All-Star weekend is always exciting, and this year Jordan Brand and Footaction have teamed up to make it even more incredible for sneaker fans. Not only are they giving you access to some of the most exclusive footwear around, they are bringing in some of basketball’s biggest stars for some quality time with the fans. We spent the entire day there yesterday making sure we could bring as much of it as we could back to share with you. So with that said, let get this started.
The Jordan Brand Experience
When we first arrived early in the morning we were granted an early preview of the store before any customers were allowed in. The Footaction and Jordan Brand teams did an incredible job converting the store and giving it the feel of a Jordan Brand Experience, as opposed to a Jordan Brand retail space. As you first enter, your first notice the subtle blue tinted lighting and dark paneling on the walls. As you walk in, you realize that this is the year of the Air Jordan 2011. A huge center piece has been erected with the AJ2011 broken down to its primary components stretches from the floor to the ceiling, and boy is it impressive. The shoe and its soles are in a form of suspended animation in a DNA-like sequence illuminated with strategically placed blue and red lighting, and surrounded by the Quick sole on one side and the explosive sole on the other.
Air Jordan 2011 Demo Area
As you finally make it into the store, you are whisked away by a Footaction employee who then gives you a guided tour of the experience. First stop, the Air Jordan 2011 demo area. Here we experience a wall of the available colorways of the Air Jordan 2011, as well as specially designed models that sit in a glass box and feature one of the sole in each shoe. The models are all white in color, with a translucent outsole that matches the inner sole. Here you get an opportunity to try on the sneaker and compare the feel of each sole. There is definitely a difference in the feel, and if you haven’t had a chance, this is the first place you should stop when you visit the store.
Jordan Brand Signature Athlete Wall
After leaving the demo area, JB and Footaction have set aside a full wall dedicated to the Jordan Brand athletes. Carmelo Anthony, Chris Paul, and Dwayne Wade each get a section of the wall dedicated to their respective sneakers. Below the sneakers a collection of clothing is set a side that relates to each of the available All-Star models. Between the signature athlete displays, there are several other products from Jordan Brand, including a jewelry, head phones, and watches. As seen in the images below, the brand has brought out special All-Star related jewelry including a special G-Shock watch that is in very limited supply. So limited in fact, that the they are only selling 5 a day.
Exclusive Product
As we passed the Signature Athlete Wall, we see a few thing that will surely catch the eye of any sneakerhead, the Air Jordan V BIN 23. A special section has been dedicated to the sneaker. The shoes are set to release today, and as you can expect they are in very limited numbers. But that is not the only exclusives that are there. Jordan Brand has also brought out the Air Jordan III, IV, IX, and XI 25th Anniversary editions, and will be selling those also over the weekend as follows:
- Air Jordan Retro III (Silver Anniversary) – Saturday, February 19
- Air Jordan Retro IV (Silver Anniversary) – Sunday, February 20
- Air Jordan Retro IX (Silver Anniversary) – Friday, February 18
- Air Jordan Retro XI (Silver Anniversary) – Monday, February 21
Each pair is extremely limited, so if one of these in particular fits your fancy, you should definitely get there early.
Final Thoughts
In addition to all the Jordan related items, there are also other Nike sneakers, including several versions of the Nike Kobe Zoom VI, the LeBron 8 v/2 All-Star, the KDIII All-Star, the Kobe AF1 Collection, and the All-Star Af1 releases. Putting all this together, you see why we say that it is an experience, and not just a retail space. Jordan Brand and Footaction have taken a lot of time and put some great people in place to make this All-Star game different for the sneakers fans. From the moment you walk-in, you know that this is not your typical special engagement. This is two brands recognizing that we as sneaker aficionados are a big part of their success and instead of just selling stuff to us, they have giving us an experience. Many of the people who visited yesterday, just wanted to hang around. Friend of the site Byrd was there and he said ‘I don’t want to leave. I just want to hang around.” Well Byrd, I feel the same way, and I will be there as well as other events around the city, making sure I can bring as much of this All-Star weekend as I can to you all.
Jordan Brand Experience in Footaction
Culver City Mall (Fox Hills)
6000 Sepulveda Boulevard
Culver City, CA 90230
(310)398-8460
