Transcript
Speaker: Like, this is a celebrity. Now buy it. So, I mean, i like I've always, I've always contended this and I ah i think, I really think it's ah it's a college course and I think it's a business school course and I know I can talk about things from here till tomorrow and ah and do it, but our Industry is a microcosm of society. yeah you really want to think about it that way. so And the last 25 years, you know, especially just here, we've seen it and we've we've lived it. And but social media is a blood, it's blood,
Speaker: Like the blessing, the internet is a blessing. It's taken ourselves and others in the business, right? To heights that we never imagined, right? yeah But it's a blessing and it's a curse to a certain extent. And we've seen the way that people
Speaker: you know, appreciate things or even shop or even don't like and and and yeah, that's that's great to a certain extent. But getting back to the end and doing all this is not I'm not trying to change society, but it's also, I think, putting a stamp on something we've been doing here for a long time.
Speaker: What's good everyone welcome back to my first kicks the podcast where I use sneakers as a through line to get to know the guests in front of me this week We're at Packer and I'm of course I'm interviewing the legend Mike Packer himself. Thank you. Welcome to the podcast man. Thank you It's been a long time you and I have been talking about this and just always finding the right moment to do it and I think it's almost two years ago that we met and You've had a whole bunch of guests, and I think I've told you this over time. It's like you're filling a void that I think a lot of us industry-wise who have been around a while, like appreciate because you're coming at it just from a total, just holistic, but yet like just from the ground up type of thing. So it's my pleasure. I mean, that's high praise. You know, you're absolute legend. You know, Packer Shoes has been around since I could remember. On Adir's episode, we talk about how how bad I wanted to get those Iman Shumpert's, the crazy eights. And i remember just kind of like finding out ah finding out about the the store and being like, how can I get there? Because I'm from New York. but there's deep in Deep in Manhattan during the time and like,
Speaker: I remember just being like, I got to get there, I got to get there. But hearing his story and how he was waiting online and like it and he didn't want to ask for help, even though he knew you. like This store has always been a place that I've wanted to make sure I've come and visit. And i mean, this is the perfect time. now i appreciate it. And it's it's something where, like just to go back to that, I mean, that release was, I think it was really in the midst of when we were doing a whole run of, you know whether it was pop-ups in New York or doing some of the things. um just collaborative-wise. But that shoe in particular, like it wasn't co-branded, it wasn't anything, but it was sort of, it was something that was an idea that, because because Iman had worn that shoe against the Lakers during like Linsanity. And, you know, it's called people over at Adidas at basketball and be like that's like, that's the essence of so much where it's like, you could be sitting in the last row of the garden that night And aside from was going on with Linsana and you saw the side with Kobe inside the Lakers, you were drawn to one thing. Like, I'm a shoe, you know, shoe-wise, that was it.
Speaker: And Iman was, you know, he was a rookie and he was, he was young and he was, i mean, he was so... When we had that release, he was so, and he is so still, like they're both he and Ari, his brother, who still we talk to till this day, like just such great guys. And because we did it, the release, and at that time, it was like trying to push the boundaries of, because he wore them again, Martin Luther King Day game, and then we did the release back here. So he had to wrap up the game.
Speaker: And and that back then, it was, yeah, and in the early of the year when it gets dark yeah and it was cold as hell. It was cold But there were people leaving the garden, coming here, or just regulars you know regular Jersey people who were coming. And, yeah, it was a line all night. And it was great. that It was really great. and And that just went to prove, like, to us, and then we did other things, you know, subsequently with that, where...
Speaker: you just, you give the people what they want, right? And it doesn't have to be something with our name on it. It's something that's, I think, at the core of what, why, you know, all this is that there's a way to balance um business and buzz. yeah And that time was in the midst of, I think, the purest part of, like, industry. yeah um So, yeah, it was great. And, I mean, yeah, Deere, I know him literally since...
Speaker: six, seven years old, because like his mom, like Adir, he's a gem in the industry. And it's like he he knows so much, just like a lot of people you come across. and But he comes at it from a different perspective, because I know his mom when she used to be an analyst on Wall Street. yeah She was the top sneaker analyst on Wall Street for years.
Speaker: And him growing up around that and also having a love for sneakers just in general. I think guys like yourself, guys like him, like a lot of folks who like on my team and other people in the industry was, I think that's why the industry can be in such great hands going forward. yeah But to me, it's it's it's like,
Speaker: young young young people, um but they have an old soul when it comes to this. And that's what's so amazing as far as like even some of the golden nuggets that we've had, and we can talk about it later, like in this whole exhibit and stuff. Because it's, you know, over time you meet enough people, um and I think, you know, I'm sure we'll get to talking about it, like,
Speaker: who transcend a lot of things. um But the way things are today and the trajectory of when we, you know, we opened here 25 years ago, which was an outgrowth of the, the it's coming up on 25 years, but an outgrowth of This specifically. Yeah, Teaneck in 2028, it'll be our 25th year here in Teaneck when industry-wise people thought we were batshit crazy. yeah um Because why doesn't something like this belong down in Soho or on La Brea, which at that time, like, you know, the guys at Undefeated and Chris at Union and and Stash, I mean, every that was what was going on. but
Speaker: for reasons that we can get into like I wanted to open up here. yeah um And thankfully, yeah, it's coming up on 25 years, which is an outgrowth of the original store, which is in Yonkers, which has been like... Jumping in real quick, just to remind y'all to like, subscribe and leave a comment on this week's episode. It really goes a long way. If you're watching this on YouTube, hit that hype button.
Speaker: And if you're listening to this on Apple or Spotify, Rate this podcast five stars and leave a review. If you do, i will read it at the end of an episode when I do my outros.
Speaker: And of course, if you want to help the podcast directly, i have Patreon, patreon.com slash myfirstkicks. five dollars it's only one tier you get the episode a day early and you get extra content so please be sure to sign up for the patreon patreon.com slash my first kicks but for now let's jump back into the episode has its own history i mean it's absolutely insane too because it's just like lot of heritage within this you know and a lot of skin in the game also Yeah. But I got to hit you with the question that I ask everybody each week, and that question is, what's your first kick? So it's that first pair of sneakers you absolutely needed to have.
Speaker: That I absolutely needed to have? Absolutely needed. um It was, i mean, i've I've talked about it before. it was the trainer one. ah It was the trainer one. And as much as, you know, I could sit here and we're, you know, we're sitting amongst a bunch of Air Force Ones.
Speaker: I have Air Force Ones, but that's not... that's not the one that sort of grabbed me. Because think, I mean, I know and I still remember, when Trainer won, when Air Max won, when Air Max, when that whole generational years were going on of shoes,
Speaker: That's what took Nike from, ah you know, they had Air Force Ones, but it was something where it took Nike from a place of, i don't want to use the word complacency, but something even back then where it was like, oh you had your holy shit moment. Right. And whether it was with Trainer One or Air Max Ones or that whole, like,
Speaker: stretch right And still obviously you know getting retro and that's when you have some of those holy shit moments now. But it's took everything, whether it was...
Speaker: You had them in your hand live when they when they came in, whether it was back then more in print media when you were opening and seeing things for the first time. um You were like, whoa. And and you the customer felt it.
Speaker: And like I remember you know working in my parents' store. like And that was just around the time where... you wanted something that was just gave you, it just gave you that feel. And then, look, Trainer One then was adapted by McEnroe and like everything else that goes around it. But that shoe just in general, when i you know, we were unpacking, or putting away, whatever it is, it's just something that It was something different, right? It was the medial side. It was the lateral side. You were looking at the leathers that they were using, the colors. It was just like, it was the shit. get those moments in this industry, that's
Speaker: those moments in this industry that's it's an it's an it's a it's It's a physical thing, but it's an emotional thing too if you've been around it long enough because... And that's the first shoe I distinctly remember like like saying to my my dad, like I wanted another pair just to put... But what did I know? I didn't know why. it was It's just a feeling. yeah um how did How did you explain it to your dad? Because he's been working in sneakers...
Speaker: also. So it's like. Yeah, I mean, nike Nike was something where, I mean, back then it was a different a different, much simpler time and stuff like that because the way we would even see product was like literally a salesman taking it out of a bag. Right. um and But I do think I remember Trainer One That wasn't something that um you even saw, like, beforehand. It was something, like, and there were no cads, really, back then. It wasn't, like, it's just something that... They just, like, spoke about? and you Spoke about, and, like, and I do remember it wasn't a lot of it wasn't a lot of pairs, and he's like, well, no, like, because we need them, like, whatever, but...
Speaker: Yeah, ultimately I ended up getting another pair because it was also a much simpler time as far as like being able to, you know, just get more pairs in. Because it's that at that time, that shoe specifically and then a lot of others, and especially where we were in Yonkers, it's something where...
Speaker: it just organically grew. and like And it was also right around that time when Jordan 1s were coming out. And the only way that people knew about what the Jordan 1 was going to look like was like a piece of paper that we that my dad put on the outside window of the store. yeah and And that's, like, they knew. how do you even... like What is like the reception of that, too? Because you know ah we've seen air and like we've seen how like the quote-unquote Jordan 1 was created during that time. but like being the person that has to sell the Jordan 1, like, and seeing that, like, did people, were people even asking about the shoe?
Speaker: Because, like, we've only heard, like, a specific version of that. Yeah, I mean, people, I mean, in where we were, yeah, everybody wanted it right off the bat, but I've seen the iterations of Jordan 1s, like, you know, yeah it it i think when it was retro the first time, right, and and and the States here, they sat. Yeah. They sat, and, know,
Speaker: and I remember getting i mean getting a call from my dad like, say, hey, there's some people in here from the Far East, from Japan, whatever. who They want to just take them. And trust me, they were sitting. yeah And I think that's when everything started you know spawning everything else. And then when this little thing called eBay started, and then you know obviously it's a whole that's a whole different trajectory and and and like discussion on how everything went. But is it like...
Speaker: But no, but the original, original one, oh my God, it was, and it was for a Nike, I distinctly remember the Nike catalog had like, I think four high, four or three of the four highs. And then it had the two lows on the bottom. And that's the way people found out about it.
Speaker: That's literally the way people found out about it. Like white with the metallic blue low, like all that different stuff. And yeah, those sold out. It wasn't anything where you have lines, like it was just,
Speaker: we like we had our customers there, right? My dad, like, you know, there there were people shopping there, whether it was for back then, like, you know, way Nikes, or whether it was back then, shell toes, but you had the guys coming in, but only one of the ones made in France, because they were different and had different shapes and stuff like that. So it it was, I mean, that whole time is what shaped I mean, it shaped my life then, but it also shapes the way I sort of think of things now because at the end of the day, that's having customers come in and having customers enjoying something and leaving, forget what, not just with a smile because they have something, but they just appreciate it for what it is, right? And back then too, like a lot of the a lot of the guys who would be shopping there, like,
Speaker: you'd be able to go through the Nike catalog and order like and have it in a couple of days like some of the Nike tennis stuff or just ah like when that whole wave like really really started it was it was an amazing part it's an amazing part of i mean the way that I grew up thankfully um but it's also something like industry-wise that's where you try and recapture that feeling again which was, it you know, as, and you know, it's it's it's over to almost 25 years. yeah i don't want to say it gets harder, no ah but it does get a little bit harder because you're also dealing with so many other things that were in the industry, yeah that are in the industry now, that are weren't in the industry back then, or and especially when going back, you know, during the original times when this stuff came out. The the way, because like, yeah, I mean, thinking about how, like, the way I used to buy sneakers locally, right, that was kind of like,
Speaker: like when I grew up in Queens, like I had my one little mom and pop store that I always frequented, walk in, had conversations and stuff like that. And it's kind of like, that's how you built that like rapport or even just like,
Speaker: that like wants of like, okay, I've saved up my money, I'm gonna come back and get this, because I know they're gonna have it. Or they, you know, you you work with them to be like, oh, now you can hold this for me or something like that. Because especially when you're a kid, you want to, you know, try your best to do that. But like, back then, as you're you're seeing that, like, as you're seeing your dad's store, this like, and the anchors, like, the way sneaker culture started to like evolve, like, how did you, how did it wrap you up and start grabbing you?
Speaker: Back then? Yeah. Oh, it's... I mean, the beauty of... mean, where... know, in Yonkers and where it was. I mean, the store literally was there. And actually, just a couple of weeks ago, like, just when I was visiting my parents in Florida, I found, like, my grandfather's some of the old, like, checkbooks and stuff like Oh, And this goes back to the late and Mm-hmm.
Speaker: So it was literally an institution there, right? um And i would see the generational, like my dad would know, the parents, the grandparents, because it was ah it was a community that changed over time. And it was something that...
Speaker: um But we were always, it was always there. It was a staple. And sneakers were really, I mean, it was a part of it. It was really, if I had to, and this is why I have such an affinity, like for for the guys over at Tip Top and West, it was Tip Top, basically. Like my dad,
Speaker: was the first to bring Red Wing to this to to New York. And it was only because of Timberland was sort of changing then. it was still made in USA, but it was something where the guys who worked every day, and because it was in Yonkers, we had a lot of the guys, like people worked in, whether it was in DPW or whatever, like, um the stuff wasn't holding up. So my dad found this little company from Red Wing, Minnesota and that was like... That's insane. My dad was alike is is like that, like was like that in the business side of things with a lot. yeah It was with a lot. again,
Speaker: and again i distinctly remember when Nike came to him and was like, hey, it's only 72 pair. like You can have your own color of an Air Force One. even it was even around when Air Force Two. And he's like, no, that's too many. Because it's it's like back then when when back then when I was talking about before, salesmen would come. It would be like if there were too many nines, like we wouldn't order nines for the next season. but Regardless of all that, the beauty of it all um was the customers that would come back over and over and for whatever.
Speaker: i mean, i I, you know, now I can, i i it's logical to me why, but it, like I was drawn to the sneaker part of it, right? My brother and I we were both drawn to the sneaker part of it. um And yeah, i was I would be the one to keep the notebook with everybody's phone numbers, whether it was that or beeper numbers and stuff. Like all the people that would come in because we had and still have the, like had people who would come in who were now thankfully icons of the industry, right? and um But they all lived in Yonkers and they all came from Yonkers. They all found their way to Yonkers. Yeah. um
Speaker: That's part of the journey. I mean, if you if you were like looking for something, I know people were like, you got to hit a packer. yeah But that was later, just because I think there was a lot of vintage stuff that started to pile up. And that's what we used when we sort of when we opened up here. um But back in the early, early days, like it was just amazing.
Speaker: it was just amazing yeah it was it was and it and it wasn't just jordans it wasn't just air forces it was it was It was Nike performance, and that's what like, and whether it was Nike, whether it was other companies too, right? It was everybody across the board where you had people, you had customers who just, they weren't sheep. Like sort of that, you know, that's like blessing and the curse of of of social media now.
Speaker: They cared about and had, and had, know, um and Their own taste and affinity for it all right yeah and it's like it it was like even like 10 on the tennis side like Nike Wimbledon there was Ace there was a whole bunch of things that were adapted by.
Speaker: you know, the the the guys who were really running the show and really were the style icons of Yonkers or came from the Bronx and stuff like that. And that's, you it was just, to me, it was everything. It wasn't just one thing. And that's what I think has molded my,
Speaker: um taste and that's why i think over the years thankfully we've been able to work with every single company and i think put our stamp on it and i think i think there is like a red line through everything that we've done and i think you know i can look back at a couple and be like oh like yeah maybe we foul tipped that one but you can you know why because it was maybe chasing something that we weren't yeah um but uh Yeah. You've got some, I mean, legendary collabs. I mean, the Snow Beach, like, that everybody feels talking about that one. Yeah, I mean, that came out that came out of, but that came out of me wanting to work and still, like, working with, and I remembered it as Spotbill, not Saucony, right? Yeah. um And when we first opened up here, we
Speaker: you try as much as you can to have that breath, right? But some companies, and again, not nothing against them, but companies evolve. Like when we would talk to Saucony and say, we want to use Spotbill, it took me a good year to understand why they were telling me no. It's because they took that IP and they just shelved it. They really weren't using it anymore. yeah um But um we still like that, you know, Saucony itself, like,
Speaker: We had the ability to do stuff. I think it was right around the time like Bodega was doing some stuff with them, and then it was us, and then there were a couple guys in the UK. And yeah, having a nice run with them. And we've still, like over the years, and like the way they've built up like you know Mike La Palooza and his whole crew, that the way they've built up Saucony over the last couple years has been amazing. And I think... Mandino's. No, Mandino's. It's great. like look i know mike I know Michael for...
Speaker: since ah the foundation days when he was selling in Alife. I mean, I know him for over 20, 22 years of of of this place being here for 23. And he has a red line to a lot of people that still, you know, that are here and work for me. and and um It's an amazing thing where it's like that's where you even take the feeling that you have even for customers that become our customers but they become family. It's also when you work with people long enough and I can you know i consider Mike family and like a lot of his crew and stuff just because the way that
Speaker: the way that people when some people in this industry look at the industry that's where you can that's where you know things are can trend right back in the in the right way again because um I've been through it with Saucony before where it had that up and then once it started you know going wider, it very, very quickly It just goes down. It went down again. And then when Mike and his crew took it over, it's back that way again. um i think just in general, where where we are, not just Saucony, but every brand, um needs that reset again. Yeah, I think the i think it's the the way everybody's really paying attention to the culture aspect of it, of like of sneakers and people within it. like I think we're we're starting to build back more of that... like
Speaker: culture around it. I mean, it has to be because to me, like, you know, and you you running a business day to day like this. I mean, obviously you have your highs, you have your lows, you have your look in the mirror times where you're like what the hell am I doing? Right.
Speaker: But at the same time, I've always, there's, it's always like me even doing this, it wasn't something that it was a pull and it was a pull that I, I mean, I understand where it all comes from. um And, but it's, it's like, it's something that I can articulate, but unless you've been around me for a long time, like,
Speaker: you know Yeah, yeah it's it's it's it's undescribable, right? um Because I wanted to touch on this like when it was the moment to for you to open, you know, the New Jersey location like when like this? Well, either or. Well, this came first. Yeah. mean So, yeah, I'm curious about like, you know,
Speaker: the the conversation to that and like wanting to really open up something here and and like the early days of getting people to buy in to come into to here?
Speaker: Oh, I mean, like, I mean, the buy in and to come here, I'll talk about that in a sec, but like I
Speaker: My parents were like on the retirement side of things. I've lived in Teaneck for at that time, I mean, 20 almost, no, I'm sorry, 15, 10, whatever. I've been part of this community here in Bergen County for the last 35 years, right? And then I grew up in Westchester, but after, you know, starting a family, I've been here. Yeah. And at the time, um i was still like a lawyer. I went like it was, you know, but still involved with my parents on the weekends and stuff like that in the store and still doing things. And after my first stint of doing lawyer, being someone as lawyer, I went to a firm
Speaker: I was there in Midtown. I was there literally for a year and a half. I just couldn't stand like being behind a desk. yeah And at that time, there was this little thing called eBay that started. And then you saw what industry like you know could be and then um where things were going.
Speaker: um And then I went to the Far East for business a few times back and forth. And just I had this, vision an idea. i don't want to call it a vision. i just it Something was pulling me, right? Yeah. and But being here in Teaneck, I knew.
Speaker: i just knew that like one, growing up in the in in you know like a lot of guys from Yonkers, whether it was on the music side or on the athlete athlete side or other things that guys, you know people were doing,
Speaker: they would move out of Yonkers and they would come to Jersey. And that was something that was literally over, over the bridge. But having the idea to do this and finding the right spot in Teaneck was something where that took longer than, you know, when I get something stuck in my head, you want to do it. But also like just, you know, thankfully, and we you talk about it like, you know, Teaneck High is literally like up the street. That's, yeah.
Speaker: without you know, over 1,200 kids. you have You have a middle school which is over 800. And, you know, me stopping and just asking these kids, and that's really what it was. One afternoon, like, where do you get your stuff?
Speaker: And, you know, I said, oh, you think something could work here in Teaneck? And the answer was yes. And sometimes you just got to go with your gut. And this is something that I kind of knew. And at that time, you know, whether being, um you know, Nike Talk or whatever, ever all the little forums that were out there, like, well-versed in that, because you just, you're you know, you're drawn things.
Speaker: um drawn to things yeah and And at that time, I knew that Yeah, maybe it wasn't, it wasn't an, I mean, you do things, you know, for economic, like you you weigh the positives and negatives, but it was also something wanting to bring something here. yeah And not here because it's Teaneck, but it's something because I wanted to break, i don't know, maybe stubborn wise, break the mold. yeah Like I didn't want to have anything to do with the city. Like God bless, they were doing their stuff down there.
Speaker: And I wanted to do it where it's like this part, like just, i don't want to call it suburbia, but out of the out of the norm, right? um You're definitely serving in a community that I feel like nobody talks about. Like this this type of demographic. Oh, no, no, I know. i will Yeah, we'll talk about that in a second. But just the the essence of taking something out of...
Speaker: the city, right? And that's what I was saying before, people like Teaneck, like this is, and, but now, and again, i appreciate it years later, you know, they say like, oh, you open, like whether it's Nike, Adidas, or anybody sort of, like you opened our eyes to what can be. possible And thankfully, I mean now 20 some odd years later, you look at,
Speaker: mean, there have plenty of stores that have opened, you know, the original stores back then opened and closed. But you look at where things are now, it's, it's you know, I mean, it's a I'm happy to be part of like where everything started, right? And you see everybody's trajectory and happy form and we're all, we're all,
Speaker: You know, we all know each other, like, um and whether that's just here or internationally and stuff like that. So, yeah, it's that. But but look, at the end of the day, what brings people out are the shoes, and and it's in right? And you know, you're always nervous when you do something, but I underestimated a little bit but happy and and that's even like over these last couple weeks you see people coming out
Speaker: It was like that. Yeah. It was like that. It was like that because of, I think, the vintage that we had, like some of the stuff that we had, how we put the store together. And it was around that time that ourselves and Opium in Paris, like, had done, like, I think we took it to another level because Opium was doing it, I think, just, I think it was just in Jordans and stuff. But I took a lot of the vintage stuff from my parents and literally had, like, a timeline around the... On it. the top of the store of of from every brand. um think I've seen a picture of that. Yeah, and and it's like the way we designed the store, I think it was very ahead I know it was ahead of its time and people would come in here and be like, well, this doesn't belong here, it belongs in the city, but that's, okay, cool, thank you, but...
Speaker: this is why we wanted to bring it here. And yeah, that first, those, it, yeah. Somebody from Nike talk who was in here the night before, like we were slaving away, like took pictures and yeah, you had people from Philly that first day, you had people coming in cabs from Brooklyn. Um, like literally one of my first customers was Paul, like PG knows like that, that, um,
Speaker: And, um yeah, it just... it it But at the same time, and as things grew, it was all word of mouth, right? And you had... Teaneck High and you had the middle school. I mean, literally every day here. And back then it was an 800 square foot store.
Speaker: Back then it was Grand Central Station in here. And it was an it was amazing. It was amazing. And the first thing that people would, we would have lineups for in like Teaneck Township, they didn't know what was going on. Right. But now, thankfully, it's become just a regular thing here and there. but did you Did you make like the local newspaper? No, not the local newspaper, but you had the the you know the the police officers who now, like you know they're like pete were like what's like, what's going on? Because people were like people didn't know, right? But i mean everybody- It's got to be a shock, the sneaker community coming here and being like, all right, we're going to basically like fill up this small little store. Yeah, it's but it was also the lines. But I think the thing that-
Speaker: the beauty of us and over the 25 years, i don't think we ever, maybe once or twice, have it's never gotten out of hand. There's always been, and this is where, like, I don't care, because we've had people come, you know, for releases from out of state, from New York, from downtown New York, whatever.
Speaker: People just want, like, they... They respect they'll respect it, right? if you just If everybody's treated with respect, if you're telling them the truth, if yeah and and at the end of the day, too, look, at the end of the day, you don't line up, you don't behave, whatever it is, we're going to shut it down. People...
Speaker: I hate using the word fall in line, but people behave. Especially coming out here specifically and you're like, now I got to go all the way back. Yeah, this is us. Yeah, but this is this. Jumping in once again to remind y'all that I have merch. I have t-shirts. I can't grab it right now. And I'll explain that at the end of the episode. But please, you can see it scroll right here right Hit me up, info at MyFirstKicks. The shirts are $40. If you want to meet up in public, I'll meet you at a store. $40 in person, $40 plus shipping ah if you're going to buy them online. It goes a long way. it helps me. And all the money is going to go into another shirt because i would like to do more merch. It's just merch is hard.
Speaker: And I know the economy is tough. But help your boy out. Let me get rid of this box of shirts. But for now, let's jump back into the episode. but But just getting back to it, like the first things people were lining up for, and I remember it was the middle school kids and the high school kids.
Speaker: It was for just white on whites. yeah Literally white on whites because that was a time when Nike and Foot Locker like were having their issues and stuff like that. And the Air Forces were not in They weren't in the mall. Yeah. Right? And people were able to get them here just very easily. And it was just a shoe on the wall, right? I mean, then everything escalated to sort of like, oh, okay.
Speaker: Because everybody, even people right here, like in Teaneck, they were like, they didn't know what to make of it. And they didn't know whether we were for real, where it all came from. But at the same time, whether it's Teaneck, whether it was Hackensack, whether it was Englewood, like...
Speaker: it To me, it was sort it's it still does. it's Yonkers again. it yeah because Because you have the whole community all coming out. You develop relationships.
Speaker: We talk about it here where you have your day one like still Post-it note customers. you have like you know And that's what all of this spawned and why we did it this way. and and like i I wanted this whole, i think a lot of what we do and sometimes we do get a little bit of pushback on it. Like I like the work to speak for itself. For sure. Like I've never, like if I'm asked the questions, sure. If I talk about things like on social media, it gets like, I try and get to the core of it all and sort of what it means.
Speaker: But at the end of the day, like I'm so proud of, what we've accomplished over time because goddammit, end of the day, like this is like we've been around for fucking 25 years. Yeah, it's an easy task. No, but forget just an an easy task. Yeah.
Speaker: Like people can tell their stories about this, that, whatever it is, and everybody has their own journey. But goddammit, I've forgotten them more than people know in this industry. and but but i But I say that not from an egotistical way. It's so it's it's from...
Speaker: It's just a love of all this. and And it's taken me a long time to want to, like, understand why... it's like it's in my blood. And it's a great thing. And you get passionate about it. And you also take it to heart a little bit.
Speaker: um And sometimes I've stepped away from sort of, like... Like, I just let... The work that we do, the people who work for me like get that. but And that's something where I don't think I'll ever change like that. But i'm I'm extremely proud of what we've done because we've been innovators in this part of of the industry. Mm-hmm.
Speaker: for a long time, for a long, long time. I mean, without without people finding, you know, Packer, I don't think we'll see a lot of, you know, the way some mom and pop stores move and able to create longevity, you know, because like I said, you know, you got a lot of heritage within this and it's not very family. It's not very common to find a family run business for so this long. So it's like when you hear about it, you know,
Speaker: one One thing that i've oh we need to really you know really hone in on is trying to keep these mom and pop stores open because if we just lose that, then you know and frequent them, and if we just lose that then, all the big brands will just have their own places, and that's where you go. Yeah, and and i don't I don't want to say you're not fighting the fight against these brands that's because that's not the way I've ever looked at it. like without Without these brands, right?
Speaker: that the brands are what gives, whether it's myself, whether it's other stores in this genre, they give us the canvas. Like, we're not, I'm not looking to start anything like start a footwear company. oh yeah But it's true partnership, right? And I think in the beginning when all of us got into it, right?
Speaker: And i you can so break it down on so many different levels, but like, you know, whether was The guys from Undefeated a little bit before me, whether it's Chris you know chris Gibbs with with Union, whether it was Stash opening up Nort, i whether it was you know a couple of the other stores right around we were opening also,
Speaker: All of us, all of us were opening because of wanting to recapture a feeling that we had as youth and also seeing an opportunity to bring something into the market. And I know that whether it was here domestically or even overseas, because i mean, I know the Potter guys, like we literally opened the same time. yeah And at that time, there really were no rules, right? And we got to know each other because
Speaker: We filled a void for them. They filled a void for us when we opened up. And a lot of the things that you see on this wall that were from like first day customers, you know, JD Air Force Ones, right? That's that's yeah what got things going. Yeah. And and I'm not... like I don't know, I'm not breaking any rules now talking about it because it it was a purer time. and And again, I know businesses evolve and companies evolve and then yeah you play within the rules and stuff like that. But I think that that formula, right, that formula that whether it was on that side of like just product or
Speaker: like, you know, back going, like, Pump 20, when all of us got together with Reebok, when it was all the original stores and domestically, internationally, like, that um ah theory, not theory isn't the isn't the right word, but the whole the whole way of looking at the business, right, of yeah making, like, regional drops or having things just different here or there, that's what got the energy going with things, and I think we're seeing that...
Speaker: excuse me, we're seeing that now again. Right. um But it seems like that that was like, when you talk about that, that original energy, the store shop energy, of like, you know, now that's like taken and brought into the current day stuff. But I think the way it was back then led to actually, you know, supporting the stores that are, you know, beyond the sneakers. Yeah. You know? Yeah. like it It brought the people to the doors. Yeah.
Speaker: And then from there, you were able to build your fan base a little bit larger, especially because it was like, you're hearing from like Nike, as you said, the canvas is like, hey, we're the conveyor of like, yo, you should, we're doing a collaboration with Packer. You should check this out. And they then now you're like, wait, there's a store near me. And now you go there you, that was like, for me, that was always just how it was for me, where it was just like, I find out about a collaboration or I find out about just like, a place that sells the shoe that I want, and then I'd go there. And so from there, you you start like being more curious. And I think right now, and I mean, this is probably like my biggest you know critique about the current day, is like I don't think we have enough curious people anymore. so like When you have you know this type of activation where you know you want people to come and check out and see like the lineage of all the Air Force Ones, it's like we still need people to be like, when they pick up the shoe, like, wait, how did this get here? wait what you know like
Speaker: We need the people that ask the the extra questions, yeah and that creates energy. like The energy that we see now is more like... this is a celebrity.
Speaker: Now buy it. So, I mean, like I've always, I've always contended this and I ah i think, I really think it's ah it's a college course and I think it's a business school course and I know I can talk about things from here until tomorrow and and do it, but our Industry is a microcosm of society, if you really want to think about it that way. so And the last 25 years, you know, especially just here, we've seen it and we've we've lived it. And but social media is a blessing. It's a like the blessing. The internet is a blessing. It's taken ourselves and others in the business, right, to heights that we never imagined, right? yeah But it's a blessing and it's a curse to a certain extent. And we've seen the...
Speaker: way that people
Speaker: you know appreciate things or even shop or even don't. like and and And yeah, that's that's great to a certain extent, but getting back to the... And doing all this is not... I'm not trying to change society, but it's also, I think, putting a stamp on something we've been doing here for a long time. um But it's also getting it back to that because...
Speaker: And look, thankfully, like over these last 10 days, you have people coming in here smiling. Yeah. And it's not it a lot of it is our our original customers. A lot of our customers who I mean, have come, you know, just, you know, they've aged up a little bit, but they're coming here with their kids. Yeah.
Speaker: And they're explaining. And it's like so like last last weekend, like, we had, like, it was amazing. Like, amazing to see. And it's like, you know, to get introduced and to see generational is kind of cool. and But at the same time, and just going back to all this, and this is like...
Speaker: a labor of love of putting all this together the way I wanted to approach it was and again i appreciate the friendships and you know whether it's with mayor or Abdul or all the everybody whose Air Force collections have been used in a lot of different things but aside from a few pair that are here that those guys have helped with 90
Speaker: 5% of the shoes that are here our original T-neck Packer customers that have you know, grown, you know, they've grown, crazy you know, just not just themselves, were you know, ah over the years, but their digital presence have grown and stuff like that. And they've gotten it, but I wanted to put it this all under one one roof. But the the thing to me, and it hit me as we were putting this together, like you have, know,
Speaker: like Jimmy and Paul and Leland Robinson. It's like that's the core of it and and Scram. um um Jimmy now has his son who he shops for and his two boys who he shops for and they're getting they're into this now. Right.
Speaker: um Leland Robinson. Leland was ah teenager, but his father also was shopping with him. Now Leland has, so it's three generations. Paul, I know Paul, like was saying, since being a first customer, now Paul has his own family and brought his whole family here. And, um you know, all that's, you want to call it heir to the throne type thing with people. um Scram, I don't know how many children he has on on many different sides, but but it's something where But the love that he brings to all this, and I know Scram for over 20 years also, and he's now part of like, you know, the Packer family and stuff. So, and and and and, but it's also, it's not just him. It's everybody who's been working. I mean, this is a labor of love literally throughout. yeah Everybody who works and, and you know, it's it's it's bringing in the...
Speaker: you know i'm not one to i like i like to hear opinions and stuff, and there are things that have come up over you the last couple days where it's sort of this has been something where, like, since the day we started this, it's grown and over time, right? And you being here wanting to talk about it and other you know folks who have come through, and you know whether it's Tyler putting his magic on things or guys who are working behind the scenes for me who have been here for with me for 17 years and stuff. And you know, you try, i just want that like to have, you know, it's not just a me thing. It never has been. No, yeah. I mean, it's a community. And I think that's what I definitely wanted to touch on. Just like the way now we're seeing community come together so much now, you know? ah A lot of people, you know, over the years, you know, I feel like a lot of people were was quick to push people out of sneakers. But now we're in this era where everybody's trying to be a lot more collaborative and keep people around. Like, I mean, with the... What was really dope, but and um i always bring i brought it up to to Stevie and Scotty too, was just like that pipeline with the art and bringing people out here to show you their art and you seeing how talented other people within New Jersey are. Yeah. I mean, look, and I'll, I mean, full transparency, like when that,
Speaker: The night the Jersey Air Force came about and that's, it was great. I mean, we're part of that whole thing. And you know, the way we put it out there and it worked, whether it's stuff we did with Tina Kai or order some of the other things we did around it.
Speaker: But to me, like just being in this industry day to day, like, I wasn't in a good place like around what the industry was all about, but we had something and with Nike when they did ah an event on Topps Diner and i see these three guys like walking in and I haven't seen Scotty and and Stevie like because they were I remember them as customers yeah right and it didn't dawn on me that they were like like honest to God like I knew of the Lambs Air Force you saw it was just popping up then and stuff but I didn't know it was them I really didn't and I just knew them as I know them as customers and
Speaker: That night gave something click because when they came over to me and we're talking and as they're walking, I'm saying, oh shit, like yeah there's something like they have all the lambs gear stuff on. yeah But I, when they say to me that they've been trying to connect with me for the last couple of weeks to give me a pair of the shoes and stuff.
Speaker: And the reason is like they said literally like they said to me they wouldn't be doing what they're doing now if it wasn't for what we did here. Yeah. And that to me that means the world to me.
Speaker: The world. Inspiration. it's it's It's like you know and again it's not just them. I mean it's it's like I said you see. people who are customers here and you see their life trajectory. And I think over the last, you know, couple like last nine days, it's, it's just fun. It's fun to see a lot of things. I've seen people who I haven't seen in, you know a good number of years. Um, but you see like where they've gone from being high school students to still shopping here. Right. Um, but you don't see them all the time. I don't see them all the time, but also what they're doing in life now and stuff. And whether it's, you know,
Speaker: working in marketing or working at Apple or do like whatever it is. But all these, these are kids yeah that literally have grown up around all of this. And I think, you know, there are sound bites that, you know, companies always ask, oh, what are people thinking? What are people thinking?
Speaker: And you know there lot of people there were people here like from Nike and stuff, and they hear and they were talked to. like That's what it is. like It's the stuff on the ground. The ether and everything else that's on you know likes likes on ah on ah on a post, kind of it means nothing. No, yeah. And comments on things.
Speaker: To get to the real people, that's it. yeah That's really it. And that's what's been so refreshing isn't the word, but it's it's just been so invigorating. and Yeah, the guys from Lambs, like that's where it's sort of the pipeline stuff, that's where it came out of. And the thing that was totally blown away to me, like like the amount of Jersey-based, because we hear it all the time, like, ah Jersey's close to New York, it's this, it's that, and there's nobody really in Jersey. Fuck that. no theres The amount of people that came out and talented people, talented people who live in Teaneck or live one town over or or in Jersey City. It was just an amazing thing. And we, you know, we carrying stuff like from them and
Speaker: in helping like a lot of companies too. And yeah and I mean, there were the guys from Stella who were not from Jersey, but like they came from Virginia. they came They were down here yesterday. I mean, those you can see a lot of, like, the future's bright yeah for a lot of different things. um And I think going back to, and it brought it brings me back to like when we did first open up, And that's why I think the the folks that we did the capsule of clothing with, each one of them has a a touching point to us even from the beginning. yeah Whether it's Angelo like from Awake, um but we were one the first we were one of the first to carry his Absurd. When he had Absurd, yeah. When he had the Ewing t-shirt yeah and it was him and Will Whitney yeah who had Absurd, we were carrying it. Whether it's Jamie Story with the King of New York by Tease,
Speaker: that were so huge back then yeah and now Jamie does consulting. You know, he's built, you know, everybody's grown into their own thing, but we wanted to do something with him. And whether it's Dagan who had the the brand Bodagan back then, like him and Jamie and a lot of the other guys, they are what this culture, like before everything all blew up, right? And having him a part of the capsule and then, you know, reaching out and speaking with you know knowing you know Chris Gibbs like from Union, we see each other at events, but Scram, like all bridging all that gap and having that a part of this, because all of us that have been around from day one, we all see what the issues are, and we can talk about how things have to like start from the bottom up. like The whole industry has to just...
Speaker: start from the studs again to a certain extent in my eyes. I agree. i agree And then... It's got to find the soul again. Yeah, it's got to find a soul again. And and it has, i think, with what we're doing, I think doing something with all these guys and even BJ Betts, who has been a customer for a long, long time. And on the retail side of things, like...
Speaker: Prohibit being around and Nam Daguerre being around and Dagan having Prohibit and him knowing and seeing and him being here yesterday and just the smile that he has on his face and working with Stash who we've had a relationship and doing some things like over the years it's just been it's been great and there's backstories to every one of the capsules and like when the design came through like from Chris at Union, like the OG 180 color scheme and stuff like that, him putting that touch to it, it's amazing. It's like, because like I said, that's the one to me, and I remember where like where we were sitting and stuff, that's the shoe that just changed everything. It changed everything. Everything for the best of ways. Yeah, for sure. a lot of people buying into like an actual store and like the stories, um like it all generated from, you know, that pivotal moment too. like Yeah, but it was also that shoe, like the 180, the Force 180, it's an amazing shoe in Nike's lineage, but to take and to do with that shoe yeah what they did, like,
Speaker: that's That was the first like holy shit moment like in this industry. And it was also when social media, when the internet, when it was only Hypebeast. And Hypebeast only had a few postings a week. not ah you know Not every hour. And again, everything evolves. But it was, that was the shit. I found that through the the forums. Like I wasn't on Nike Talk a lot. I was on NikeSB.org. Yeah, I remember that. That was my thing. Call ourselves the Borgs. But like, that was like, we would always go through the history of sneakers and and the history of collaborations. And we'd have these long conversations about like, you know, what inspired, what do you think the inspiration behind this is? And this is before we had, you know, people documenting and putting it into actual books before Sneaker Freaker and before all these these magazines and stuff like that. So it was a lot of those conversations that really fueled my curiosity and like just the the want to know and need of love of sneaker culture. So it's just like that's what I love about this and and seeing all these amazing pieces on the on the wall and like even the the linens like OG linens on here, Brazils, we got the 112 pack like A lot of the stuff that, like, I remember as there was coming out and being like, I need that and just not even having a chance to get them. So, like, you know, like, that that is still, like, of viewing stuff from afar and, like, having appreciation for stuff. Like, these are, like, it's like art. It's it's like art. Yeah. I mean, that's that's literally what this was, what this was, um,
Speaker: in the beginning, right? I mean, sneakers are art. yeah And we were trying to, and whether it was us or like back then, any of the originators of this, like, that's what were trying to show this as, right? um Yeah, it was great growing up in a mom and pop store. It was amongst everything else. And even though there was the the window showcase that everybody came and looked, and that to me was...
Speaker: that's that was IG before IG. And when people were coming from people are coming from, whether it's Whitney Young or Schlobaum or whatever it is, where they're coming to look at something and pointing yeah and then calling their friends or going. Because back then, there was no, you know there wasn' there was no, like,
Speaker: You know, there really was not the communication that there is like now, but everybody found their way. Everybody got it. And um it's like, yeah. did you When you would like go to school and you had some fresh stuff on, like, did they where they're just like, oh, no, Mike just works. His dad owns as a sneaker store, you know? Well, I was, i mean, it got to the point where I was bringing, like, like I was bringing bags in. like cause they were Listen, i went I went to a school where, like, you had people who understood, you had people didn't. yeah um But the ones that did were buying all the time. i and Not all the time, but we're were buying. Like, friends of mine and friends who
Speaker: Like, you know, still till this day, like, remember buying Air Force Two Highs white with purple, white with orange, like, you know, some of the New Balance stuff, like the Worthies, like that was like, you know, one of the things that back then that friends of mine would always be wearing. I mean, when we had the pet prep, when we did the capsule with the Laisse that we've done, that we did twice. That's how you say it?
Speaker: always say it, LSE. Alessai. Alessai? I mean, I can say Elise because that's the way some other people, like, that's what, I've heard, a I've heard that company, like, been so many, so many different ways but it's Alessai. The like, Saucony, Saucony. Exactly. Well, Saucony, in Philly, they say that's the way to say it, and, you know I don't want to argue with Philly people, because then it's like, I don't, I don't, I don't, yeah, I don't think I'd measure up, but. Yeah, yeah.
Speaker: It's, ah yeah, it's it's it's it's just that whole breath, that whole, like, breath of of time um that I think hit, it wasn't, everything wasn't as pigeonholed. Right, yeah. um So...
Speaker: Nah, man. mean, well, my question was more of like, you were rocking fresh kicks instead of selling them in school. But about like... I mean, I was sometimes, trust I wasn't... It didn't work like that. It really didn't. No, no. Like, until like the days of Trainer One, was like, okay, like, you have something and then, you know, you either outgrow it or you... You know, wear it out. That wasn't... That wasn't like... No! No! You get to... No! From the... From what? Every single time? No! No! That's not the way it was.
Speaker: Not at all. This was... You know, God bless. Like, my parents, like, and and like... And my grandmother, like, they worked hard. yeah It was a really, and working in Yonkers, like, and having that, like, it literally, i mean, they worked hard. They worked hard. This was not, you know, it wasn't something that ever grew into anything big. I mean, my father probably had the opportunities to do things, but he didn't,
Speaker: he was pure about it all like and i'm talking about even like doing bigger bigger projects like redwing came to him wanting him to do you know expand regionally and do the redwing stores and he just was happy like doing his thing like um so god bless there's there they're they're in florida now and happy and like i mean how was it like like so then how was it bringing this idea to him and be like hey i want to oh they thought i was batshit crazy yeah Oh, yeah, I mean, you're a lawyer. What are you doing going back into this business that you know will drive you crazy? um But thankfully, it's like it's all worked out. like and But this is it's been it's not this is something that literally like did on my own. And I don't i don't need to answer.
Speaker: like i've heard i know I've heard over the years like this or that or whatever it is. Did I the... um did i have the the runway a little bit of of having the accounts with folks. Yeah, but this literally has been like bottom up.
Speaker: Yeah. Bottom But still, you still have to like keep the accounts. like you can Oh, trust me. I know. like Trust me. People will always talk shit and then be like, they don't really know. I can't. I think I learned long, it took me a long time, but like now it's just like you keep your head down and just do what you do and let things shine. And I can't be, I can't worry about what social media thinks or this or that or anything else. I know say i know like the true people like know.
Speaker: um And again, like this whole thing, yeah like has really been something which to me, it's like I told you, it's it's not just the industry. It's just it's ah it's it's a social experiment. and Not a social experiment. It's not what we mean. But it's like this industry literally is a mirror of society. yeah It is. It is. For sure. the i mean, you as you said, the you let the work speak for itself. And I mean, you've done so much and this is amazing. So it's like, you know, I'm also of that mindset. I wish more people should be of that mindset as well, you know, but it's just like, I think I mean, look, you're filling a void.
Speaker: You're filling a void now. And I think I've told you this before. Like, you know, you've had people on this, on your on on the podcast that are real. Yeah. You know what i mean? Yeah. Real.
Speaker: And it's not lost on me. I mean, yeah I think, what, two episodes? you You had Jada's son, right? Yeah, yes. Yeah. well this too yeah yeah And it's it's it's like, yeah, when he said, I heard him in one of the clips, it's like, in Yonkers, we call them Harlems. Yeah. And when we were talking about that, like, over these past couple weekends, people were like, yeah, that's the way Yonkers was calling them people. That was the first one ever heard. Yeah, but, no, they were Harlems. Harlems. but They weren't called uptowns, they were just called Harlems.
Speaker: was going to say, did that start from your store? Did it start from that store? I can't, I don't, this I don't know. That would have been interesting. No, that's what they were called. But yeah, if it was, it was. I don't know. Trust me, my dad didn't come up calling him Harlem. He wasn't the one. But that's the moniker of what everything was. And it's sort of, yeah, it's great. I mean, that comment that he made, it brought a smile to my face because like...
Speaker: you know I've known his dad and the whole LOX crew and all those guys literally since they've been kids. like We're all the same age. That's crazy. so yeah That's insane. They've definitely got to pull up here.
Speaker: yeah I mean, they've they've yeah they've... No, I mean, I'm for this this. Oh, for this? i Yeah, they they will. Like, they will. um So, I know they've known about it. I know they've just been busy and stuff. But yeah, like they've been customers still forever. I mean, we have relationships with everybody. So, if they come, they come. i can't i can't can't force anything. Nah, for sure. this is i mean This has been dope. So, I got one last question for you that deals with a little visualization. want you think back to young Mike Packer. He's about to get those Air Trainer 1s, right? what Now you're you behind your your younger self. What would you tell your younger self as he opens that box?
Speaker: um
Speaker: If you believe in yourself and you keep pure, everything will work out. Perfect, man. That is beautiful. Yeah. That beautiful. I mean, true. I didn't think that question was coming, but yeah.
Speaker: Let everybody know where to find you, man. What's that? Let everybody know where to find you. Where to find us. Yeah, yeah. It's um Packer Shoes here at 941 Teaneck Road, which has been here, like we said, for a long time. Our store in Jersey City, which grew out of this.
Speaker: I've been there a while, 382 Marin Boulevard in Jersey City. And then um on social, it's at Packer, Packershoes.com. um Cop something.
Speaker: What's that? I said cop something. Hey, it's, yeah.
Speaker: ah yeah You know where to find me, who is Haas on social media. Follow the podcast on My First Kicks pod. Hit me up. Info at myfirstkicks.com. Would love to read ah your My First Kicks story on the podcast.
Speaker: um And going to kick it to myself and do the outro. Peace. There go. Thanks, man. Appreciate you. I hope I did it right. I hope you enjoyed this week's episode with Mike Packer. Man, getting sit with Mike and hearing the story about Packer's shoes and how...
Speaker: we got to be able to just sit in that venue and well in the store, um, which they turned it into like a gallery for air force ones was so dope. Um, by the time of this recording, and I don't know if this is going to come out on time, but cause I'm recording this early, uh, as you can see, my My behind me is kind of a mess. I mean, I've angled it so it's not too crazy, but in front of me, all my sneakers are out of my closet. Well, most of my sneakers are out of my closet. A pipe burst in my closet. If you're following me on social medias, I shared it with y'all, let y'all know. So I've been trying to manage that you know full-time job because I just came back from BFF and then jumped into that and trying to get all this moisture out of my walls and doing all that.
Speaker: I almost did not record this outro because of what's going on, but we're here and you know, i gotta do Patreon shoutouts. I gotta, you know, talk about BFF. I gotta talk about this experience because this was one of a kind. Scrams and Mike put this together to honor the Air Force Ones in a different way because we always talk about specific places that really resurged the Air Force Ones. But, you know, during this time when sneakers were very regional And you could only get them from your local spots or you had to travel to other people's local spots or you had to really put in the legwork to get sneakers. It was pivotal to really touch on that and really touch on, you know,
Speaker: how he serviced New Jersey and um that township and how it is actually pretty, you know, reasonable to get there. And we got to talk a little bit about, you know, my first time hearing about Packer shoes when it came to the Iman Shumpert's crazy eights and, know,
Speaker: I just think like my love for sneakers, getting having you know getting to create this platform, getting to travel and getting to record in stores, like like like the like getting to talk to owners of stores. It's it's and it's amazing. um Also, I know at the end of this episode, I say, hey, we're going to go through the walkthrough.
Speaker: If you are on Patreon, you will 100% get two walkthroughs. You'll get one with Mike Packer and you'll get one with Scrams and ah former guest Scrams. But I'm just going to because I've been recording this early. I don't know if I'll be able to add in one. i might be able to. I might just include like Mike's little half of of the walkthroughs. But both versions of the walkthroughs will be on Patreon. As soon as I get the files, me and JD, shout out to everybody that pulled up and really helped me with the episode. I had JD there, Jay D'Amino, by D'Amino, if you follow him on Instagram. And I also had Jordan Kaiser there. Shout out Jordan Kaiser. He took a bunch of pictures of those are going to be up on my Instagram. And I had D there. D was helping me and we were conversating and helping me, you know,
Speaker: just figure out what's the best angle and all that stuff. you know like it was just It was very dope. It was great to have you know this little crew that I've networked and built together. It's very like it's very dope because getting to put my ideas ah and making them is just...
Speaker: it's insane uh and a one-of-a-kind opportunity because when it comes to being a creative we know a lot of people just kind of like you know it's easy to stop and i think the getting the opportunities and acting on the opportunities is always you know more showing of how much you love the thing how much you really want to make the thing happen and i just think that You always got you know, entrust in yourself and trust in your vision because once you do that, other people will see that and they will join you. And I know, remember, like, I still remember, like, the early days of ah episodes and asking people, yo, can you help me out? Would love a producer. Would love somebody, you know, help me book guests. And and um i didn't, it didn't, it never deterred me from stopping. I kept watching.
Speaker: pushing forward and kept editing and trying to, you know, try AI clip ah clippers, which didn't work for me. I will never use Opus clip again. Not a shameless plug, but I will never use them again. and ah you know Trying things to make my workload easier while doing my job as best as I can, doing my corporate job as best as I can, and also going to events and being outside and and doing things and making my presence known and making people know that it doesn't just live on the internet, it also lives in the atmosphere wherever I am. and so
Speaker: Being able to show, you know, like the previous episode with Jinx, like getting that opportunity to be in another like Nike installation and now being at Packer Shoes and getting to see that installation and all the just being and wowed by all the amazing stuff that's on the walls. It's just...
Speaker: It's crazy when I think about it. ah That week was insane. i was I did like three episodes in that week. And you've seen this will be the third one for that weekend. So, again, the these opportunities to really, you know, chop it up and talk talk to people. and And really just it really just makes me feel whole. Like, I i can't explain it. Yeah.
Speaker: I've, you know, I'm currently going through this thing with the with the with the pipe burst in my and my apartment, and um I'm still pushing forward and making sure that y'all get an episode this week because this means a lot to me. This means, hopefully, this will, you know, change my situation. Like, um...
Speaker: i don't I don't take this for granted and I don't take any of the conversations that I've been able to have for granted. So I really appreciate every single one of y'all for you know listening. And I appreciate y'all for tuning in each week if you're new and tuning in hopefully in the future. if you're abi Tune in in each week if you're a previous listener and continuing continuing to tune in if you're a new listener. So i appreciate y'all. It really means the world to me. And thank you for
Speaker: Tune in to my platform. But I do want to shout out Nike Sportswear. If you are on the socials, you may have seen that they asked me to come out for fashion New York Fashion Week. And they blessed me with these Skylon 11s. These apparently are not coming out until a couple months, which which is pretty dope. which I don't know why i said it that way. Which are pretty dope. Very comfortable shoe. But I got to experience their little... ah they They had like a a truck.
Speaker: pull up to the front of JD sports and they were like, Hey, can you come out? And I was like, this is sick. So I really appreciate them for including me, but these right here, Penny fours.
Speaker: henie two k four s um Thank you so much for this because as soon as I saw that these were coming out, I was very excited for this because when I was younger, I couldn't get them.
Speaker: And when Penny was on the Knicks, I mean, it wasn't his greatest years, but this shoe, this shoe was fire. So appreciate this, Nike Sportswear and JD Sports for hooking your boy up. um And, of course, we got to do Patreon shoutouts so you can get shouted out at the end of an episode by signing up for Patreon. Patreon.com slash MyFirstKicks. I only have one tier, a $5 tier. So help your boy out, please. But let's start it off. We got Adam Neustetter. We got Ross Adams. We have Derek Lipkin. We have Jesse, Jesse G. Plox, Derek Hawkins, who I just saw recently at at BFF. Jordan Kaiser.
Speaker: Samia Grandpierre. Sean hates you. Brett M dot a D sneaks. And that's it. We'd really love some new ah patron.
Speaker: Patreon patrons, that would be good. And so please sign up for the Patreon. um Real quick recap on BFF before we get up up out of here. So BFF was amazing. I please, please, please implore y'all to really think about going next year. If you're in the sneaker industry, sneaker industry adjacent, and you are a person of color, I think it's very pivotal that we all show up every year. um Not disencouraging people that are not people of color. So definitely pull up. I think that is it's the best. It's the best event every year for me. Like ComplexCon is cool. Like we're doing industry stuff, not industry stuff. We're doing like parties. We're doing stuff like that. And that's fun. But.
Speaker: it BFF is about learning. It's about hearing people's stories. It's about empowering yourself. And you know one of the biggest things that they were talking about during the episode a during the episode, during the forum, was having a full cup.
Speaker: Because if you try to fill other people's cup with like messages and and advice and being there for them, and you're you're on empty, You're giving them nothing. So people want their people want your presence. People are asking for your presence. People are asking for your advice. People are asking for you to be there. And the one thing that BFF does for me every year is kind of reset me when it comes to just having that, ah I want to say, drive to want to do more. And so it makes me want to be like, hey,
Speaker: We got to keep going. We got to keep going. We're doing we're going in the right direction. You know, like the people that come up to me, the conversations that I have with people that are speaking on on the stage or in the breakout rooms like, you know, I I cherish those. And it really started last year and building that community there. And this year's theme was actually community. And this it It hit on all notes and it really helped me kind of recenter and realign myself before coming home and dealing with this pipe burst that happened because I lost sneakers. I was like, but I've been dealing with it because I'm.
Speaker: I feel full. I feel, I feel my cup is runneth up and, um, I'm really appreciative for what Dr. Dwayne Edwards has really created out there and I will always push it forward and big, big shout out to Jazzy Ray Allen Lord for a former guest and definitely future guests. Um,
Speaker: because without her putting this on my radar and accepting me in her community, I would not be there. I would not feel as recharged and driven to keep moving forward. So shout out to y'all listening if you made it this far. And of course, you know shout out to all the Patreon listeners. Thank you for tapping in. And then if you're this is your first time listening, check out these two episodes here or...
Speaker: you can hit that subscribe button. And you know what we say each week, wear your kicks. Peace.
