Rochester, N.Y. - They come in different shapes, sizes, and colors. Shoes donning the names of Lebron James to Air Jordan. For adults -- even babies.
For many, they're a must have -- no matter the cost.
"What's the most you've paid for a pair of Jordans?" I asked one shopper. "Probably over a $100," Dawsenia Reed said.
"I spent $179 on Jordans, the Spike Lee Edition, said Quincy Yeomas.
The shoes are a tribute to the biggest name in the game.
"Jordan was the man back then so everyone wanted to be Jordan," Yeomas said.
Store Manager of Streetgame, James Poole says the sneakers became a fashion statement back in the early 1980's. "When the Jordan era hit as hard as it did, it was a different way to wear sneakers, sneakers had more of a purpose in a sense," Poole said.
Poole says it was about creating personality in many urban environments. Many shoes cost more than $100, some almost $500. So what makes a shoe so expensive?
"The fabric and material they're using now and the cost of production is up," says Poole.
Poole also says the cost is technology driven. "A lot of companies can put a chip in the shoe and make it compatible with your iPhones or Androids."
Poole says this craze is not going anywhere and will only get bigger. "Today you got a Lebron, you got a Durant, and football players, it gets bigger as time goes on," Poole said.
With many of these sneakers selling for more than $100, Nike has set new rules for retailers when it comes to customer safety. According to a recent Wall Street Journal article, major retailers have to give up midnight releases of shoes and assess what security measures are necessary to secure a store, keeping its customers safe.
