Heir Jordan: The Son of MJ Talks Getting Into the Sneaker Business

Marcus Jordan on his upcoming venture.

1.

Marcus Jordan

by Gerald Flores

"Always be yourself."

That was Michael Jordan’s fatherly advice to his son Marcus when he was looking for a new career path. Marcus, a University of Central Florida alum, decided to stick to what he knew and loved the most: sneakers. 

“I've been around them my entire life and I was literally born into a circumstance that I feel is unprecedented,” Marcus said. “It's something I love and something I feel that can launch my career in a direction to build a platform for myself.”

Instead of getting right into the family business and joining his brother Jeffrey by working at the Nike headquarters, or his sister Jasmine at the Charlotte Hornets, Marcus chose a different route. Next year, the second son of MJ will be opening his own sneaker store at an undisclosed location. 

Courtesy of Marcus Jordan

Marcus is keeping all of the exact details of the boutique, from its name to what kind of inventory it’ll carry, very close to the vest. But, there are some things sneakerheads can be certain to expect: the store will be very, well, Jordan - with things such as MJ memorabilia, home videos, and of course the product itself.

“No one has lived my life and no one has the insight or perspective I've been exposed to,” he said. “And with this concept I hope to share that with the consumer by carrying pinnacle products, while simultaneously crafting genuine storytelling components that no other retailer could craft.”

Here, Marcus lays out what he hopes to accomplish in the sneaker biz, the pressures of being a Jordan, and not being able to drive his dad's Ferrari.

Why was the sneaker business something you wanted to get into?
Sneakers are one of the things I know the best. I've been around them my entire life and I was literally born into a circumstance that I feel is unprecedented. It's something I love and something I feel that can launch my career in a direction to build a platform for myself. It's funny, I had a conversation with my dad's best friend George Koehler the other day and we talked about how big the Nike and Jordan Brand are within the sneaker world. Back in the ‘80s and ‘90s no one would have envisioned that 30 years later both brands would be bigger than ever. Having the background that I do and my unconditional love for sneakers makes hopping into the sneaker business a no brainer. 

There's a lot of great sneaker boutiques across the world. How do you plan on making yours different?
This is true, there are many fantastic sneaker boutiques in the world. However, in my opinion, generally boutiques focus on making sure they are carrying or supplying the best products, and most of them lack an environment that is welcoming to the consumer while also telling a unique story. The goal with my concept is to provide a one-of-one perspective into a story that the consumer may have heard millions of times.

 

"I know that there's this expectation of excellence with anything a Jordan does."

 

I majored in Hospitality Management at the University of Central Florida and one of the keys in that program is customer service. My focus is to create a shopping environment that attracts consumers to be a part of something they won't find anywhere else. 

No one has lived my life and no one has the insight or perspective I've been exposed to. And with this concept I hope to share that with the consumer by carrying pinnacle products, while simultaneously crafting genuine storytelling components that no other retailer could craft. 

How did you know you were ready for this business?

Well after I stopped playing basketball I wanted to focus on finishing school and getting my degree. That was something my parents always harped on, "Finish school first." Growing up my dad always had toys around, and anytime I would ask to drive one of his Ferraris or some other extravagant wish I had, he would always tell me, "Finish school first." And so that's what I did. 

After graduating college I spent a lot of time actually designing apparel. I've always been into fashion, so when I stopped playing basketball it was like a shock how much free time I had. During that time I worked with my dad's tailor and designed various pieces. My thought process was none of the clothes I want to buy actually fit me correctly. So with him, I created my own versions of products I liked and focused on making garments that fit bigger, athletic bodies like mine while maintaining the flow and integrity of certain styles. I feel the fashion world and the sneaker culture are closer related than ever. Today it's commonplace to find someone wearing $1,500 denim with a pair of retro Js. Honestly, it's the right time for me. And I believe the culture will enjoy this concept.

Did your dad or people you know in the industry give you any advice before going into this new venture or was this something you wanted to jump in on your own?

Oh, of course. My dad and my mom are 100 percent behind me. I'm constantly reaching out to both of them. My brother Jeffrey works in Portland at the Nike headquarters for Jordan Brand now, and so we're always bouncing ideas off of each other or making sure we stay up to date on everything within the culture. My sister Jasmine works for the Hornets now and so we are all busy but keeping in touch. 

2.

I have a few friends that currently own boutiques or brands whose opinions I value. They've been a huge help to me to in just being creative. Going back to my UCF days, in almost every class we had some sort of group project. I've treated this concept no differently. Working through problems and bouncing ideas off of the right people. 

What would you say is an important skill to have when getting into the sneaker business?

I think it's important to be able to adapt on the move. Not only in the sneaker business, but in business in general. Especially in today's age, there's so many variables. There are so many outlets and sources that did not even exist 30 years ago. I think it's important to just be confident in your vision and always voice your opinion. Don't be afraid to ask questions or work through something until you fully understand it. Things happen in business and especially when dealing with human beings.  

What's been the hardest part of getting this new project off the ground?

The biggest challenge, to me, is managing how high I set the bar for myself. My entire life, no matter what I've done, there's always been eyes watching. People create their own expectations of what I should be doing or how I should live my life. I'm excited to step into the sneaker boutique business and I know that there's this expectation of excellence with anything a Jordan does. That bar is the low bar for what I actually expect of myself. That's why I can't wait to share this concept with the world. I truly feel people will gravitate towards it.