Point of View

I’ve seen a lot of things and met a lot of people, both cool and not so cool around the Minnesota sneaker community. I know people who love Foams, people who love Jordans and people who love New Balance. However, there seems to be one brand that receives a glaring lack of attention. And no, it’s not some weird small niche brand like you might think it is.

It’s Adidas. Yeah, that Adidas. The second largest sneaker company in the world. You might have heard of them once or twice. But for how big and influential they are in the sneaker industry, they don’t seem to get a whole lot of love here in our local sneaker community. Why is that, you might ask? Well, I’ve got a few thoughts: read more

As I was shifting through the Supreme webstore trying to find my three favorite sale pieces for yesterday’s article, I was thinking about what Supreme as a brand has accomplished during their time in business, and how their reach has become so powerful that everyone from musicians to artists to sneaker collectors to rich high school kids fiend for their newest drops.

Chaos has ensued for several of their drops this year (as it does every year) , from the Le Bain hoodie to the Foamposites. However, with all their hyped pieces, a lot of really good stuff seems to get somewhat swept under the rug. read more

It’s still something that’s tough to wrap your head around. $400? Retail? For a JORDAN? Yeah, you heard it right. The Jordan Shine, Jordan Brand’s first foray into the luxury sneaker market that’s mainly occupied by brands like Balenciaga, Buscemi, and Filling Pieces and  will cost $400. Some think it’s a great idea. Others aren’t so sure.

I think it’s a cool idea if nothing else. Jordan Brand obviously has a tremendous amount of influence with almost any product that they put out, and if they think they can break into the luxury footwear market, they’re most likely right. However, you can’t help but wonder: are sneakerheads ready to spend $400 (that’s box price, not resell) for a Jordan? read more

When it comes to kicks, everyone’s got their favorite model. There’s just something about that specific shoe that speaks to you. You love the way it looks with pants and shorts, and you’ll rock it year round, weather be damned. For me, that sneaker is the Jordan I.

I just love how classic the shoe is. It’s been rocked by everyone from basketball players to skaters to musicians. It looks good with any type of pants or shorts, and stands out without being excessively flashy. Although the OG black and red colorway is my favorite, I’ve got love for the royals, the shadows, the SB collabs, and pretty much any other color too. read more

I know you’re looking at the title and thinking “what the hell does this have to do with sneakers? This is a sneaker website, why is there an article that has nothing to do with shoes?”

Fair question. All the noise surrounding Bar Louie and their recent additions to their dress code policy has nothing to do with sneakers. If you’ve been living under a rock for the past few days, you can catch up on the story here.

I chose to write about this because we’re a locally focused website, and Bar Louie is in an area of town that I would think most of our readers frequent. I think it ties into everyday life in the cities, and although it doesn’t have jack shit to do with sneakers, I’d like to touch on it anyway. read more

“Who’s got the (insert rare shoe here)’s?? Cash in hand looking to buy!!”

If you’re a member of any sneaker groups on Facebook, you know the type: there’s always that guy who “needs” to get a rare sneaker and is promising to pay a high price for it. This same person will usually go on to complain that nobody plugs them, and they’re always being taxed.

I thought I’d write a quick little piece on how to not be that guy. You’ve gotta keep your cards close to your chest to avoid being taxed, and there are a few simple steps to ensure that you won’t have to pay outrageous prices. read more

I love the Jordan Future. I think it’s exactly what Jordan Brand needs: an innovative product that is on the cutting edge of cool. It’s a perfect summer sneaker too. A lightweight woven upper with a super-comfy and dope Jordan XI midsole and outsole too? Money. As you can see below, there’s even colors to fit any taste (there are even a few dope ones that aren’t pictured here like the JBC model.)

Yet for some strange reason, people continue to sleep on these. Although some of the woven premium models have sold out fast, the solid color models usually stay on shelves for days if not weeks. Why is that? Want to complain about Jordan Brand’s lack of innovation? Well here’s your innovation: It’s a great lightweight shoe that takes hints from the current tech running trend with the woven upper, but still keeps it classic with the midsole and outsole. What more could you ask for? read more

If you’re like the KicksOneTwo staff, you likely enjoy watching sneaker videos on Youtube. From TBlake, to Mr. Foamer Simpson, to YoAnty, there’s several different channels, all of which have their own unique flavor and take on the culture.

However ,there’s one type of video on these channels that I can’t stand. UNBOXINGS. There’s nothing more yawn-inducing than an unboxing video. From the obligatory “gee I wonder what’s in this box even though I already know” moment to the hasty review of whatever sneaker was shipped out, unboxings are typically real snoozers. read more

It seems to be somewhat common nowadays to hate on popular sneakers. Be it the Carmine 6’s that released a few weeks back or honestly any Jordan 11, you’ll hear people saying stuff like “Those aren’t even sick. Everyone’s got them” or “I don’t see what’s really all that crazy about those”.

I’m not entirely sure why we do this. It’s honestly almost hipster-ish in nature. You don’t like something because everyone else has got it? So what? Would you think it’s fresh if it was more limited and other people didn’t have it? read more

If you’re like me, “getting out” of the sneaker game has crossed your mind once or twice. Maybe it’s your frustration with price increases that make an already expensive hobby almost impossible to afford. Maybe it’s missing out on a shoe due to bots. Maybe it’s a reseller charging outrageous prices for a sneaker that just came out.

All of the annoyances listed above are very frustrating, and valid reasons to question why you do this. However, I thought it might be enjoyable to delve a little bit deeper, and see when you might really want to stop collecting, as opposed to when you’re just frustrated with an aspect of the game. read more