November 28, 2007 @ 12:10 pm

House of Hoops Hits Harlem, Takes No Prisoners

by: Guerdley Cajus

Recapping the opening of Nike and Foot Locker's giant NBA outpost Uptown.

The Apollo has officially met its match. House of Hoops, the proud new lovechild of Nike and Foot Locker, hit 125th Street with a bang last week. The 4,000 square foot showstopper is a retail experience devoted to bringing the energy of the NBA back to New York. The takeover begins in Harlem.

The official new kid on the block made its store premiere November 19, 2007 with a party that even impressed uptown. Camera crews got busy. Harlem's own Young B came through and performed the selected soup of the day - Chicken Noodle. Crowds of strikingly inquisitive, slightly nosy people stood outside, peering through the stainless walls of the store, curious to know what the kid had to offer.

House of Hoops is the only store nationwide to offer some of the most limited and exclusive kicks - such as the China Edition of the Zoom Kobe III, set to launch December 25th. The store also wheels a T-shirt bar where customers can customize their purchases on site, and a VIP area decked with leather couches, a video game station where NBA Live 2008 will be played relentlessly, and a 65-inch flat screen airing NBA testimonials, among other hoops essentials.

The love for the game and respect for New York City literally pours through the walls: Murals of New York-bred Jason Kid, Nate Robinson, and Lamar Odum, to name a few, are etched at the entrance. A full mosaic of Knickerbocker legend Patrick Ewing is posted up behind the cash register. And just as you think the museum tour is over, look a little bit closer and find that the wallpaper bears hieroglyphics of Dwayne Wade, Carmelo Anthony and Kobe Bryant, in moves that would rock the ankles of any opponent.

Oh yeah, they sell sneakers too.

Aiming for more than your average print, the patterns and color waves of a number of the sneakers are specifically customized by the NBA giants themselves. Supersonic newbie Kevin Durant's Nike VIS Air Sweet's, which are offered in a limited quantity, hit shelves December 12th. The full-grain leather uppers, with a commemorative postage stamp etched on the tongue dedicated to his mother's work in the postal service, are identical to what KD wears on court.
Move fast and you might be able to pick up the latest of Nike's Zoom BB's, which dropped November 19. The Zoom's can be found in six separate versions, customized and completely authentic to each respective endorsed player, ranging from Cleveland's Larry Hughes to Phoenix's Steve Nash.

Don't believe the hype? Put it to the test; a miniature hardwood basketball half-court is located in the midst of all the commotion so the cautious consumer can test run any sneaker.

For a debut, House of Hoops came strong. With the ongoing celebration of exclusive products and overwhelming passion that resonates in the clear glass store, I best predict that it's going to live strong.

New York, are you ready?

Article tags: Carmelo Anthony, Foot Locker, House Of Hoops, Jason Kidd, Kobe Bryant, NBA, Nike, Patrick Ewing, Steve Nash, Young B 

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