Nocturnal Skate Shop is getting its own custom Nike SB shoes and throwing a block party to celebrate
The kelly green and gray suede sneakers will be released in-store at 10 a.m. Saturday, with limited quantities packaged in custom boxes designed by local artist Eric Kenney.
Nocturnal Skate Shop has long sold Nike SBs, Nike’s signature skateboarding shoe. Now, the South Street staple is getting one of its own.
On Saturday, Nocturnal Skate Shop is holding a block party to celebrate the launch of its official Nike SB Air Force 1 collab. The kelly green and gray suede sneakers will be released in-store at 10 a.m., with limited quantities packaged in custom boxes designed by local artist Eric Kenney.
The block party will start at 2 p.m. on the 500 block of South Street and will feature music, drinks, and food.
Nocturnal and Nike also are setting up a pop-up skate park for Saturday’s festivities. Multiple professional skaters signed to the Nike SB team are slated to attend.
“We’re hoping to really get the entire city behind us,” Nocturnal owner Brannon John said.
“[Nike does] a lot of independent collaborations with different shops or brands or things over the years, and we’ve been trying to put together ideas forever,” John added. “Finally we got one to come together. … We really wanted to do something that emphasizes Philly and the way people in Philly embrace their city.”
The collaboration between Nike and Nocturnal is a part of the apparel company’s SB Air Force 1 “City Pack” series. Along with Nocturnal, Nike is launching sneakers in partnership with skate shops located in Japan, China, and the Netherlands. For John, Nike’s decision to highlight Philadelphia is a point of pride.
“In skateboarding, Love Park and City Hall have been iconic, internationally known skateboard sites,” John said. “And there’s been a ton of people [who] come out of Philly and make really big careers in skateboarding because of what’s here. They acknowledge that, but then a lot of industry still goes elsewhere, so it’s cool to have kind of come back to Philly.”
The shop also is releasing a line of apparel featuring designs by Kenney. One T-shirt design features an illustration of an Eagle’s talons clawing the Nike swoosh logo. Another design, which can be printed on a hoodie or a T-shirt, shows a kelly green eagle perched on the Liberty Bell. The merchandise can be purchased in-store on Saturday.
