Hidden in plain sight on Boston’s Clearway Street, Bodega’s original space has served as a de facto creative hub since its founding in 2006.
“Being in Boston for almost 15 years now, our store feels more like a barber shop when you come in — a lot of people just pull up for the conversation,” says Bodega Designer Drew White. “We often refer to it as a clubhouse in this way.”
The shop, set behind a secret door within its namesake facade, was born from a group of creative individuals and has since grown bigger (and westward to Los Angeles) as its ranks have expanded. With its first collaborative Nike Dunk, Bodega celebrates the collective spirit of a crew and the local legends who hold them together.
Nostalgic nods to baseball punctuate the design language of the Nike x Bodega Dunk High, creating an emotional connection between sporting fandom and identification of heroes. Consider it both a cheeky homage to the Dunk’s team origins and a signifier of the shoe’s role in contemporary street culture all at once.
“The Dunk unites different subcultures. It transcends aesthetics,” says Bodega Marketing Director Matt Zaremba. “And at the advent of more commercial streetwear, the Dunk was rooted in tradition.”
Tradition guides Bodega’s philosophy and an understanding of the role of its space beyond commerce in mentoring talent throughout the local scene. It recognizes that while creative talents often blossom in people alone, progression requires entrée into a scene and the resources a crew provides.
With its Dunk project, Bodega honors creative director Marvin Jason Bynoe. Known to the Bodega crew as Stro, Bynoe died on March 20, 2020.
“He was the type of role model all of us at Bodega strive to be, and in our eyes holds a certified legend status,” says White. “This Dunk is for the individuals in a crew that impact or influence everyone.”
The Nike x Bodega Dunk High SP “Legend” launches December 28 at Bodega. A release on SNKRS follows December 30.
