Tokyo Mike is back! He’s taken my previous subject of older sneakerheads complaining and added about 5 cups of coffee to it. Love the music analogy – perfect!  Give him a follow on Instagram (@_tokyomike_) if you haven’t already. – SG

I can’t help but put my own personal spin on the subject of “seasoned sneakerheads who simply won’t shut the f*ck up and realize it’s not 1993 anymore.” It’s impossible. Hang on tight because I’m probably gonna let loose this time around.

I’m far from young. I don’t like naps, I NEED them. I’m in the age category where if I felt like taking a dump on the younger generation of sneaker heads for all the usual reasons, I could do it and I’d get a pass from all my brothers and sisters in the game who are in the same age category as me, aka all the old farts who need to hurry up and die. Continue reading →

Next up for a guest post is someone who probably needs little introduction. Tokyo Mike as he is known, is a peer of mine as far as age but he has many more years than me in the sneaker world. Mike does a good job of providing his background so I’ll skip the formalities. For all the old school whiny collectors complaining about the state of sneakers today, it is refreshing to see Mike appreciate what he got to be a part of at the peak. I’ll have more to say to those sneakerheads soon enough. Give him a follow on Instagram (@_tokyomike_) if you haven’t already. – SG

After 23 long years, I finally packed up my things and left Japan for good. I’d split my time between Japan and Hawaii since 1993 due to a weapons instructor job that bounced me back and forth between the two places. My kids were born in Japan but fell in love with Hawaii at a young age and as much as we loved Japan, we all wanted to get to Hawaii sooner than later.

After that long in one place, thinking about leaving is somewhat of an out of body experience. You daydream about it a lot. Everyone tries their best to picture what things will be like once you’ve moved, but for the most part nothing really makes much sense. Not until you’re somewhat settled in to your new place and have the time to sit back and think about the fact that yes, you’re “gone” now and no, you’re not going back. Continue reading →

This is the first of what I hope to be many guest posts by fellow collectors and enthusiasts. Jayme Barkdoll is a thirty-something high school teacher from Alabama. His collection is 75-85 pairs strong, consisting of mostly low profile basketball shoes and retro runners. He has written for online music magazines and academic journals. Give him a follow on Instagram (@jkbarkdoll) and enjoy the read because it is a good one. – SG

I’m not sure if it was turning thirty last year or if it was the cascading stack of shoe boxes in my walk-in closet or if it was my ear-to-ear excitement as I sat in my truck opening that white box from Dover Street Market containing the Vachetta Tan AF1 Mids. Whatever it was, my wife, a woman of unbelievable patience and understanding, asked me the question that I’m sure so many of us have been asked countless times: “Why sneakers?” Continue reading →