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Your Stories Matter! with Tom of InStyleShoes
101 Plays1 day ago
This week I am joined by Tom aka InStyleShoes1999, we share stories about how sneakers created amazing friendships. How he found a way to get his foot in the door at a foot store. His time on NikeTalk and why it connected with him. How The Gathering came to be and what Aaron AC Cooper has shared with him. Meeting Tinker Hatfield and what it is like when he enters the room. Plus a bunch more!
Follow Tom: IG: https://www.instagram.com/instyleshoes1999
FB: https://www.facebook.com/Instyleshoes/
Podcast Linktree: https://linktr.ee/myfirstkicks
Sign up for the Patreon: https://patreon.com/MyFirstKicks
Music by The DoppleGangaz: https://thedoppelgangaz.bandcamp.com/
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Transcript
The Internet's Role in Sneaker Culture
00:00:00
Speaker
ah The rules be a sneakerhead. So, yeah. so you know, you're young. You know, the first of all, the Internet's new, really relatively. Not everybody, you know, you're dealing with dial-up. And so people are sort of sitting on their home computers and checking in And, you know, you're finding your friends from around the world. And a lot of us are in our 20s. And so you're visiting that.
00:00:20
Speaker
um To preface that was Nike Park, Nike Street, and there's some other smaller, i think, GeoCity. There's some other things that were out there. yeah um it was just the first one at the the right, everything, and and really was sort of...
00:00:38
Speaker
the big bang of sneaker culture. Right. Some people might throw things yeah and other people might applaud that. But in my opinion, that's when a lot of people jumped in and a lot of people started getting also.
Introduction to Episode 240
00:00:52
Speaker
also
00:00:56
Speaker
What's good, everyone? Welcome back to My First Kicks. This episode 240, and this week, I bring to you none other. One of my favorite people. Tom, in style shoes, Tom.
00:01:08
Speaker
Come on, man. Oh, wow. Keep going. No. You are an absolute legend. um And style shoots, 1999. If you haven't followed, make sure you follow it. You know you put you post pages of that bring me back to certain moments in time where I remember when ah when I found your page, I just like, I'm high school again.
00:01:31
Speaker
and When did you jump in? Um... Like following you? Yeah, yeah. Shoot. don't remember.
00:01:42
Speaker
i was in i i remember early on following a ton ah of sneaker pages. But like, I remember, there wasn't there like IG pages like East Bay Catalog or something like that?
00:01:56
Speaker
It was like something East Bay. It was like East Bay Archive or something like that. Yeah, Drew Hamill. Yeah. Well, you know all of them. Yeah. yeah he's He's a great archer archive person. Absolutely.
00:02:07
Speaker
And so he was originally Nike stories. Oh, we really? Yeah. So he changed that over rebrand. That's crazy. Yeah. Refocus. That's crazy. i But yes, the I remember you posting like some old I want you. to i There's so I've talked about this on the last episode.
00:02:24
Speaker
ah There's a page. There's ah a pair of Air Force One mids. Right. Careful. Never seen it. never ah Yeah. Yeah. I know. Shout out to Clark Kent. Yeah. Yeah. Shout out Clark Kent. Absolutely.
00:02:39
Speaker
But have you belated? know, have you heavily belated? But there's a pair of ah mid- Air Force Ones, Navy blue and gray, but it's mostly Navy blue.
00:02:53
Speaker
And the like the swoosh is gray. The strap is gray. and need you to find them. Jewel era. No, no jewel. Just regular. I want to say 1996, maybe. Okay.
00:03:07
Speaker
96, 97. I see. Yeah. So if you ever see a page of those, please. present Yeah. we' We'll go down the rabbit hole. Yeah.
Influential Figures in Sneaker Culture
00:03:14
Speaker
Happy to. um But for people who are not familiar with you, how about you introduce yourself?
00:03:18
Speaker
Hey, buddy. Tom. I run ah and the handle InStyleShoes1999. And... Happy to be here. Happy to have someone be interested um and happy to chop it up.
00:03:31
Speaker
No, man. um You know, well, first I will. I'm going to open the curtains on this one. um Forever thankful for you. Right. Like you following me and you giving me the opportunity to to meet, you know, AC Aaron Cooper. Wow.
00:03:48
Speaker
the beginning The beginning of this year. almost said last year. um I had never thought I would ever be in a position so even be in that room to to have the chance to speak to you know Stanley, to to speak with ah Rod and like all these like so extremely talented people who really digest sneakers on a level that...
00:04:13
Speaker
I wish I could have gotten to in high school, but you know, i actually had that moment in that room and and, you know, I'm forever thankful. You know, you sat down with me and I was like, to be honest, I was nervous eating.
00:04:27
Speaker
i was like, Like, okay yeah. And ah you were talking to me and I was just like like, you're telling me how much you love the podcast and what what you you yeah like what like, just putting in the stories in front of everything.
00:04:41
Speaker
yeah um Different approach. Yeah. And i was like, How did I get here? Like, I was literally, I don't know if you noticed it. I was sweating. So same. Yeah. Same.
00:04:54
Speaker
um You know, I'm there because doors were open for me. and And that's, you know, kind of the way, you know, people would say, you know, that that's kind of the right thing to do is is pay pay it forward and and tap people and and this and that. And so, yeah.
00:05:08
Speaker
I think I was scrolling one day. um you had a very interesting conversation with, it was Beachy KJ. And I stopped scrolling because you guys were talking about gatekeeping and sneakers. And I i just recently had had a back and forth with someone about that stuff. And... ah I thought what you two interacted with in that episode, maybe you recall that number of that episode, but I'm sorry, i was just trying to give you a call back, you know, just the idea of that, you know, that there are people who feel that they experienced a lot or know a lot and have a minimum requirement for others to sort of enter this space. yeah And so w.
00:05:52
Speaker
Is there a line for that? What does that look like? um Do you just need to be an OG head to qualify? You know, like it's it's a confusing conversation, but I remember being pulled in.
00:06:06
Speaker
on that and so that's what grabbed me and then I started digging deeper and we started having some conversations. oh yeah you were like yeah It's funny for me when people go back into archives and I'm like, I don't remember none of these conversations. like i'll I'll grab like specific like yeah moments from each episode, but sure, you know, 200, 240 episodes, you know, I listened to you and KO.
00:06:32
Speaker
Yeah. You're showing me that. Yeah. I think you and I were texting that about, and I, I was so, I wanted another hour of that episode. That was fun. That was really, don't inflate chaos. You're right. I shouldn't that. Don't please don't. Oops. I added that out. Yeah. Yeah. uh just a very uh heady guy and yeah and he has a lot to say that i think is is thoughtful yeah for sure he's very mindful of what he's saying and you know from afar i've i've been able to appreciate him and and hope hope to chop it up with him and in person or something yeah in the near future i was with him a majority of the time in detroit oh so cool yeah me and him yeah like that's the homie
00:07:11
Speaker
Yeah, I mean, we we probably all have people that we look forward to chopping it up. Yeah. So let me hit you let's get with Let's jump into the question. Hit me. Let's talk about it.
00:07:23
Speaker
What's your
Tom's First Sneaker Memory
00:07:24
Speaker
first kicks? What's that first pair of sneakers you absolutely needed to have? The first pair I needed to have. So I'm wearing the AJ5 black metallic. Yeah. And I remember very vividly...
00:07:37
Speaker
Being in grade school and this is the first time I kind of really cared about sneakers and it was it was this magical moment of someone down the hall coming in with them on and sure you see the reflective tongue.
00:07:53
Speaker
yeah And I was just dumbfounded by them. This actually happened. Like it sounds like i'm making it up, but this actually happened. You know, I just, what happened? yeah And I've just had a love affair with this sneaker really ever since. it It ended up being that my first cool pair is the AJ5 and the Fire Red.
00:08:16
Speaker
And my biggest reason for loving the shoe, I've recently said this. Sometimes when I look at shoes like a Jordan, I don't actually think about Michael Jordan first. I mean, he might be somewhere in the top three or top five of things I look at, but it's it's the sort of callbacks to my life or things that have happened that, you know, i make me think about it. And what the story I'm about to tell you is that.
00:08:41
Speaker
So I finally get the AJ5, my first pair of Jordans, and I get off the bus, I get to school, and within minutes, someone comes over and essentially says, when did you get those?
00:08:54
Speaker
He has them on too. yeah And I say, well, I just got them this weekend. He goes, well, I got them this weekend. And turns out, you know, we have, we had some mutual acquaintances, but we're at 35 years later, our wives go on vacation together without us.
00:09:14
Speaker
Yes. So sneakers to me, that's set the, the framework of what sneakers would become in my life. That's just one story of, you know, and so when I think of the AJ five,
00:09:28
Speaker
I think of Chris. That's awesome. yeah You know, and and so that's where the stories are sort of our stories. Yeah. That's that's where I sit with the stuff. And so, you know, people get into debates about what's the better shoe, this and that. And not everybody's going to pick an AJ5. No.
00:09:46
Speaker
Maybe you don't have that context with the shoe. Mm-hmm. Okay. Maybe, maybe, you know, you like the fours more because something in your life or maybe complex told you to, I don't know one or the other. Hey, no, no hate on complex. It's just, you know what I'm saying? Like, it's just impartial. yeah yeah Your reasons for, yeah ah you know, preferring a shoe. Uh, and, and so that's where, uh, things I think get interesting.
00:10:12
Speaker
I think I think that so I mean I told i don't know did you watch my video ah which the what the the one the one-on-ones at the gate at the gathering purposely didn't I will I was a little too drunk for that one but the I think I almost made everybody in that room cry. But um the it's funny because my story also involves with my childhood best friend, Chris.
00:10:42
Speaker
Okay. So that's funny. Okay. Yeah. and ah But it's also a Jordan 2. and Not the Jordan 2, but it's also a Jordan as well. And it's the Jordan 13 because it's the – well, mine is the Jordan – no, it's the Jordan 14.
00:10:59
Speaker
Because the first pair of Jordans I got were the 15. But and the only reason I got them oh is because... The collab. I remember this. And so yeah the only reason I got them is because he had the 14s. And I was like, i I need them. I need them.
00:11:11
Speaker
But um you are absolutely right. I think that it's like... We do have to, if you are really in this, right? And this is this is not like a prerequisite for, oh, you're not a sneakerhead, blah, blah.
00:11:25
Speaker
But I think it just means more to you. If like. You're invested. Yeah. Because you're like you're like, every time that every time that ah the OG fours come out, you're like, I remember that time. I got to get them again. and you you relive that.
00:11:40
Speaker
Yeah, i mean and it's and it's not to say let's just live in the past. It's not to say you can't enjoy something now. like That's not to suggest that. um
00:11:52
Speaker
I think that people's attachments can happen. you know um How many sneakers are there out there? we have all We're a kid in a candy store these days. You can have access. You can have Wu-Tang Dunks. You can have Undefeated Fours.
00:12:05
Speaker
Two years ago, that was not... You know you know what I mean? and so that was the i remember like but i don't i don't know if you have i if I told you this. I remember being on the forums and being like,
00:12:18
Speaker
One day, day. Every kid. and Yeah. I mean, I was probably that kid, you knowre just looking at this stuff and, and, you know, it's mythical and, you know, with all of the choices and all of the options we have and all the platforms and ways to get these shoes,
00:12:33
Speaker
Why not have them be special to you? It's it again calls back to your whys, your stories, your, you know, connectivity with them. Um, it's, and and, and, trust me, some of my favorite people in sneakers are people that have collections that are rooted in Michael Jordan did this, Michael Jordan did this, and Michael Jordan did this.
00:12:54
Speaker
Cool. That's, that's your, yeah. Awesome. yeah you know That's what you vibe with. But I think that there's maybe a lesser undertone um or lesser conversation happening around some of our stuff. I think a lot of the shares that people have tend to be...
00:13:16
Speaker
um i Anyway, it's a look at the shoe kind of thing versus a why am I showing you this shoe? right That's kind of more of where I'm going with this. the So from the AJ5s and this newfound friendship, what is the next shoe?
00:13:33
Speaker
what is What is the next moment in your storied past where it's like sneakers really really started calling to you?
Working at Foot Locker and Sneaker Friendships
00:13:42
Speaker
Yeah. um You know, the AJ5 is a through line for me. I wore them at my wedding.
00:13:49
Speaker
Yeah. um But another one that jumps out to me is Shout out to the Mrs. Philly. You rock them with it, right? Yeah. Yeah. ah The groomsmen, actually, too. we all we all um We all had a couple of donks air forces and such. but um at the At the... At the ceremony.
00:14:08
Speaker
No, I was going to say, at the when you revisit the vows... ah the i want the I want the invite. You want in? Yeah. Well, you're family now. yeah We have the Olive Garden. I love it.
00:14:23
Speaker
ah Another story that that for me is interesting is is the Cool Gray 11. um So at the time, I'm working at Foot Locker, and I didn't realize how big of a deal that that was going to be. where's the Where was the Foot Locker you worked at?
00:14:38
Speaker
So let me back up a sec actually and just tell you real quick um how I got a job at Foot Locker. like i This is going back a few years. i go in and um I'm just trying out some shoes. I'm looking at some shoes and someone who I didn't recognize came over to me.
00:14:59
Speaker
Um, and he said, oh yeah, you know, this and that about the shoes on the, on the deck there. Cause you know, back the nineties, you had options on the wall. yeah Right. And we started looking at the Humaras and I'm talking to him about, oh, you know, zoom air and this and that, which I knew thanks to East Bay. Um, I've said that to drew actually many times yeah is, you know, I, and so, um, I get to talking and he's surprised that as a customer, I had any product knowledge, let alone technology.
00:15:26
Speaker
And so um I ended buying those from Mars. um I also walked out with a job application and started about a week later. Nice. So that was actually my first job in sneakers was just literally...
00:15:38
Speaker
having that conversation with a new store manager who was looking for part-time employees. And you already knew your stuff. You was already ahead the game. Well, I mean, I'm already, you know, I'm deep in, thanks to East Bay, you know, those, those product pages.
00:15:52
Speaker
Cause, cause tech wasn't really shareable. I mean, Nike.com wasn't even really. No. Yeah. didn Yeah. It was barely. And so, you know, you're relying on the, you know,
00:16:06
Speaker
The enthusiast sites, you know, you're relying on other things at the time to sort of hear about, learn about, and, and maybe an ad would feature a new tech or something. Right. And so, um, so that gets me in the door. Now you fast forward to my time there and, um, the cool gray 11s are coming out. Uh, you know, it's 2001 March, uh, 2001 and. one march two thousand and one and I didn't realize that that it was going to hit as big as it did. yeah i i get to the store I thought I was going to easily go pick them up at. ah
00:16:40
Speaker
ah different store manager, I assumed, would have pairs and and not be an issue. And he looks at me and he goes, eh. And I'm like, oh, okay, I got it. And then next thing you know, you're looking around. At times you're looking in the forums, you're looking around you're like, oh, wow.
00:16:54
Speaker
This thing really took off here in certain pockets in the country, not necessarily overseas, but here at that time, they were pretty really the first coveted shoe. Now, what ends up happening is i end up eventually getting pairs, right? And so here we are.
00:17:12
Speaker
Fast forward to 2003.
00:17:16
Speaker
Sell a pair, ship them off to Texas. A few days later, i get a phone call. Hey man, I just wanted to thank you. This is the iciest pair. This is, this is the, what else you got? Blah, blah, blah. Yeah.
00:17:30
Speaker
And we just get to talking. right? And we're just back and forth. And next thing you know, probably the next day, probably the next day, probably the next day, we get to be fast friends. And next thing you know, we're linking up with people and this and that. We don't actually meet in person until 2008.
00:17:44
Speaker
two thousand and eight ah And so he comes to New York. I get to meet Soul Supreme for the first time in person that day, Puneet. And, um, you know, we go around New York, we kind of have a couple of food visits and we andt find ourselves at ESPN zone. Um, Shout out ESPN. Yeah. esp there yeah So good. So good.
00:18:04
Speaker
um Or even w w f ne ah New York. Just just yeah just places to hang. Have a good time. You know that that kind of thing. And so ah really memorable night. Thankfully someone took a picture um and saved it. And I think Puneet put ah some stuff on ah MS Paint or something, you know, put on there. And so that all these years later we have that picture.
00:18:26
Speaker
And I hope it's framed. And actually, i i have it somewhere in email. You got to frame it. Yeah, yeah. um Reason I'm telling the story is that fast forward to 2015. Mm-hmm.
00:18:37
Speaker
fifteen My buddy from Texas, yeah he's now in Abilene, Texas. His dogs, he's got a... Litter? A litter. Yeah.
00:18:48
Speaker
And ah Chocolate Labs. And I say, well, we need one of those. And so he goes, which one you want? And I say, oh, you know, the one on the chest. He gets on a video with me and my wife. yeah We pick the dog out. And he goes, you got you got to send me a pair of Air Max.
00:19:03
Speaker
So I sent him the Air Max 2015s. Wow. And so dogs have to be of a certain age to travel. um And so he um Sends me a picture of the morning. He's going to ship her up to us. Yeah.
00:19:19
Speaker
And he's got the Air Max on with the puppy in the picture, which great picture to have. Yeah. And, you know, we pick her up. um And here we are 10 years later. ah Abilene. Yeah. um is Is doing good. That's awesome. Yeah. And, ah you know, I think back to my buddy Leaf who called me. That was an amazing domino as as maybe Coop would call it. Yeah.
00:19:41
Speaker
um in my life and and led to one of my great joys so the cool gray 11 as awesome as it is in you know again jordan history jordan first coveted you know new colorway jordan all those things he eventually wears them you know on his time with the wizards um all of that is secondary to my dog yeah and my guy leaf and You know what i mean? And so sneaker friendships can happen in the least expected way. yeah for I could have not picked up the phone or I could have been busy or I could have been short with him.
00:20:14
Speaker
You never really know. And so um I thank my, you know, 15 year ago version of myself, you know, that's awesome to, to, to talk with him and become
Supporting My First Kicks Community
00:20:27
Speaker
good friends.
00:20:27
Speaker
I hope you've been enjoying this week's episode with Tom, AKA InstaL Shoes, 1999. If you really have been enjoying this and you've been watching this on YouTube, please leave a like a comment or subscribe to the podcast. And if you want to go the extra mile, hit that ring, that little that little bell that's on the on YouTube. And if you're listening to this on an audio platform,
00:20:49
Speaker
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00:21:06
Speaker
And if you really want to go the extra extra mile, that's right. There's another mile. please, please sign up for the Patreon at patreon.com slash my first kicks.
00:21:17
Speaker
We got two tiers, $3 tier, $5 tier. Got a lot of content going up on there. Extra content. I will be asking questions. We're doing newsletters. going to be building it out, make it a lot more immersive.
00:21:31
Speaker
And, you know, we do. And back to the episode. That's awesome.
Evolution of Sneaker Culture and Community Dynamics
00:21:35
Speaker
I think that's like so when I got because I got into sneakers around like 2006, 2007. Sure. You know, so, you know, I didn't really enjoy Nike talk.
00:21:46
Speaker
oh yeah i didn't you're one of those no yeah i didn't like is to me coloring or the black and red here no no i like that i like the black and red yeah it was the it was the ah like it was too it was it was too way out of my depth in terms of like all the conversations that we're having very early on like me jumping into that was like yeah and it and it was on because i was like when i was When I was on the internet, I was very like in hip hop forums.
00:22:16
Speaker
Okay. We didn't talk sneakers. but then but but think But I can talk like how people talked about sneakers about hip hop. So once I traversed into that, it felt like different waters, you know? Interesting. Yeah.
00:22:31
Speaker
It felt like home to me. Yeah. um There's this legendary moment in my mind at least, and and probably a few other enthusiasts, where um as slam kicks got going, because back then you would, you know, and so I think by the second or third issue, I want to say it was the third issue.
00:22:48
Speaker
ah Kobe's on the cover and Russ Spangston in the editorial, I believe. Shouts. Former guest. Yeah. Shouts out ah the easy board pub slash all these numbers. Yeah. It was like, you know, this was a mile long. He's like, hey.
00:23:04
Speaker
If you're curious, you know you're looking for you know just to just to geek out, basically. And I remember thinking then, I said, wow, you know he's he's got a platform here and he's choosing to highlight this other thing he likes and share it with his fan base.
00:23:21
Speaker
I thought that was amazing. um and And around that time, I started feeling like Wow. Nike Talk is really cool. Like I maybe had a different ah reaction then you. Like I felt um almost immediately at home. yeah like these are friends, other crazy people like me. yeah Because, you know, it's it's hard to explain to people now because social media, right? Everybody scrolls. Everybody has you know.
00:23:49
Speaker
But back then, you kind of might have known that there were people out there. You didn't know how to really find them other than maybe your corners you know you your mom and pops that you hit up or or maybe a friend had a friend. you know That kind of thing. And so your friendship circles in the sneaker world were very different. those Those experiences looked very different. yeah um So, I mean, like a million people have said, like, I'm forever grateful to have really connected with it. And and maybe I connected with it better because of, ah you know, seeing Russ in the pages of Slam. Yeah, that, I mean, it was not no knock on Nike Talk. because Yeah, yeah. Because after, i' know because I found Nike Talk, I found nikesb.org.
00:24:34
Speaker
And that's where it felt more, yeah that was more my realm, you know, liz the niche of the niche. You get in your niches. and so And so that is what's so interesting to me. I hope we can chat with about that, is that there are so many lanes in the sneaker space. Yeah. You know, some people are sort of jack of all trades, maybe master of none. I might be in that category where I just kind of love so many different um sections or niches in the sneaker space.
00:25:03
Speaker
um And then there are other people that are dialed in. Like SB is where it's at or, you know, basketball is where that cross training is where it's at. yeah And, you know, when you meet people in those lanes, especially the super passionate ones, those are my favorite people. Yeah.
00:25:21
Speaker
Easily my most favorite people. Big time. The. Because like to me. Because Nike SB brought me. And brought me to find sneaker culture. But like what. you were You've seen the sneaker culture moments happen.
00:25:36
Speaker
You know. I'm old. I didn't mean it that way. I didn't mean it that way. I meant it more. Because like. You know. We we were messaging recently. Because you posted. ah Everybody meeting up at.
00:25:49
Speaker
Was it Bobbito's book release? Okay, so that was fresh out the box. Yes. And man, I wish I could have been. No, I know you were showing me that the- That just looks so cool. Right. Yeah.
00:26:02
Speaker
And mostly because they're supporting, i mean, they're doing a variety of things and I believe it was several people who helped. In the first New York sneaker gathering. yeah I mean, that's what I believe that is billed as. um And it's ah Ducky, Air Rev, Russ Bankston, Retro Kid.
00:26:24
Speaker
you know you You have some great minds and and contributors to the sneaker space getting together and displaying and having, and then Bob's in there DJing. Bob's book hasn't come out yet.
00:26:36
Speaker
All these years later, Everyone still talks about that. You have that book. You know what I mean? like Yeah. That's one of those books. You you you know ah where you have to have that. You have to. It's a. Yeah.
00:26:49
Speaker
To be considered a sneaker. not yeah But. But Nike Talk is is created that created the you the rules to be a sneaker head. So, yeah. so you know, you're young.
00:27:02
Speaker
You know, the first of all, the Internet's new, really, relatively. Not everybody, you know, you're dealing with dial up. And so people are sort of sitting on their home computers and checking in and, you know, you're finding your friends from around the world. And a lot of us are in our 20s. So you're visiting that.
00:27:17
Speaker
um to preface that was Nike park, Nike street, and there's some other smaller, i think geo city, you know, there's some other things that were out there. yeah um it was just the first one at the the right, everything.
00:27:32
Speaker
And, and really was sort of, the big bang of sneaker culture right some people might throw things yeah and other people might applaud that but in my opinion that's when a lot of people jumped in and a lot of people started getting it also they had the task of managing right that's where you get a bunch of young minded folks yeah Some of those things got pretty wild. And I remember learning, okay, the admins have to come in and sort of manage that.
00:28:08
Speaker
All right, calm down. Here's why you're a little off here or you're really off. yeah Don't attack people, this and that. That made such an impression on me. So shout out to the admins that kept that thing from going off the rails. Oh, for sure.
00:28:23
Speaker
Because as you know, it's look at the world today. You don't have an Instagram. Well, you know, I'll stop there. You know where I'm going with this in the social media flavors, let's say. But it is interesting because like I remember you had i remember somebody.
00:28:43
Speaker
It was a post I made a while, like on ah on the forms very early. And they were like, all right, these are the three. Oh, no, was like these are the five rules you in order to be considered a sneakerhead. Oh, jeez.
00:28:56
Speaker
And the first one was you have to have infrared 90s in your collection. Have to. Have to. Is it elephant print or cement print? Right. Sure. Any of the things. Right. Just pick.
00:29:07
Speaker
Just pick. Right. Right. The criteria. I get it. Yeah. you do you do you remember of it Do you remember this? It's just, I don't know. You hop in and out and, and yeah, I mean, it's always existed. yeah It's always existed. yeah and And you're right to call that out. I'm glad you mentioned it that way because for years and years and years, you know, people have talked about their, you know, the levels, yeah what those levels should look like. And sure. Yeah.
00:29:36
Speaker
Hey, I mean, well, I think, and I don't know if maybe you can confirm this, but I think when it comes to sneakers, you have, there's like, there's a moment, you have a moment where you are an elitist. I don't know if this ever happened to you.
00:29:47
Speaker
I feel like- I'm sure. Like, yeah. I'm sure. And unintentionally. Yeah. Yeah. You're like, no, I'm not gonna do it. Yeah. And then you end up like scoffing at something. Someone's excited to share something with you and you kind of like, eh, not cool, man. yeah that's That's on me. Be better. Like, I'm not saying be fake.
00:30:07
Speaker
But be curious. Yeah. Why? So that person is taking the time to show me something like you show me your your your trainers before. And I'm thinking, that's dope. What if I'm like, yeah, those suck.
00:30:19
Speaker
But this. So that's my biggest problem with what it is right now. Right. Because like so many people are quick to poo poo a lot of shit. yeah And it's like. It does get frustrating because it because I look at it like this from this lens, right? And um I tell people this and you've seen a couple episodes. I'm like, sneakers is for everybody, right? Sneakers for everybody, right? or but yeah You know, yeah like in order for us to grow this, we have to be like, hey,
00:30:46
Speaker
Come try it out, you know? Yes, connect yeah to the to the products, but also to the people. and Exactly. And yeah, and and look, it's about showing out, but it's also about you know other things too. so Yeah, I just think it's just like, you and nobody's ever gonna be like, I just bought a new pair, now I love this.
00:31:07
Speaker
Now I'm in it, you know? it's like it's always like, All right. You know, I got a pair. Now I look, yeah, you got a tip. You got to touch the touch it a little bit. Yeah. did Somebody one with somebody else with like, you know, you come up to somebody and you're like, yo, those are nice.
00:31:21
Speaker
You know, as you are also in like, oh, those are nice, too. That the domino that the domin thing. Yeah. i It's funny. I didn't know which way to go with the hey, your first kicks things. I know it's going to be the first question.
00:31:34
Speaker
I actually had to have just i've just reading the pages of Sports Illustrated as a youngster, um you know, the Nike Air became so embedded in my mind.
00:31:45
Speaker
um The ads Nike Air is not a shoe. There is no finish line. Eventually just do it. They were all sort of just very memorable and then visual in those pages. And then also as they starting to hit TVs.
00:31:57
Speaker
And so I just remember having to beg my parents and they were like, you know, I ended up getting the I had to have a Nike air shoe. Yeah, you had to. Right. And I got the cheapest pair in the store. a it was a trainer ah low um and I love them.
00:32:13
Speaker
But I didn't feel, you know, I was just like I had to because your your status is Like you feel different when you have a good pair on. And I don't know Clark talked about a lot yeah over the years and and plenty of other people and just how you feel um in the shoes and and then maybe that leads you to dot, dot, dot. Right. But um I just remember having to have and, you know, that little kid vibe.
00:32:41
Speaker
And so So you're to bring it to what you're saying about now, you know you really try to be present with people. You try to be curious with people. I'm sure I've been ah snob at some point to somebody. yeah
00:32:57
Speaker
It happens. They mean to. Yeah. I mean, yeah, don't mean to. But um I really can converse. You know, I love it when someone is excited to show yeah something.
00:33:08
Speaker
Hey, check out what I've got going on. Dope. And then you have the story, right? And then the next thing you know, you're talking about other things. you might You might be talking about your your sports teams. You might be talking about, you know, taking a trip or or but you know all the other things in life. But sneakers to me are that sort of conduit, let's say. Yeah. ah Gateway or whatever. It's just been that through line.
00:33:27
Speaker
How many hours a day do we think about or look at or something related to sneakers, right? Well, if you're listening to this, at least one hour a week because, you know, we use sneakers as a through line. yeah No shameless plugs here. Not one. Shameless plug on my own one of of my own podcast. it I mean, you know. Set you up. Out the park. The way that I like, you know, I do want to pivot it into, um
The Gathering Event and Tinker Hatfield's Influence
00:33:54
Speaker
you know, the cover. Sorry, I had to.
00:33:55
Speaker
yeah you into you know what the gathering is yeah and so you know because i do feel like a lot of people aren't really understanding it and and i've tried to explain it several times but it's like i can only do so much in text form you know Yeah, it's a good thing we just got an Instagram off the ground.
00:34:15
Speaker
If you're curious, follow at it's the stories that matter. yeah So that's maybe my shameless plug. um And I've been reposting as well. Yes, thank you. And, um you know, the idea is to... But but first, i do i before you do that, can you please tell the story about the shirt that led? Oh, yeah.
00:34:36
Speaker
the The infamous Nike Talk shirt. Oh, yeah. So... um So I come into ISS and shortly after they reach out, they're doing Nike talk is doing sponsorships um in those years. I want to say 2010 or 11 or so. I'm real quick on that. Yep.
00:34:57
Speaker
I was a member of ISS. I believe Okay. know, going to need to send me a screenshot later. My compact computer is dead. it's There is no screenshot. I could try to log in. All good. All good. um so So I come in and...
00:35:14
Speaker
and They reach out, they're looking for some sponsors. And so ended up joining them, even though there was some history from previous administration. And so, um is this the right thing? This and that. Let's try it.
00:35:30
Speaker
Let's do it. And and we we learned a lot. I had some of the best conversations I've ever had being in that role for seven or eight years, give or take. I just, amazing conversations and some give back stuff. We got to do some fundraiser stuff.
00:35:45
Speaker
So anyway, at one point, one of the admins was moving on and he had all the old shirts. And so the task was, well, what do we do with this? I'm like, well, we have a website. i could just take the money. And it was decided to, you know, to to donate. yeah There wasn't a dollar made off that stuff. Everything was, you know, um and and there was initiatives that were posted on that.
00:36:09
Speaker
So anyway, one of them was a roll call shirt um with, at the time, let's say top designers, you know Tinker and Lozano and Kilgore, Coop and Avar.
00:36:20
Speaker
And that shirt did well. yeah um And so- had had the the you know um privilege, let's say, of being able to help them rehome those.
00:36:35
Speaker
And sure enough, one of Aaron's kids or saw it and and and Aaron reached out and said, Hey, I'm on that shirt.
00:36:46
Speaker
Yeah, you are. um You know, can i you think you don't have my size. And so us not having the size prompted, well, should, yeah.
00:36:57
Speaker
Like that of got of bagle yeah took them a half a second to say, yeah, let's just make, yes. yeah And so a cool thing about that is, is I believe that that fundraiser ended up, um,
00:37:12
Speaker
being one of the biggest fundraisers that they had done to that point, um which amazing to to be a part of that, to even in the smallest way. um I'm like, all I did was sell the shirts. you got you know But um Aaron reached out and and said, hey, ah if you don't mind, I'm going to guess at the sizes of the other people on the shirt.
00:37:34
Speaker
And it wasn't until years later i found out um that he did, in fact, get them too. crazy to my not yeah and so uh just a beautiful moment it shows you who aaron is that was my moment you probably everybody has a moment where somebody where you kind of know that they're i mean you know somebody's legit but then you actually have a thing you see where you're like wow this person's really special yeah and
00:38:07
Speaker
he is who he says he is and he does what he says he's going to do and he follows through and so you know you fast forward you asked me about the gathering and i'm happy to talk about it um basically in 2023 thanks to sneaker tech talk uh steve got to chatting him up and he's in canada yeah and he's like you know coop i I would fly to Oregon to have a coffee with you.
00:38:34
Speaker
And Coop's like, really? A version of that. yeah That's their story to tell. yeah but So that happens. And I think shortly after that, he reaches out to a couple of people. He you know lets me know about Hey, I think we're going to have some people out in August.
00:38:52
Speaker
So we go out there, we, you know, go around, we have some fun. And then he has us back to his house and that's the first real gathering. It's just literally opens the doors to his house and and we come, at we all kind of come in yeah and, um, there's a group photo on his back deck and, uh,
00:39:09
Speaker
You know, it there's no way to tell this where it doesn't sound mythical and magical. It needs to be them mythical and magical. it But you know, we're, we're there hanging out and there's just a great mix of people. Yeah.
00:39:22
Speaker
And then he walks in
00:39:27
Speaker
he walks in and it's like... it Everybody's heart beating out their chest. Nobody has the aura of of Tinker. Yeah, nobody.
00:39:39
Speaker
He did all of this, essentially. right he's He's the ingredient that made it work. yeah um Yes, the athletes. Yes, Nike. Yes, Wyden Kennedy. Yes, all the things that go around it. yeah However, he is the...
00:39:55
Speaker
You know? Yeah. The main original. The nucleus. Yeah, yeah. And so um just an amazing moment. And so after that, a couple of days out there, you know, obviously people keep in touch and and and that's cool.
00:40:10
Speaker
And then we, some of us um as organizers, we were we were going to form and enthusiast page for Alpha Project. Mm-hmm.
00:40:20
Speaker
And at the time we had four of us, I was like, wait, Alpha Project is five dots. Shouldn't be five of us? And so we get to five of us. And so we spent all this time kind of geeking out on Zoom calls and stuff, like getting ready to start an Alpha Project page. I'm like, what a fun thing. i mean, who doesn't love Alpha Project?
00:40:35
Speaker
And, you know, super, you know, anyway, um we're like, hey, we're coming up on about a year or so. hmm. I think Aaron's pretty busy. Do you think we could maybe try to get this going again Like pay it forward, let's say for lack of a better way of explaining it. yeah And so year two kind of gets going and and Aaron's kind in the background letting us kind of, and then he jumps in and does what he does and and we have an amazing year. And so then here we are year three. did
00:41:13
Speaker
Did he have in year two? Did he have the the three or four? Four. No, it's three. Is it three? It's three. It's year three was this year. No, no, no. I'm talking about um Domino.
00:41:25
Speaker
Yes. yeah So be a sponge. Yeah. Be a sponge. Yeah. yeah um Yeah. Butterfly. Butterfly. and domin domino spongebotterfly down yeah i might have the order wrong um but um the he he's had that yeah and that's been a part of his uh journey and that's a that's a i don't want to call it a mantra but it's something of no yeah it's uh yeah i would say when he presented i was super inspired when he presented it in new york yeah to us and i was like because i mean it was the first time seeing that and then
00:41:58
Speaker
literally i'll be i'll use i'm like you gotta you know you're the first domino to drop in this you know be a sponge and you know and then like yeah people could say what does that really mean but i think we've talked about it i think in a few instances in our conversation tonight is you know you never know that small thing right you know could lead to the next thing lead to the next thing then all these things happen because of it sliding doors even um but And so, you know, it just, it it felt like the only thing we could do, not the right thing. felt like the only thing for us to do is to try to pay respect because it was such a
00:42:38
Speaker
Goosebump, amazing moment. um Just something about connecting with people in real life. Yeah. Like we get so stuck behind the screen. I know that some of your guests say that on Pod a lot, like be outside. Like that's a theme that's been a thing a lot lately.
00:42:54
Speaker
And so Aaron is is really about that. And I think like, you know, you probably follow some people for a really long time. In my case, Seth, ah soul to soul. Right. I look up to the guy.
00:43:06
Speaker
Probably interacted with him for 10 years. Yeah. um And I learned so much from him contextually. I mean, the guy is brilliant. Wealth of knowledge. Just a wealth of knowledge.
00:43:17
Speaker
And I finally get to meet him thanks to Coop. how you know And hey, man, let's get a coffee. but yeah but and And it's like, dude, I've been following you for like 10 years. yeah and and you know And that plays out. And so the idea is that that happened for us, it it would be an honor for that to happen, you know, to contribute even in the smallest way to help this thing get forward um with some momentum. Yeah. You know, um and so just being here tonight maybe gives it a touch. Maybe someone's curious to check out what is it's the stories that matter.
00:43:52
Speaker
You know, you hop on there, you might see the ethos that we just posted about you how, you know, someone gets to be a part of this hopefully growing community. I mean, you know, one thing. i'll Let me tell you this story ah because you weren't there when this happened.
00:44:07
Speaker
OK, so ah we were at the the gathering, the official gathering yeah and in Portland. Yeah. Right. And so. ah I'm outside because I'm um' there's not and it wasn't a lot of space downstairs to eat. So i was just like, oh, let me grab some food and then I'll just eat outside.
00:44:26
Speaker
right. So I'm eating outside. ah couple of us out there. And then ah somebody turns to me, goes, is that Tinker? And then i'm like, oh, shit, it's Tinker.
00:44:37
Speaker
Right. Comes up. You know, shake his hand. You know, the earlier you announced, you know, there's going to be some people here. Yeah. You know, nobody. Easy. be Yeah. Easy. Be cool, man. Be cool. have Just be cool. Yeah. Act like you've been there. Act like you've been there before. Yeah. yeah So yeah ah with that in mind.
00:44:54
Speaker
Right. Got talk to him for a little bit. ah And then he gets pulled away from me. yeah All good. I go outside. i sit down. What just happened?
00:45:04
Speaker
Yeah. I sit down, Andy, AD Sneak, shout out yeah Andy. ah yeah and yeah And so he sits he sits in front of me and I just start crying. yeah Cause it's like, it's like, yeah and this is why i kept telling you yeah thank you so many times after that. Right.
00:45:22
Speaker
Um, I never thought creating this in my room would bring me to a point where I'm in front of him. Yeah. And that's Aaron's relationship with Tinker. and Also, thank you Tinker for being curious about us. Yeah.
00:45:38
Speaker
To his credit, he took the time to shake people's hands that went up to him. yeah He didn't duck anybody. He didn't have to. Obviously a man of his stature. But for him to check out, what are we showing?
00:45:52
Speaker
Think about that yeah through his lens. yeah Think about that through Christian Tresser's lens. Think about that through some of the other people that were with us from a design standpoint. These people made the shoes that we that are such a part of our lives, right?
00:46:07
Speaker
And so for them to check out this sort of, I don't want to say it culture right so culture yeah even though there are many niche and sub groups when you look at how people who are interested in others can be yeah that room feels like no other i mean you're probably on the curb crying moment is every hair on my arm standing up knowing what's about to happen. yeah
00:46:38
Speaker
And if I could tell you that in the front of the room after some, so they spoke Aaron and Tinker spoke and then um Andrew and then Steve was gonna go. yeah and so I was to follow. right And so I stand up there and I watched kind of the people go over. And I said, i i there's nothing I can say right now that's going to even come close to that. And and I live with, did I do the right thing?
00:47:10
Speaker
Because the purpose ah was for people to share stories, yeah right? And, you know, we asked people to curate their stories um to share.
00:47:21
Speaker
um And I was hopeful that we'd be able to do that in a room dynamic, but there's some things that you just have to let be. And so I made that split second decision, hoping that we'd circle back.
00:47:34
Speaker
um I think that happened a little differently as the couple of days went on. yeah But I hope the idea is there that we connect with each other, right? Like, yes, have this magical moment with these legendary designers, whether it's Aaron or Christian. you know There were several other very important people in the room that some of these sneaker companies wouldn't be the same without Skip Lee, Ken Black. um you know Very...
00:48:04
Speaker
Frank Hooker was there. Yeah. Yeah. There, I mean, just there there's a ah litany of people that are sort of checking out and what are we showing them? You know what I'm saying? And, and I think the respect that we can do to all of this is to just do we're doing right now.
00:48:19
Speaker
You mean honor it and just have that kind of these conversations? Yeah, just try to move it forward in that in that way. um Because you know I've had it just such a gifted journey.
00:48:31
Speaker
um i think it's because of some of the things that are in the elements and these ethos that are part of what um the gathering is. And I'm just honored to be able, you know this is I wouldn't trade this for anything.
00:48:46
Speaker
I mean... I'm already like, all right, we got to do another episode because we got to hear the rest of your journey. Because I know this, I didn't want this to take up a a ton of times, but I know, you know, before we jumped in here, i did want to, you know, kind of make an emphasis on this because a lot of people saw me go and, you know, I posted about it and. Because you and I interacted. Yeah. um And then you came and then you connected.
00:49:11
Speaker
And so. I mean, it's it's just about being present. yeah It's about being, you know, just, just care, just just interact with other people rather than ah again, I don't, I don't mean to have this kind of,
00:49:29
Speaker
We can be very like, or yeah you know, reg bravado. Yeah. yeah we We can have egos in in this space. and And honestly, some people deserve to have those. Yeah.
00:49:43
Speaker
Right. Cool. Like i would say that, I mean, I've i've been in a room with Brendan and Joe, are those guys are cool as cool. It's can be, you know, just present and they're not sitting up here looking down like they're not doing that. oh Yeah. But it's funny because like,
00:50:00
Speaker
There are people that think that that's what they do. They don't do that. And they and and when you tell them that that's not what's happening, that's not what's happening. That's not what. Yeah. You know, and it's funny because like, and can I say 100 percent of the time? I don't know because I'm not 100 percent of the time. I you know what i'm saying? Like, yeah, no one's foolproof. Right. Yeah. But, but what I'm saying is if you, if you approach conversation, the right, if you're interested in others, like that's where I think sneakers is really magical.
00:50:25
Speaker
Yeah. And I don't want to kind of beat the horse, so to speak, but like, you know, I just want to say that like, don't, don't be so judgy about how you think people are, what it is that you think that they're doing per se.
00:50:38
Speaker
Like, yeah, I mean, I think it's good to question, but also don't be so, ah Strong headed. Yeah. be Be a little more curious. I mean, trust that there's an errands this way. Trust that people are good.
00:50:54
Speaker
Yeah. I always. Until they show you otherwise. so Yes. That's that's my thing. like Yeah. Yeah. I'm always less like, yeah. You know, i mean, let people show them who they are. Right. You got to give them that chance because.
00:51:07
Speaker
you know obviously you know Don's big on that kick Sigma yeah he's amazing um you know but he's very big on that and he and I have had some some back and forth um with some dialogue on that and and I think it's really interesting because I'm i'm like kind of maybe so empathetic yeah and then but you know Oh, wow.
00:51:29
Speaker
I guess. All right. Yeah. It depends on how you're looking at something. i And so it's it's a fun learning experience. I love learning from people who look at things differently than I do. I love that. I've been known.
00:51:40
Speaker
People always tell me like, oh, yeah, you know, you always look for the good in people. But I'm always less like, yeah, because, you know, not everybody's going to knock it out the park in the first impression. No. And so, you know, i let people I give i don't I don't give a lot of chances, but I do like.
00:51:56
Speaker
Yeah, I just want people to show up for me. Like if yeah if if I'm showing up for you, just show up for me. You know, that's the that's the biggest thing I can ask for, you know, um mutual respect. but Yeah. Yeah. And it's the same where it's just like, you know, you hit me up and you're like, hey, you know, I think this will be cool. And I'm like, well you know, like to me, your page has been a big deal. Obviously, I said I i was on ISS like you.
00:52:19
Speaker
I remember i remember i remember when immediately when you followed me and then like I remember messaging Aaron, Aaron, front page Aaron. I just like, yeah i was like, I can't believe it.
00:52:30
Speaker
And Stiles Shoes followed me like this. It's just messaged with him earlier today about some stuff. Yeah. and And he's very mindful of stuff. He's he's good. he's very I very much appreciate him. He's, you know, me and him, we bounce topics off each other all the time. So like, yeah, that's the yeah that's the thing. But like, yeah i mean, we did we had the Airbnb together. We were talking all night. So it's just like. It was me, him, a a d and AD in one Airbnb. That's a lot of words.
00:52:54
Speaker
yeah Going to sleep at like 12, 1 o'clock because we didn't even talk. Oh, you got sleep, did you? Yeah, yeah i tried. Yeah. And that's the beauty. I mean, there's so many people that are in the sneaker space that you know just enjoy being around others.
00:53:09
Speaker
And so that It would be how I would describe, you know, like I think some people have joked JT over at Sneaker Savant, you know, he's joking. It's kind of like adult day camp.
00:53:20
Speaker
Right. um i yeah you want that You want to hear what I've been calling it I've been calling it the sneaker Illuminati. ah i was gonna say, what what's he saying? No, because I do think it's like ah chosen.
00:53:35
Speaker
Like I think youre you are chosen, but I think it's you, the rite of passage is that you're just, you're your your heart is on whatever you're putting out, you know? So we we got to have Julia who is sneaker queen, and so she came in from Berlin and she's been to so many things yeah over the years and shown up in so many ways.
00:53:54
Speaker
And she's a part of the OTC, which is in Japan. and they do a gathering and there's some other notable people in there and they just look like they're having a great time. and And she's just like, well, yeah, we're kind of 70s and 80s and you guys are 90s, you know, kind of looking down on the a little bit. Like I go to 91, 92 maybe. And I'm like, I love that actually, like to have a very specific and just be about that lane.
00:54:20
Speaker
But also curious, you know, and so... um just getting a link with Hop and Black, you know, the Retro Talk for them guys. I mean, I just saw them in the hallway. i just Honestly, I saw i just wanted to hug them.
00:54:33
Speaker
Like, those dudes are real. Yeah, for sure. the They're just fighting real. Everybody was so welcoming.
Reflecting on Sneaker World Connections
00:54:40
Speaker
yeah I got to have some great conversations. yeah I just i love their energy. And so, like, this idea of just sort of having this energy together and... um you know the wilson thing happens that was i never aaron aaron felt like me when i met tinker because like aaron was like i can't believe it i met wilson that's one of my stories that i love that and so that happens because of relationships uh steve has a nice uh you know friendship with um wilson future guest he gave me his number good get have him in here yeah um i'll be outside um
00:55:19
Speaker
I'm going to have to buy some. What I was going to say is two, three BC. Brian is a huge, ah you know, he recently did a installment with ah yeah like a talk with KOATF at a foot and toe.
00:55:35
Speaker
Foot action. No, foot. Foot action's gone. I know. What's the other one? Athlete's foot. and They did the at an athlete's foot because Atlanta is the only place to have that has them. That has them still. Yeah. yeah yeah um I was going to say, I mean, he he just has this this amazing collection and he's he's curated, you know, I believe the 15s, 16s, and 17s. And here he is showing up with them, all these OGs. And just just watching him watch the Wilson? Yeah.
00:56:05
Speaker
For me, and and just seeing that? Yeah. It doesn't get better than that. It doesn't. Just seeing someone kind of have, and it's like, we, that happened because of the universe. That happened because people are interested. That happened because, you know, yes, you know, we took the time to try to frame it. Yeah. You know, but the idea is that, is is exactly that. It's just have these moments.
00:56:32
Speaker
And I got a picture with him. I'm pretty sure like I might. Yeah. I'm just meeting people. Like Rolo, Dunks are nice. Mm-hmm. Same thing. I've been following him for forever. We've linked, you know, we've talked on the phone, this and that never got to hang in person.
00:56:47
Speaker
You know, it's, it's, it's beyond sneakers. No, for sure. You, the collective that of all of us that we really enjoy this thing, um you know, we didn't see within us, there wasn't a, a moment of like animosity or looking like, you know,
00:57:05
Speaker
And that's that's what I feel like we get in a lot of these spaces. Like I go to a lot of events and, you know, me being new to the, you know, the creator space of this, you know, like I mean, you're out. What is this? 240? How many episodes? Yeah. You're still new.
00:57:20
Speaker
I would say, yeah. You know, like if I'm like newbie. Yes. Brand new. um I would say, you know, there's a lot of like, oh, why does he get such and such? Or why does he get to talk to do or why does he get to do this or this that?
00:57:32
Speaker
And it's kind of just like, you know, the only thing I can say is just if you foster relationships, you know? Yeah. The sneakers are. Yeah. They're statement for us, but it's also a conversation. It's ah it's ah it's the conduit stuff. It's how you approach people. and and And there's a lot of society stuff, you know, within the sneaker space. But like.
00:57:50
Speaker
I just to get to meet such talented people. I mean, it's the first time I got to meet Bima. Yeah. And I'm like, I'm just happy to shake his hand. The guy has taught me so much. You know, I'm the reason he went there, right?
00:58:02
Speaker
I ran into him. I'll tell you after. Okay. Because we we're towards the end of the podcast. Yeah, yeah, yeah. but So that's funny because now they they won then I'm sure the the listeners are like, what? We want to know.
00:58:13
Speaker
I'll tell you after. Cliffhanger. Yeah. Dot, dot, dot. BRB. Yeah, BRB for sure. But we're at the end of the podcast and and my last question deals with a little visualization. Sure.
00:58:23
Speaker
Yeah. And so I want you to think back to when you were, you know, young Tom and he's about to open that box with the Metallic Fives in them. Ooh. So now you're older are you behind your younger self. What would you tell your younger self as he opens that box? You know, what's crazy about that is I only had the fire reds. Oh, gee.
00:58:43
Speaker
yeah i I want my bad. I meant yeah man yeah fire red. So so yeah to stay with your question. Yeah. i I remember my buddy, Mike, um he had the black metallics and, you know, he he was just really deep in sneakers and we still stay in touch. Actually still, you know, we grew up together. one was probably since the sixth, seventh grade, maybe. We still have a sneaker thread with some other friends.
00:59:08
Speaker
And we, um, you know, we don't align on sneakers anymore. We don't like the same things, but we love gum souls. So we just shout out the gum soul gifts. Yeah. That's, that's our, uh, tech stride. But anyway, go' to answer your question, um,
00:59:23
Speaker
I had a moment where for some reason I had his old pair that was blown out on the side. They were yellowed and beat up. It was probably some years later. And remember looking at them thinking, i would do anything if I could walk into a store. I would pay any amount of money to have these.
00:59:38
Speaker
Because I just thought there was such a beautiful sneaker. And you know it kind of set the table for how I felt reading in the pages of when the retros were they were going to come back out.
00:59:50
Speaker
And so probably like a lot of people have said um on your show before, I think Brendan might have answered the same global way that I will, is... It'll be okay. It'll be okay. It'll work out. Yeah. Just follow, like be, be true to your, your, your instincts or your connectivity. Like, you know what i mean? Like, don't just keep going is, is really what I would tell myself is what I would tell anybody. Like whether you're looking at some people in a group that's across the country and you want to be there. Yeah.
01:00:23
Speaker
Hit us up. yeah like You know what I mean? Like that. Be approachable. be Yeah, just just go. yeah you know and and And maybe don't go too hard.
01:00:37
Speaker
30 messages after this drops, 30 messages? Yeah, I was going to say, I kind of, ah but you know. um
Future Episodes Teaser
01:00:44
Speaker
i want to go out, book a flight. like i I can't thank Aaron enough for for, he doesn't have to do this.
01:00:51
Speaker
But he's doing it. He is. And he's letting us do it with him. Yeah. All right. Let everybody know where to find you. Tom, I'm at InStyleShoes1999, and it's a privilege to be here, man. Thank you.
01:01:04
Speaker
Privilege to be here, too. Till next time. You know where to find me, who is Hassel on social medias. I'm going to pass it on to me, Patreon, Patreon shoutouts. Follow the Patreon, patreon.com, slash myfirstkicks. Help out the podcast, rate, review, all that shabazz.
01:01:19
Speaker
ah Please, i ah yeah, on to me. There you go. Hope you enjoyed this week's episode with Tom, InStyleShoes1999. I learned a lot. I hope y'all learned a lot. I will definitely have him back because we but we like scratched the surface, right?
01:01:37
Speaker
You know, you got to tell tell a little bit of his stories from growing up. But I want to know that like in between, like all the sneaker jobs you got, because he talked about working at Full Locker and like.
01:01:49
Speaker
I need to know all about his story so he will definitely be back. Tom is has become me and him become friends and like forever grateful inviting me to that first little gathering that was here in New York and getting to meet Aaron, Facey Cooper.
01:02:08
Speaker
the invite to Portland and you know getting to meet Tinker. like This year has been extremely crazy. i don't know if you will follow me on social medias, you know, but shout out to Sango who's been able to like, you know,
01:02:25
Speaker
make me like help me experience some of the craziest things I've have ever experienced. um Being on stage at Central Park, watching Amine and talk to Amine, somebody who I've been listening to his music since 2017, 2016. Like and then also even just um like and then also even just well being like like Becoming friends with Sango.
01:02:49
Speaker
ah And just like hit like being around his circle. in old New York circle that he has. And it's just been insane. i don't like When I think about that moment in this episode.
01:03:02
Speaker
When I talk about being Tinker. And crying. Because I never thought this. like This would be my life. I don't know how many. If you follow me on Twitter. My first quick spot on Twitter. I tweeted out.
01:03:16
Speaker
Like, I don't know how many moments or I don't know how many times I can ask myself, what is my life? Because I had never thought i would be doing some of the things I've done this year, you know, and we're going towards the end of the year. So, like, I do a lot of self-reflection. If you listen to a lot of previous episodes, I always like to take stock and go over the accomplishments I've had. And when I think about last year compared to this year, this year has been insane. We're only in October and i appreciate every single one of y'all who watches this, tunes in every week.
01:03:54
Speaker
um You know, comments, shares, likes, subscribes, all of that. ah But of course, we got to do Patreon shout outs before I get even deeper into this outro that I'm doing. So Patreon shout outs, you know, kind start off with my man, Adam Neuster.
01:04:10
Speaker
Then we got Ross Adams. Then we got Derek, a.k.a. Fresh Poetic. And then we got Jesse, Jesse G, Adam Butler and new subscriber this week. Plox.
01:04:21
Speaker
Shout out. you know um really appreciate y'all. And without y'all, this will be as low budget as possible, right? So you know just know i will be adding more stuff onto the Patreon. And you can also be a patron, too, at patreon.com slash myfirstkicks.
01:04:44
Speaker
You know, two tiers, like I said previously, $3, $5, $5, you will get extra, extra content. $3, you'll get a shout out. But each and every single dollar goes a very long way.
01:04:56
Speaker
As I work to, you know, build out the ecosystem that I'm trying to build, I have some big really big plans, you know, with time allotted, as you know.
01:05:07
Speaker
And as I previously mentioned in last week's episode, I do have a full time job. So, you know, managing that. And, you know, i actually having a life. And as people are saying, being outside, you have to be outside of these things to to make sure that, you you know, I can get guests, I can talk to people, tell people about the podcast. so managing all that stuff, ah you know, I'm working on it. It's not a perfect process.
01:05:32
Speaker
oh and I really appreciate anybody that takes the time out to listen to this and also subscribe to the Patreon, subscribe it to the podcast on any platform.
01:05:44
Speaker
I really appreciate it it. goes a very long way as I, you know, try to make sure a lot of the stories that we all want to hear from people that we may not know or who work in the industry, don't work in the industry or on music or comics like You know, these are people that intrigue me and then I feel like y'all should know about and y'all should hear about. And so i created this platform to do that because, you know, we all listen to the same stuff.
01:06:17
Speaker
Right. Or we can and we listen to the same stories over and over. Right. But I try to just put my little spin on it. Try to use it a through line to make sure that y'all get that same experience of me getting to know somebody. And hope I'm doing a really good job.
01:06:33
Speaker
Like I said, your hard-earned dollars do not go to waste. And I really appreciate every single one of y'all for tapping in with me each week. And if you're new here, please sit them please hit that subscribe button.
01:06:47
Speaker
And please share this with everybody. Because like I said earlier, it goes a really long way. But if you want to watch more of this podcast, you can check out these two episodes here or hit the subscribe button and I'll see you next time.
01:07:01
Speaker
But don't forget, wear your kicks. Peace.