To most Clevelanders, sneakers are those things that protect your feet from dog crap and syringes. But to a select, slightly demented few, sneakers are life itself.
I believe the term is “sneakerheads” — people so devoted to the collection of sneakers (usually Nikes) that the most extreme will wait in lines for days, fly to Japan, or pay thousands on eBay for a limited pair. These are the maniacs responsible for what the New York Post dubbed the “Sneaker Riot,” where thugs stalked a Manhattan sneaker boutique during a release of Nike “Pigeon Dunks,” and strong-armed shoppers as they emerged with the shoes, which would sell from $2,000 and up on eBay.
On Saturday, the obsession will descend on little Independence. …
This article appears in Feb 27 – Mar 4, 2008.