Back in June I was lucky enough to be asked to converse with Retrobok about all things Reebok. Chris does an incredible job with the site and has provided an incredible resource for a look at the brand many of us love – past, present and future. Below is a small excerpt, but click the link to read the full interview and bookmark Retrobok. As usual I talk and write way too much… Continue reading
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
I’ve written before about how much I enjoy the designs Garbstore come up with for Reebok. When I saw recently they had worked on some Classic Leather pairs, I couldn’t wait. Luckily I received a gift in the mail yesterday and sure enough it was what I think is the best of the bunch.
There have been so many recent releases from other brands drenched in full suede where I could see every imperfection and inconsistency, so at first I was a concerned that these might disappoint. Check the pictures I took (unfiltered iPhone shots) to see how they turned out. Continue reading
Generally I try and be a positive person and look at the bright side but sometimes things just really get to me. Especially with sneakers I like to maintain perspective and recognize that sneakers are NOT life. Unfortunately I’m not sure that can be said for everyone these days. There are two particular groups out there in the sneaker community that come to mind. I’ll apologize in advance for my language but sometimes I get fired up. 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
Now that September is almost over and we are 3/4 of the way through the year, I started thinking about what pickups I was most excited about in 2016. The short answer to the question is: not much. But that would make a boring blog post so I’ll go ahead and talk about the pairs that have been standouts for me so far. Of course there are the usual suspects but maybe a few surprises, too. Let’s see what we have here. 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
I was lucky enough to receive a pair of these today and I’m very impressed. Wolverine is the parent company for Saucony and this is the first co-branded release from the two companies. The result does not disappoint. Continue reading
I’ll be the first to admit I’ve only been back buying sneakers for a few years now. Not quite recently enough to be late to the party chasing the hype stuff, but long enough to remember walking into my local shop and being able cop a recent collab released weeks or months before.
There was something special about wandering in on a weekend and seeing those pairs sitting on the shelf, being able to inspect the materials and maybe even try them on. Continue reading
SneakerGrandpa 