Item: Various Retro Nike Air Jordans (1-6)

Story:  I didn’t play basketball until I was about 11 years old.  By then, Michael Jordan was already pretty huge.  Back then, folks bought shoes to wear and not collect like they do now.  My folks never spent money on names, brands or excess, focusing more on quality, price and practicality.  As a result, I never knew what Jordan’s were.  By the time I was 13-14, I still didn’t know much about shoes, but my classmates started rocking Jordan track suits and shoes.  That’s when I started noticing them – mainly the “Jumpman” and “Flight” logos.  I remember looking at the shoes at the a local Footlocker and shit was so expensive.  Based on price alone, I knew it wasn’t in the realm of a possibility so that was the end.  As I got older and played more, my folks would gradually take notice and would spoil me.  I remember a trip to Boston where they picked up four or five Flight and Jordan t shirts.  That was a big deal back then and I remember feeling like the shit in school when I got back.  As for the shoes, aside from a pair of sale Flights, I never had a pair of Jordans.

Fast forward to today and like all things, I find myself on the downward trend of fads.  With the hype and resurgence of Jordan retro releases (re-releases of old models), I began a quest to purchase re-releases of the Jordans from my childhood ( Jordans 1-7).  With the Jordan hype machine in overdrive, it’s easier said than done.  For the hot releases (like the most recent Jordan 1 BRED OG 2016), they were sold out within 1minute online and stores that weren’t using raffle systems had lineups of over 60 people more than 15 hours in advance of the release.  In my twenties I could line up, not anymore.  This is common for the original, “OG” retro releases.  To get a pair after they release from official retailers, you have to go to the “reseller” aftermarket which costs $500-$700 – note the release price was only around $215.

Here’s my collection to date:

Model: Air Jordan 1 Retro High “Chicago/Bulls” (white/varsity red-black)
Year Release: 2013
Price purchased: $139.99CAD

Model: Air Jordan 2 Retro (white/black-varsity red)
Year Release: 2010
Price purchased: Approx. $225CAD

Model: Air Jordan 3 Retro (white/fire red-cement grey)
Year Release: 2006
Price purchased: $200CAD

Model: Air Jordan 4 Retro “Mars Blackmon” (white/varsity red-black)
Year Release: 2006
Price purchased: Approx. $175CAD

Model: Air Jordan 5 Retro (white/fire red/black)
Year Release: 2006
Price purchased: $210CAD

Model: Air Jordan 5 Retro (white/fire red/black)
Year Release: 2013
Price purchased: $200CAD

Model: Air Jordan 6 Retro (black/varsity red)
Year Release: 2010
Price purchased: $210CAD

Model: Air Jordan 7 Retro “Hare” (white/true red-light slvr-trmln)
Year Release: 20115
Price purchased: $245CAD