up having to settle for the Payless variant of them

 

[styles mcfly]

I got fire red V's, Hare 7s and white 8s back in the day- I can also confirm what others above said that these shoes were easily obtainable at the mall it was just the high price point that seemed to keep many away- for me I fell in love with 3s as a kid and I didn't convince my parents to get a pair until the 5s.

 

[chihlidog]

So to the other guys in here that are as old as me and bought them back then - does it make you as sick as it does me how crazy it has become to try and get a pair?

I work Saturdays. I work in the car business. I get there at 7:30 Saturday, the shop opens at 8. Saturday is the busiest day we have. There are no call offs, there are no excuses. Being commission, even if I did, I am out not only hours but potentially big money in my commission check. So any Jordan release is OUT for me. I cant be online trying to order shoes when the shop is opening. I cant take off to go camp. And I most certainly will never pay a reseller.

If my grails drop I'm going to have to do something pretty drastic. Grapes, Fire Red black tongue Vs with the Nike Air, I dunno. I'll have to take the hit and call off or something. I missed the Infrared VIs because being black friday, once again, I WORK and theres no way I can cop. It just makes me sick how Nike plays it anymore.

 

[styles mcfly]

That sucks- I would just have someone order for me online like your girl, friend, mother, sibling anyone close to you to help you out....

I only buy about 3-4 pairs a year and schedule is flexible so not much of an issue for me. Like everything else, times change, just got to roll with it. I don't think it's all Nike's fault, was just a different time pre-internet. Wish it was like back then but feel that way about a lot of things.

 

[JRepp23]

 
So to the other guys in here that are as old as me and bought them back then - does it make you as sick as it does me how crazy it has become to try and get a pair?

I work Saturdays. I work in the car business. I get there at 7:30 Saturday, the shop opens at 8. Saturday is the busiest day we have. There are no call offs, there are no excuses. Being commission, even if I did, I am out not only hours but potentially big money in my commission check. So any Jordan release is OUT for me. I cant be online trying to order shoes when the shop is opening. I cant take off to go camp. And I most certainly will never pay a reseller.

If my grails drop I'm going to have to do something pretty drastic. Grapes, Fire Red black tongue Vs with the Nike Air, I dunno. I'll have to take the hit and call off or something. I missed the Infrared VIs because being black friday, once again, I WORK and theres no way I can cop. It just makes me sick how Nike plays it anymore.

  Is there any way you can plan for a release and ask for the saturday off?  I hate to see that youve missed on your personal grail releases.  Ive paid stupid resale price before but if the shoe is that important to you its worth it.

 

[chihlidog]

Nah. There's only 2 of us at the counter. For me to leave the other guy hang is horrible. When we're busy you lose your mind by yourself.

The real solution would be for Nike to stop acting like they can only make so many and put enough out there to satisfy demand. That would make them more money and stop the resellers. But of course they never will.

I paid the $200 or $210 or whatever it was for my Command Forces. Cause they were on the shelf. If that's the price then that's the price. But I'll never pay a reseller. Nike needs to learn that. Seriously, stop treating Js like some golden calf and just put out enough so we all can buy them.

 

[rainking]

 
So to the other guys in here that are as old as me and bought them back then - does it make you as sick as it does me how crazy it has become to try and get a pair?

Over the years, I've been through several stages of emotions regarding this. I assume a lot of us have. I was never a fan of having to hunt things down or wait in lines etc., but I did it here and there for things I really wanted to own again. But I was done with that by the time I turned 30. And when, for a while there, things got really ridiculous in terms of availability and madness, I stopped caring completely. I had (and still have) a career and other better things to do with my time than spending hours or more trying to score some shoes that I still wasn't guaranteed to get. Plus, my taste changed from Jordans back to other Nikes and much of the Kobe line, which were usually pretty easy to obtain. So I had a few years where I didn't even try to get a lot of stuff, Jordans and otherwise, and after skipping a couple of releases, I realized I was just fine with it because there was always something else I could actually get--and still get excited about.

That said, I bought more shoes in the past 13 months than I had in years. That's partially because Jordan, in particular, dropped a lot of things I'd been waiting on--Jams, Cement IVs, Indiglos, black/white IXs, black/white XII lows (not too popular on NT apparently, but I love 'em), XVIs. But to the main point of this thread and what you've said above, I mainly ended up with all of those because they were almost zero effort to grab. The most effort I put in was getting to Nike Santa Monica about 40 minutes before it opened the Saturday of the Cement IV release. And it turned out that was unnecessary, as I bought a second pair hours later off of SNKRS. The rest of the shoes I listed, I didn't even enter raffles or use apps or any of that nonsense. I walked into the stores, bought the shoes, walked out. And I know you've said you refuse to buy from resellers, but personally all of the shoes I was interested in during the past year were available from resellers for just dollars more than MSRP, sometimes even less than MSRP, so had I missed out, I wouldn't have had a problem going the eBay or whatever route. If Nike and Jordan keep doing their releases like they did in 2016, I'll be relatively satisfied that we've returned to a reasonable state of affairs. 

EDIT: Just to be clear, I'm with you completely. At no point did I or do I enjoy having to do anything to purchase the sneakers I want other than going into a store or going online, at my leisure, and just buying them. I've never cared about hype, exclusivity or anything else that has contributed to the way the industry and culture changed over the years. I wouldn't say I was ever sickened by it, more like I was just PO'ed and annoyed. I suppose if I am honest, maybe there was a brief period where if I did manage to get something scarce--like the original DMP set--that it added a little satisfaction knowing I had something limited; that's probably just human nature to an extent. But that lasted for about three minutes on release day, then made no difference to me ever again. I'd say I'm over it, but I was really never under it 

 

 

[JRepp23]

Prices and availability are rediculous I know. But if the shoe is worth it. I'm going all in to get it. Certain Jordans are priceless to me. Screw the hype, if the shoe means that much to you. Price don't matter. Save up,plan up whatever, if you want it bad enough you will get it.

 

[chihlidog]

Nope. I wont pay a reseller. I wont reward that behavior. A guy that buys multiple pair with the intent of making money wont get a dollar from me, those guys are the reason I cant buy the shoes I want. I pay them and it just feeds into encouraging them to do it more. As much as I want them, a shoe isnt vital to my survival. I can live without em. I thought the Billy Hoyles were gonna be in high demand, and they were one of my grails. I still only bought ONE pair cause I wanted to leave some for the next guy. I cant change the game, but I can stand by my principles.

Sorry if that offends some here, but resellers ruin it for a lot of us. I went to the mall at 4:15 pm on release day for the Royals. 9 hours and every single one had been sold out. Thats 1) not enough production from Nike and 2) resellers buying them all up. I'll be damned if I'm gonna contribute to people buying too many pairs on release day. Buy what you want for yourself or family and leave it.

 

[JRepp23]

  I respect that.  ^  Yeah reselling has made it an issue, but I do believe Nike/jb has tried to make an effort to produce more shoes and make them more available.