What was it like back in the day????

[brockbo]

I here bits a piece's of storys but i just want to know what it was like back when there lines for jays and every body was getting upearly to be first in line at the mall to get retros not this fusion stuff. Im 14 and realy wasnt in to shoe's back when all the retros that where comingout where must have's and kids my age ethier rock fusions or fakes and they just dont care. But me I know my sneakers and i just want to here from someolder guys what it was like to camp out and stuff like that.

 

[dtb00201]

ppl still come out for the good releases

 

[inglewooood]

do u pay attention in class OP?

 

[brockbo]

ha im a strait A student

 

[rafool]

Originally Posted by inglewooood

do u pay attention in class OP?

stop man. not funny, just ignorant.

Like the first replier said, few people still come out for a few releases.

Other people don't have to camp out or anything like that because hey have "connections."

Welcome to NT btw.

 

[toosmoove29]

I personally was too broke to come up on retros between '98-'01 (still some how found my way into the retro XI's in 2000) but my brother in Caliwould be in line at the mall(s) & get 2-3 pair for him & also get J's for his wife & kids. He'd be at the mall at 5am or earlier & gethis pair & be out.

Me in '02 & on was able to just go to any store & get them cause in TN dude's aren't really into J's like that & in the boughyareas I could wait 2 weeks & the shoe would be on sale $40-$50 less cause they're too 'urban' & they wanted them out of the store.

 

[youngsk8]

well jordans use to be released during the week up til retro XIs (cool grey was crazy in my area). you had to miss/ditch or be late to school if you wanted thenew jordans.

you were the man of the day @ school if you had them early before everyone else.

no such thing as fakes or fusion bs (even most of the early team jordans were

)

Campouts were unheard of (5 or 6am was the earliest anybody ever got up)

no quality issues

Just to name a few

 

[eltouha]

back in the day there were never any lines. i walked in, got my size and walked out with the 2000 blackinfra vi and the 2002 blackred vii. no lines. no fuss.just like the OGs in the first half of the 90's. i miss those good days. no poser beasts to make a stupid game out of getting shoes.

 

[panaricanretro]

Yeah, the crazy lines didn't start until like 2003-2004, I'd say and then they started doing super-limited quickstrikes and hyperstrikes and made thebeasting kind of OD for a little while. (black/green XIII's, laser IV's, etc...) Before that, yeah, you had to cut class but I wasn't reallygetting Jordan's until college, so then it was pretty easy to just leave campus and go down the street to the mall and cop.

I never camped out, ever, and never will. Most I did was show up 2 hours early to wait for the DMP pack and that was it. Now, if I can't just walk in andget them, I'm not getting them.

 

[daver]

Originally Posted by Rafool

---

Other people don't have to camp out or anything like that because hey have "connections."&

exactly. I have never lined up since back in 99-2002 I was in high school and was broke! Lol. Right now I got my connects that hold releases for me. While I play catch up for the releases I missed.

 

[darthska]

Used to be crazy, but not 'hypebeast' crazy. Basically, the people that really wanted something could get it. Like, when something came out that washot and people were talking it before it released, you knew that you better be at the mall as soon as it opened or have someone there for you. If you did that,you're good. That was it. Now, if something was hot and you expeccted to just stroll on through at noon and pick your pair up...

But now, man, it's terrible now. Got grown men camping out a week before release, dudes trying to get the hookup across the globe.

And the thing is, people back then were about the shoes. Yeah, I've gotten up 2, 3 in the morning to get to be at this one spot by 5 or 6 to make sure Igot my pair in my size, and the half dozen other people there with me did the same thing. And when we got our pairs, you know what we did? Dropped 'em onthe ground, man. They were on the ground either right then, wearing them out the store, or we took them home, maybe threw some different laces in 'em, anddropped 'em on the ground at school the next day.

Now? Now these fools camping out never even put their feet in the shoes and can't wait to flip 'em on eBay or something.

"You can't knock the hustle." Hell yeah I can, and I will. They changed the game for the worst. Forget a reseller. I'd love for all youresellers to get a real jay oh bee and let the game back to what it was before your lazy, uninterested selves came through trying to push people out of lines.

We might not have thought so at the time, but... "Can it be that it was all so simple then?"

 

[yadude318]

Fakes and variants have the j game so watered down its not even funny. Plus thre are so many releases now that people purchasing are kinda rationed out if mostpeople get one pair they most likely wont get the next release or the one after that espescially with the economy being the way it is. But this topic doesbring back lots of memories. I myself think the 09 Spacejams releease even though they are being sold early will be like the old days

 

[danewera]

Originally Posted by 23ska909red02

Used to be crazy, but not 'hypebeast' crazy. Basically, the people that really wanted something could get it. Like, when something came out that was hot and people were talking it before it released, you knew that you better be at the mall as soon as it opened or have someone there for you. If you did that, you're good. That was it. Now, if something was hot and you expeccted to just stroll on through at noon and pick your pair up...

But now, man, it's terrible now. Got grown men camping out a week before release, dudes trying to get the hookup across the globe.

And the thing is, people back then were about the shoes. Yeah, I've gotten up 2, 3 in the morning to get to be at this one spot by 5 or 6 to make sure I got my pair in my size, and the half dozen other people there with me did the same thing. And when we got our pairs, you know what we did? Dropped 'em on the ground, man. They were on the ground either right then, wearing them out the store, or we took them home, maybe threw some different laces in 'em, and dropped 'em on the ground at school the next day.

Now? Now these fools camping out never even put their feet in the shoes and can't wait to flip 'em on eBay or something.

"You can't knock the hustle." Hell yeah I can, and I will. They changed the game for the worst. Forget a reseller. I'd love for all you resellers to get a real jay oh bee and let the game back to what it was before your lazy, uninterested selves came through trying to push people out of lines.

We might not have thought so at the time, but... "Can it be that it was all so simple then?"

QFT

i was reminiscing about me getting the infrared VI's back in August of 2000 and how it wasnt a line infront of Modell's. It was probably around 10-13people included me, all standing around the store until Modells open up around 9am.. I knew then that i had to be there early to get a pair but it wasn'tcrazy early like 4-5am. Camping for kicks in 2000 was unheard of and people will look at you like a nut if you do that. I remember getting clown by my homiesjust because I head to Niketown early in the morning just to get my pair of Blk/Cement III's in '01. Now it seems like thats the "Norm" tocamp just in order to get a pair which is crazy

 

[d e beatup]

I wouldn't know. It was always Eastbay or NDC for the hassle free cop vs. uncertainty at the mall.

 

[Animal Thug]

Ahh...the good days of shoes...

I really got into shoes in 1997. I owned the black VIII's as a shorty, but owning the Black/White 12's at 11 years old triggered everything for me. Mymom bought them for my brithday and i remember being upset because I didnt get the Taxi's, instead i got the Playoffs that were actually more expensivethan the taxi's. (Back than, there were none of this 'Taxi' or 'Playoff' nicknames - Just the newest jordans that everybody was aware oflol).

People wore their Jordans straight out the store. Whether it was to the courts or to school, etc. Not too many people i knew hung on to Brand New Jordans.

Fast forward to 2000-2002....SpaceJams, Cement III's, Concord-Cool Grey XI's, Infareds, True Blues, XVI's (which i loved dearly) retro IX's(minus all the Nikes such as Hyperflights, VC's, GP's Flightposites, Foams, etc....<<90% of these releases - I heard about all through word ofmouth. Just an example of how much impact internet NEVER had on me. Everything was so easy to buy at a fair price with no strings attached.

I can go on and on....but i really dont want too.

2000-2002 were my years of Air Jordans...i feel bad for some you kids...

 

[mit9k]

Back in the 90's when I was in high school jordans came out during the weekday. I use to miss 1st period on the release date to get my pair. By 2nd periodI was turning heads. I even had a hook up back then. My cousin homeboy use to work @ the local shoe store & he always had my pair waiting . I remember mysenior year he let me get the playoff XI's like two days before they put them on the shelves.

 

[ninjahood]

depends what "back in da day " you talkin about.

OG releases while did they well were very attainable even months after initial release. Nike even re-stocked periodically to maximize sales since

lookin back, each color had to hold da model current for months at a time "launch colors, all star break color, playoff color, last color before new modelintroduced)

OG releases like da infared VI's were altered during first and second runs in 1991 (alterations to rubber tongues that came apart at da seams)

OG raptors during their initial run were changed drastically from every run...each variant either looked like da 2002, da DMP VII, or a mixture of both.

first run of retros in 1994 were complete failures da first wave of retro I, II, III's ended up on outlets for as low as 19.99

....no one wanted to mess wit older jordans since new sneakers like barkleys, pippens, pennies had

Nike's newest technology and were cuttin edge.

it wasn't till 1999 wit da black and cement IV's that peaked da interest of da consumer..but even then they didn't sell out till monthslater...although with

da momentum slowly building with da re-releases of da V's in OG and newly designed "retro+" colors it wasn't till da infamous infaredVI's and

concord XI's made there triumphant return that really turned da next 3-5 years into lines, fights, and overall jordan hysteria...it helped that no other

signature lines were really around to fight off and compete with da re-newed interest with da jordan brand.

years later da demand and cooled and JB is puttin out all da stops considering people are slowing becomin more resistant to their "fusion" plan which

seemed to be working for a while....and here we are in da present day.

 

[jacksonvillenc]

I didnt hear about lines until XI coolgrey release and I thought was crazy/stupid.

When you had Jordans you were consider richkid around my way.

After 1999 it got out of hand imo, we got flooded with releases.

2003 the year that Quality died with JB

. RIP

 

[allthingsjordan]

I just remember how when I first saw the Laney 5's with the Jumpman on the back instead of nike air I was mad....and when the retro + colorways startedwith the "oreo" and blue netless 4's...I remember thinking waaaaay back then that if Jordans go that route, of ruining classic designs &flooding the market we are in trouble...little did I know the tsunami of crappy releases that we would see over the next 8 years...oh if I could turn back timeand find gentry and kidnap him before he took over

I remember skipping school in 96 and going to local stores and finding retro 2's and 3's on sale...I got the first retro 2's in 96 for $19.99...andthis is when they actually thought retroes should be quality, look like OG's, come in specially designed boxes, and not overcharge for them based onhype...only true MJ fans were scooping them up then.

 

[dr813]

Originally Posted by 23ska909red02

Used to be crazy, but not 'hypebeast' crazy. Basically, the people that really wanted something could get it. Like, when something came out that was hot and people were talking it before it released, you knew that you better be at the mall as soon as it opened or have someone there for you. If you did that, you're good. That was it. Now, if something was hot and you expeccted to just stroll on through at noon and pick your pair up...

But now, man, it's terrible now. Got grown men camping out a week before release, dudes trying to get the hookup across the globe.

And the thing is, people back then were about the shoes. Yeah, I've gotten up 2, 3 in the morning to get to be at this one spot by 5 or 6 to make sure I got my pair in my size, and the half dozen other people there with me did the same thing. And when we got our pairs, you know what we did? Dropped 'em on the ground, man. They were on the ground either right then, wearing them out the store, or we took them home, maybe threw some different laces in 'em, and dropped 'em on the ground at school the next day.

Now? Now these fools camping out never even put their feet in the shoes and can't wait to flip 'em on eBay or something.

"You can't knock the hustle." Hell yeah I can, and I will. They changed the game for the worst. Forget a reseller. I'd love for all you resellers to get a real jay oh bee and let the game back to what it was before your lazy, uninterested selves came through trying to push people out of lines.

We might not have thought so at the time, but... "Can it be that it was all so simple then?"

Exactly. I don't get how people camp out for shoes. Camping out for a week outside looking like a homeless person and for what? a pair ofshoes? and top of that, when they finally purchase the shoe, they don't even wear it. That makes absolutely no sense to me. they just wasted a week oftheir lives camping out for a shoe that they will never even wear. Why camp out when I can easily go online and buy the shoe at midnight on release day.I'll never camp out for a shoe no matter how exclusive and limited it is. and these ebay resellers are ripoffs. like ska said they changed the game for theworst. they jack up the prices so high it makes it hard for people like me to get the pair we like because the prices are insanely high. Jordans that were $100when they retroed (cement IIIs for example) are now going for at least $300 on ebay. that's a $200 mark up. and on top of that, got the audacity to chargeinsane shipping prices. that's an absolute joke and it's just not fair. The jordans I always wanted (Infared VIs, Columbia XIs, Bred XIs, Cool GreyXIs, DMP VI/XIs, etc.) I'll probably never have the chance to own them because of ebay resellers and their ridiculous prices. I can go on and on about ebayresellers, but I'm not in the mood right now to write a whole essay

.

 

[duke4005]

I can remember when the II's first came out, in 1987, the market wen crazy over the price tag. $100, you are crazy! No one will pay that. Then theRevolutions with the same tag. Floodgates opened, the III's the next year blew it wide. That was the first one I can remember people crushing over. But notthe white/cement (my favorite), but the black ones. Then Mars came out and the IV's and V's (do you know?do you know?do you know?). I remember gettingthe VI's, yes blk infrared, at JC Penney's the August of 1991, 6 MONTHS after release, for $80, along with the Billy Hoyle Command Force for senioryear. And I wore all of these until the bottoms came through, because that is what they were made for, wearing and playing in them, not glass display cases inyour bedroom closet, or to sit in boxes to take out and look at every 3 months. I remember when Dunks came out in school colors, and were the height ofperformance, then the AJ I came out, and we were mad because the were ugly in those colors, give us something we could wear. So I wore my I's outskateboarding, just like Tony Hawk. Sometimes I wish Niketalk never existed, so I could still be surprised when I go in a store and see the new releases, and Ididn't have to worry about quality, or ankle support, or Zoom Air, I could just buy what felt good at that moment.

 

[ayipapi]

ninjahood wrote:

---

I would agree with this 1000% percent..(edited because I didnt feel it necasary to quote him since he's two spaces up lol)...I been in this... collectingsince around 94 but didnt really get crazy until 97/98...What I will add to this that changed the game completely is really the net...Any one who reallycollected had inside info from there local sneaker spot or mall employees. There was really no lines ups because those that wanted a pair got them...I was aJersey City (NJ) head when I started collecting and Morelees and Starter Sneakers (later changed to SneakerMagic) had it on lock....There wasn't reallyrelease dates...joints came in...joints was sold (much like most mom and pops due now anyway)

When the net started to pop and companies saw it as a way to make ecommerce a viable business...nike.com started I believe in either 93 or 94 (not sure aboutthat I could be wrong) but didnt really become an actual outlet for customers to truly replace local spots until late 90's and early 2000's.....Itsalso at this time that footlocker inc pushed on to the net and PYS (subsidary of Undefeated) and many others made it easy to shop for the latest drops fromhome....This caused the downfall of MANY local smaller moms and pops who were no longer able to truly compete in the marketplace. All this wraped togethercreated the void that is EBAY....

Ebay started in 1994 but didnt truly peak the curiousity of the consumer until 1998 when it went public...While the net was starting to bubble...moms and popswere starting to feel the pressure....ebay created a market place for people outside of the major hubs (NYC, LA, MIA, CHI, TXS) to get access to product...Seethe internet and sneakers didnt really know how to market itself yet until 1999 when a dude named Nelson Cabral started a forum....(Google that lol) After thatblogs started to pop up here and there (not like todays world where new blogs come everyday lol) giving sneaker heads world wide information on releases,samples, upcoming proms etc....This changed everything.....Your local mom and pops was no longer the messiah for a sneakers....If you knew the exact releasedate you could go to your local FL and pay retail or sit at home and point click spend....But with info comes hype..with hype comes money....well the largerthe hype....the larger the return....and ebay became that forum.....Now flipping kicks became a business....The first time I REALLY became aware of how seriousit was when the SB machine really started to roll....When SB first started you could cop for retail then almost instantly quadrople your invesment onebay....Yo Im like damn cats is selling dunks for $1000???? They are just some colorful dunks!!! But people in the midwest and far off places was snatchingthem up....When the pigeons dropped...made the front page of the paper because of that riot...they instantly sold for $1500 to $2500 on ebay.....then fakesstarted....Its like a domino....LoL

So to answer your question...and as much as I dont like it....Gentry and Jordan Brand with the expansion of the fusions are trying to create a new experiencefor the kids coming into the game....Im not a crazy Jordan head (crazy dunkshead) but I still remember when....Its the nostagla of it all that makes us beastfor OGs...I was like 10 in late 80's watching Mike put on a show night after night with a crisp pair of jays on....Back then we wanted the sneakers causewe wanted to fly like Mike..."Be Like Mike" (kinda cheezy I know lol)....I rocked and balled in all my kicks because the logic was if you had theright footwear you were gonna be a better athlete..(yea right the commericals never showed how hard Jordan trained)...My brother damn never slept in hisJays...It wasnt about looking fresh in the club or having on exclusives....Cats used to get robbed not because they was exclusive but because they wasexpensive and hood nig**s couldnt afford them.... Fusions are there to try and create that new experience for the kids...love it or hate it....who knows howthe market will response in 10/15 years from now.....

To put this ALL in perspective like many above me have said...OG Jordans...not retros..not CDP...were very much available..months after release...in MOST casesHEAVILY discounted just to clear shelves....What you kids today beast over was damn near given away once apon a time....

Great question BTW and welcome to NT

 

[abstrakt]

Originally Posted by BrockBo

ha im a strait A student

Even in English?

 

[ntngman]

It was very easy to purchase J's back in the day. In 89 I was thirteen and moms took me to a mom and pop store in Westlake area in LA to buy me some bred4's for my Bday. Even when they retroed in 94 it was way to easy as well. It was easy as walking into the store and asking for your size and buying them.Until the bred IV's where released in 99 all hell broke loose with the shoe world.

 

[corporatejp]

Man, do I miss the 90's.

I remember working the XI, XII, and XIII releases.

People used to come out, but I worked for a private athletic retailer, and we had no real competition locally, so once the case of release shoes came out,we'd ignore the date and put them on display.

LOL.

They punish hard for that now, though.