Cannabis x Sneaker Culture
What does sneaker and cannabis culture have in common? Turns out a WHOLE lot. But that isn't surprising to most of us. It's in our blood; it’s our culture. Looking good has always been a status symbol in the Black community. If nothing else… we gon’ look good! And with the emergence of Hip-Hop in the 80s, sneaker culture was formed. The birth of sneaker culture can be pinpointed to 2 significant moments in history; The signing of RUN DMC to Adidas and Jordan’s Nike deal and the debut of the Air Jordan…all of whom are black men. It's customary for us to look at your shoes before we even look you in the eye; we start from the bottom and work our way up. What's on your feet can say a lot about who you are. It's the way we connect; it's usually the first compliment we give each other. Compliment someone on their sneakers, and boom–instant link! Your sneaker game can open the door for more conversation or mutual respect.
Just as sneaker culture was hitting the mainstream, the war on drugs tore rapidly through our communities. Possession of marijuana could have you facing some serious fed time. That's exactly where we ended up and would for decades to come–keeping most of our communities in poverty. But with the legalization of weed in most states, we are turning that pain into profit and TAKING BACK control of the culture.
Now let's be honest; kicks and weed go hand and hand. Both have been part of most of our lives forever. We had a sneaker plug and a weed plug. Your sister- in-laws' baby cousin Tracy, who worked at Footlocker, would hold the new Jays in your size to the side, for a few bucks interest (of course). And we all had a weedman, if yours didn't answer, your cousin’s would.
I was in middle school when I first realized my mom smoked weed. She would come out of her room to nuke her Backwood rolled blunt in the microwave and head back to her room. She closed the door and rolled a towel along the door crack, trying her hardest to hide the smell. But we knew what she was doing. To this day, when I Facetime my mom, she will move her face out of view when she takes a hit off her joint, LOL.
But now functioning adults going into a sneaker boutique or dispensary, we are like kids in a candy store! With the ability to get whatever our hearts desire! Or at least up to the state's limit.
Another commonality: OVERSATURATION! The sneakerhead culture now has us resort to enter a draw with our fingers crossed, hoping we are lucky enough to be picked to PURCHASE something. Gone are the days you just walk into the sneaker store, but exclusivity comes with that.
GreenSoul is here to merge the sneaker and cannabis cultures into something the city hasn't yet seen before. Giving our retail stores the sneaker boutique-like feel. Carrying all the hottest brands and the best strains.
Maybe you have a big work assignment due and are pulling an all-nighter. You can select the new Sativa strain that will get your creative juices flowing–GreenSoul got you! Maybe you had a long day and are looking to unwind; GreenSoul got you with one of their signature hybrids! Or shit, maybe you're just trying to get faded; GreenSoul got you!
When you walk into our retail stores, you feel at home, not only because we have that warmth and sense of comfort that only our community possesses, but because we have designed our spaces with home in mind–The streets..