words_Nick Engvall

Whether or not the latest collaboration between Mita Sneakers and New Balance catches your attention may not depend on the style of the shoe at all. If you’ve been in the sneaker game long enough, you surely recognize the Oshman’s name attached to these New Balance sneakers. If you don’t recognize the name, odds are your parents probably do. As a matter of fact, they may have even picked up some of your early kicks, or that first basketball for you at Oshman’s Sporting Goods.

For over 80 years, Oshman’s was one of the leading US retailers of sporting goods.  The company has merged with other sporting goods retailers in the last ten years or so, and most locations carry The Sports Authority name nowadays. Back in the 1990’s, Oshman’s could often be a goldmine for collectors. The clearance rack was often home to some of the most sought after, and now classic, sneakers of those days. Heavily discounted prices were often the norm, and if you showed up on the right day, you could go home with a trunk full of heat without diminishing the contents of your wallet.

Mita has decided to pay tribute to Oshman’s with their latest version of the New Balance CM1001. The silhouette and colorway could not be more fitting. Back in the early 2000’s during the last of the Oshman’s, as the company became Gart Sports, then The Sports Authority, the sneaker styles that could be found at Oshman’s had more mainstream appeal. The CM1001 is one of those casual shoes from New Balance that can turn heads of sneaker lovers, but also fit the comfort needs of your grandpa. This colorway is also simple enough for the mainstream, a fitting choice to pay  tribute to a store like Oshman’s.