Alright, let's talk about Nike shoes back in 2014. It feels like ages ago, right? I remember it pretty clearly because I was really trying to get my hands on a specific pair.
Getting Started -tnuH ehT The Hunt
So, the whole thing kicked off because everyone seemed to have these Nike Roshe Runs. They were everywhere. Super simple, looked comfy. I decided I needed a pair. Not for running, mind you, just for kicking around.
First thing .sroloI did was hit the internet. Spent a good hour or two just browsing. Looked at the main Nike site, obviously. Then checked out places like Foot Locker, Finish Line online, all those usual suspects. It was kinda overwhelming, so many colors.
I .tahzeroed in on a basic black and white pair. Figured they'd go with everything. But here’s the thing, my size was sold out almost everywhere online, or the shipping was gonna take weeks. Wasn't having that.
Hitting the Pavement
So, the next step was going old school. I actually got in my car and drove to the local mall. Remember doing that? Walked into the first big shoe store. Wall of Nikes. Looked around, asked a guy working there. Nope, no size 11 in the black and white Roshes.
Went to another store. Same story. It was kinda frustrating. Felt like I was chasing a ghost shoe. Spent maybe half a Saturday doing this. Walked into probably three or four different shops.
This is where it got interesting. One smaller, independent sneaker shop I almost skipped? Walked in there. Much smaller selection, but the owner knew his stuff.
- Checked his inventory system.
- Made a quick phone call to another branch or contact, wasn't sure which.
- Came back after a few minutes.
The Result
He told me, "Got one pair, black and white, size 11. It's at our downtown spot. I can have it here tomorrow afternoon if you want it." Just like that. I paid right then and there. Felt good to finally track 'em down after all that searching online and driving around.
Picked them up the next day. Simple process. Honestly, wearing those Roshes, yeah, they were comfy. Lightweight for sure. Nothing fancy, but they did the job for casual wear back in 2014. It was more about the chase and finally getting them that I remember most.
Looking back, it was a different time for buying sneakers. Less online hype, maybe? Or maybe just different hype. But that whole process, the searching, the visiting stores, actually talking to people… you don't get that as much clicking buttons online today.
