Harrisonburg, Va. – Finish Line is one of a couple of shoe stores in Harrisonburg’s Valley Mall, and it is the only store in the area that receives retro Air Jordan drops. 

Since 1985, the Air Jordan brand has built a legacy based on the basketball player Michael Jordan. The sneaker company quickly grew from the Air Jordan 1’s in 1985 all the way to the most recent Air Jordan 35. 

Jordan shoes are retroed and released in different colorways to represent significant events to the Jordan Brand. Retro Jordans are highly expected by sneaker fans and enthusiasts. They usually sell out from most retail stores, driving the urge of other sneakerheads to find a way to get a pair. 

Jarvis Bowles, a manager at the Harrisonburg Finish line, explained that the store inventory is determined by the surrounding population. 

“Harrisonburg has a majority Caucasian and Hispanic population, which is why we do not get all the same releases as bigger cities,” said Bowles.

Bowles explained that before a highly expected release, the district manager sends an email out that tells each store whether they are getting the release and the amount of pairs. From there, Bowles said employees “have to check the inventory log and make sure the shipment reflects what the district managers email explained.” 

Bowles described the atmosphere of release day as “crazy and hectic.” Most releases are done online now due to scams and COVID-19, but release days are still busy. 

Some of the stress is taken off of the stores with the help of online releases and raffles, but people still call for extra pairs. Along with extra phone calls, a lot of people stop by on release days to see if they can get a pair. 

The next big release that will be available at the Valley Finish Line will be the Retro Air Jordan 4 University Blue. Even though the shoes do not release until April 28, Jarvis was able to provide an early look. 

These shoes are a nod to Jordan’s collegiate career at UNC. This is not the first time Jordan Sneaker fans have seen this colorway, but it is the first time it has been retroed on an Air Jordan 4. This is a highly expected release that will most likely sell out. 

Visit Bowles at the Valley Finish line for more information and all your sneaker needs. Valley Mall is located at 1925 E Market Street in Harrisonburg.