A Brief History of Bodega’s Sneaker Collaborations
is a household name for sneakerheads, and they’re a legacy store that remains a mainstay within the culture. However, it hasn’t always been like that. They were once a hidden gem and the definition of ‘IYKYK’.
Launching in 2006 in Boston and founded by Dan Natola, Jay Gordon and Oliver Mark, the OG sneaker store was hidden behind a bodega, only to be accessed by a secret door. It was a risk, but they let the product speak for itself and have now garnered all-time legendary status.
Since their inception, they’ve opened two stores, adding another location in Los Angeles. While the history of Bodega is appealing to many, their collaborations are what really cements them into sneaker lore. Over the years, they’ve joined forces countless times with a slew of brands, so we thought it would be a good idea to recap Bodega’s impressive collaborative history.
There’s a lot, so we’re going to keep it brief!
Saucony
The history of Bodega and really deserves its own feature. The brands seem inseparable and have worked together for years. Their inaugural release was 2008’s Courageous TRs, featuring three chunky premium leather beauties. This led to Saucony tapping the store to helm their Elite program, a new line of kicks that brought back old Saucony models and were only available at select accounts in Japan! We did an interview with them about it back in 2010; read about it .
Their recent work included spotlighting the in an insane editorial plus 2019’s incredibly limited 13th . Bodega kicked off 2023 with a 3D Grid Hurricane and started 2024 off with the Grid Shadow 2 'Jaunt Woven'. Both of these sneakers bring the retailer's Saucony colab count up to a massive 43 pairs!
Converse
Bodega’s very first collaborative release was with way back in 2007, modelling the in the image of a ‘Lumberjack’. In 2009, they reworked the Converse Poorman Weapon before a First String Pro Leather Pack in 2012, featuring two luxe pairs (one in all-over pony hair and another in full leather).
Nike
When and Bodega come together, you know that certified heat will be created. It all started in 2011, with a slew of Nike Air Wovens in the ‘Black Cat Pack’. But, most recently, they tapped into the hype, reworking the . It wasn’t exactly what you’d expect from the silhouette, with distinctive modifications done in Bodega’s unique style.
PUMA
One of the coolest Bodega collaborations ever was the Sky Hi II. It was inspired by the black and white comic strip ‘Spy vs Spy’ created by Antonio Prohias. The details were insane, with hidden messages via Morse code, cool swing tags, and bullet holes. They also went on to change the name of the shoe from the Sky to the 'Spy', especially for the colab. Peep the interview we did with them way back in ‘07 . There was also a three-way Blaze of Glory effort with size? back in the day.
Clarks
Bodega have collaborated with everyone, so it’s no surprise that the Boston-based sneaker store has joined forces with the iconic British shoe company . Their inaugural colab went down in 2019 and consisted of the with a clean patchwork aesthetic. They reprised the concept in late 2022 and added mixed materials to the ‘Heritage Patchwork’ edition.
Reebok
Another brand that Bodega has had a strong relationship with over the years has been and we’re hoping the two join forces again this year for some anniversary pairs! The duo’s best work probably took place way back in 2008 on the Reebok . Dubbed the ‘Escape Pack’, it saw the sneaker come with literally everything you need to ‘Escape’. It was originally inspired by the independent bus lines that travelled between the Chinatowns of NYC and Boston. Other honourable mentions include the Bodega x Reebok Pump AXT ‘Cottonmouths’, Bodega x Reebok Night Sky ‘Nappy Dugouts’, and the recent ’. The partnership ramped up in 2021 and 2022 with the addition of multiple Club Cs celebrating Bodega’s 15th anniversary.
Lacoste
When Bodega joined forces with in 2010, they really showed what the French brand was capable of. Reworking the Esteban silhouette, the duo crafted a limited run of earthy-toned kicks, with every single one coming with a real rattlesnake key chain.
Once again, in 2010, the brands collided when Lacoste enlisted 12 influencing forces in fashion to pay tribute to Rene Lacoste in the form of sneaker colabs for the ‘Lacoste Legends Project’. Bodega was one of them and hit the Broadwick with a clean navy-brown combo.
Vans
The past few years have seen Bodega and add to their impressive catalogue of releases. In 2019, the duo hit us with a surprise drop and, this year celebrated their anniversary with a rework of the , which was inspired by DIY luxury. Some other impressive hits from the stables have been the 2010 Bodega x Vans Vault ‘Realtree’ and 2013’s Pack, which borrowed patterns inspired by African fabrics. Bodega’s most recent Vans effort was the ‘Mid-Top Modern’ Chukka, inspired by the perennially popular Mid-Century Modern style.
New Balance
When Bodega and link up, magic is made. Their recent trio from a few years ago sparked insanity among ‘heads worldwide. However, the one that started it all was 2013’s Bodega x ‘HYPRCAT’. It was inspired by the first-person-shooter video game Star Fox and rocked sick custom tongue and insole graphics. Other recent hits include their 2018 ’ and ‘All Terrain’ from 2020.
Bodega seriously ramped up their NB efforts for their 15th anniversary in 2021 with the 990v3 ‘Here To Stay’, followed by a 574 Legacy two-pack and 9060 ‘Age of Discovery’ in 2022. The next drop is also the boutique’s latest colab, featuring the rising retro-inspired trail shoe that is the 610.
ASICS
Back in 2014, Bodega and ASICS showed off their pack using two colourways of the . As you would expect with a collaboration from the Boston-based retailer, it was packed full of hectic details. Along with a nice rip-stop nylon and construction, it also came with a USB loaded with info about the colab.
The next shoe on their hit list was the ASICS , revealed through the cryptic video below.
adidas
From Forums to ZX Fluxes, adidas have offered Bodega full access to their archive over the years. In 2021, the Forum resurgence resulted in a highly limited F&F release. Without straying too far from the OG scheme, they opted for smooth suede and subtle ankle branding. A welcome addition was the snakeskin Three Stripes and epic campaign imagery to go alongside it. Bodega have also tapped a third party for some of their colabs, including END. and BEAMS.
This feature was originally published on April 21, 2022.