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Business

Detroit Residents Spend Days Waiting in Line For $1,000 Sneakers

Jun. 11, 2012 9:29pm Becket Adams

Some Detroit residents spent days waiting in line for a chance to buy rapper Kanye West’s new $1,000 “Air Yeezy II” sneakers.

“Detroiter Nik White…got in line at downtown Royal Oak’s Burn Rubber Shoe Boutique [just outside Detroit] Tuesday for the shoes that went on sale Saturday,” CBS Detroit reports.

Once the sneakers officially went on sale, they sold out almost immediately.

Watch the CBS Detroit news brief:

White, the fan who waited for in line for four days, bought himself three pairs of the pricey “kicks.”

Image courtesy CBS Detroit

“If you collect shoes, you want to have the style that are harder to find … it’s more the value, whether you keep it or trade it, sell it — whatever — it’s the value of it,” said White.

There has been so much hype and anticipation behind the shoes that a pair allegedly pre-sold on eBay for $90,300.

But some of you may be asking: Who is Kanye West and why would someone drop $1,000 on shoes with his name on them?

Allow us to refresh your memory:

Oh, that guy? Yeah, that guy:

Well, at least he knows how to market a shoe.

This story has been updated.

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Comments (185)

deltaecho
Posted on June 11, 2012 at 10:19pm
You guys are forgetting that the KW sneakers are pre-stunk.

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- happygranny
  Posted on June 12, 2012 at 12:01am
  Silly me, I though Detroit was in ruins, high unemployment, and the government is about to go bankrupt. So how can people from Detroit afford to pay this much for shoes. I didn’t realize that welfare payments are that good.
  
  Report this comment
- That Guy
  Posted on June 12, 2012 at 12:52am
  Kanye is an arrogant do**he.
  
  Report this comment
- Jaycen
  Posted on June 12, 2012 at 1:17am
  @happygranny
  
  Look at the face of the man in the video. He hates himself. He wears all his emotional defects on his face.
  
  People like this don’t have their priorities in line. Of course, people like me make it easy for him, since we’re paying his way.
  
  Report this comment
- charleyrocks
  Posted on June 12, 2012 at 5:27am
  why didn’t they ask these people if they work? if they have been waiting for days I assume mommy gave them the grand or the drug business is doing very well!
  
  Report this comment
- orionreplay6607
  Posted on June 12, 2012 at 5:59am
  Add this to my theory that most average people aren’t as poor as they believe. They will say they are poor and can’t afford the necessities of life, but stand in line for $1k shoes, iPhones, and $5 coffees.
  
  I believe it is because people have begun rethinking our personal discretionary funds. It used to be you paid your rent, paid your bills, bought your groceries, filled the tank, and then what was leftover was used for movies, music, Kanye shoes…
  
  These days it seems we first buy Kanye sneakers and then worry about the rent, the bills, groceries, etc. They are then seen in Walmart talking on their iPhone, walking in their Kanye sneakers, but buying Ramen noodles in bulk.
  
  My own brother asked for grocery gift cards for Christmas for his three children as presents, yet recently bought an iPad 3 and later two new iPhones. His wife and him constantly ask my parents for “loans” that ultimately never get paid back. When given funds for a brake job for their vehicle, my parents later learn they got a sitter and went out to eat, spending nearly half the money. The brakes have yet to be fixed, as far as I know. Scary.
  
  Report this comment
- johnpaulkuchtajr
  Posted on June 12, 2012 at 6:01am
  There are two Americas: One of the MAKERS and one of the TAKERS.
  
  The MAKERS wake up every morning and get their America kick-started. These folks marvel when they read stories about $1,000 sneakers because they’re worried about saving for their kids’ college years. They are on a slow boil hearing about bailing-out foreign banks, GM and the corruption rampant in our elected and appointed officials.
  
  The TAKERS have their Champion in office; but, their time for honoring themselves will soon be at an end. It will be unreal to watch the wolves devour each other in dung heaps like Detroit when the “gubbamint” checks stop coming!
  
  Good luck to the TAKERS, I hope that you suffer immeasurably!
  
  Report this comment
- trappedinwv
  Posted on June 12, 2012 at 6:14am
  One pair of those shoes buys my shoes for 15 years.
  
  Report this comment
- MAMMY_NUNN
  Posted on June 12, 2012 at 6:28am
  Wonder how they can afford these drug dealers only work in cash sales and it is non reported income slipping through the cracks most are probably on welfare and are never investigated for their assets.
  
  Report this comment
- HKS
  Posted on June 12, 2012 at 7:00am
  Did they pay for that from Obama’s private stash?
  
  Report this comment
- lqtm
  Posted on June 12, 2012 at 7:21am
  LOGIC FAIL BY HAPPYGRANNY- Not all people in Detroit are on welfare, you’re just old and racist.
  
  Report this comment
- lqtm
  Posted on June 12, 2012 at 7:22am
  LOGIC FAIL ON BEHALF OF MANY OF YOU- Not all people in Detroit are drug dealers or on welfare.
  
  Report this comment
- little big man
  Posted on June 12, 2012 at 8:01am
  1 penny on them. plus where are all the obama voters who get obama money going to get 1k for these???????????? U.S. tax $$$$$$$$$$
  
  Report this comment
- Macman1138
  Posted on June 12, 2012 at 8:02am
  More T.N.B.
  
  Report this comment
- rangerp
  Posted on June 12, 2012 at 9:32am
  you can not get jiggy with it, without having the propper attire.
  
  Report this comment
- bailiff3205
  Posted on June 12, 2012 at 9:54am
  Kayne is a punk B*tch, and racist. I have never disliked someone so much, makes it worse that he is always in the spotlight….he hates whites but dating Kim K
  
  Report this comment
- usedCZARsalesman
  Posted on June 12, 2012 at 10:20am
  LOGIC FAIL BY LQTM…I lived there from ’97-’03 and have 10-15 friends that still there (no longer IN detroit, because most of them are white and it is no longer safe to live IN Detroit if you are white). The VAST majority of Detroiters are on welfare/drugs/both (about 70% just on welfare alone, so I’m sure its fairly safe to say it’s 80-85% all combined). Facts cannot be racist, they are what they are.
  
  It is ABSOLUTELY legit to ask, “what are these people doing spending $1000 on a pair of shoes?”…you can say not to judge a book by its cover, but thats what the professional world does everyday. One look at these folks (piercings, poor communication skills, general ignorance) and you know they aren’t making enough from their jobs to pay that much. When you combine that with the FACT (again, they can’t be racist) that Detroit spent almost 150K PER PERSON on welfare related crap last year, it gives a rational person with relatively good critical thinking skills the ability to infer that many of them used govn ass. (at least in part) to perchase those sneakers.
  
  Report this comment
- 1bn175
  Posted on June 12, 2012 at 10:27am
  They must have all been Detroit’s government officials buying the shoes with allocated funds.
  
  Report this comment
- Richalu
  Posted on June 12, 2012 at 11:02am
  Logic fail by LQTM… The NON-drug dealers, NON welfare recipients in Detriot (a minority, to be sure) are responsible working people that wouldn’t waste a $1000 on a pair of shoes that can only be placed in a glass showcase.
  
  Report this comment
- RJL
  Posted on June 12, 2012 at 11:03am
  Capitalism, capitalism, capitalism, capitalism, that’s what you RomneyBeckBots preach all the time. Buy at a low price sell at a high price. Supply and demand.
  
  Like “the chosen one” did with Bain. Bought up failing companies at a low price and sold at a very high price and made a fortune doing it.
  
  Just because they’s aint’s a white hunky like “the chosen one” don’t mean they’s can’t cash in on capitalism.
  
  Report this comment
- usedCZARsalesman
  Posted on June 12, 2012 at 11:28am
  wow, RJL…you succeeded in making even less sense than LQTM. Congrats!
  
  Report this comment
- RJL
  Posted on June 12, 2012 at 11:37am
  Like gramma always said, “it takes one to know one”.
  
  Report this comment
- MAMMY_NUNN
  Posted on June 12, 2012 at 2:06pm
  @ lqtm
  OK the rest are on hit and strip crews or knock over the nearest convenient store somewhere in the mix they didn’t do honest work for their money.
  
  Report this comment
- usedCZARsalesman
  Posted on June 12, 2012 at 2:11pm
  RJL…please, please try to put together a coherent sentence. Maybe you’re off your meds…or maybe you just took too many.
  
  Report this comment
- Obamammy
  Posted on June 12, 2012 at 2:17pm
  Religion of Chicken, Watermelon, Welfare and Bananas strikes again~!
  
  Report this comment
- MittensKittens
  Posted on June 12, 2012 at 4:38pm
  dum basses, no wonder why Detroit is in the situation the ciy is in, a bunch of morons live there.
  
  Report this comment
Lurchbus
Posted on June 11, 2012 at 10:16pm
Do they make you jump higher!!!!!

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- teddrunk
  Posted on June 12, 2012 at 5:00am
  No, PF Flyers make you run your fastest and jump your highest.
  
  Report this comment
- MAMMY_NUNN
  Posted on June 12, 2012 at 2:15pm
  No but blacks seem to think they can help you out with jumping fences and getting away from the cops faster.
  
  Report this comment
- MAMMY_NUNN
  Posted on June 12, 2012 at 2:17pm
  Hey every little bit helps !!!
  
  Report this comment
Lurchbus
Posted on June 11, 2012 at 10:14pm
I thought Detroit was broke!!!!!

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- OhSnappage
  Posted on June 11, 2012 at 10:54pm
  Food Stamps can buy almost anything. What they can’t buy there’s unemployment and social security.
  
  Report this comment
- That Guy
  Posted on June 11, 2012 at 11:27pm
  These are the same people who claim we don’t give them enough. We need to pay for their healthcare so they can buy these Yezzy’s. I say go get a Jobzzzy and you won’t have time to wait for a pair of kicks or the new iPhone. Jus Sayin!!!
  
  Report this comment
- Stoic one
  Posted on June 12, 2012 at 4:22am
  Detroit is … the gangs are not.
  
  Report this comment
- Gonzo
  Posted on June 12, 2012 at 11:58am
  Dey got summa dat Obama money.
  
  Report this comment
- BLUESMAN23
  Posted on June 12, 2012 at 2:51pm
  They are because their handing out Gubment freebies for them to buy **** like this
  
  Report this comment
lukerw
Posted on June 11, 2012 at 10:12pm
FREEDOM = Free Will; Free Choice. FASCISM supports Regulating Human Activity & Choice!

Take your Pick!

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- airhead0
  Posted on June 11, 2012 at 11:15pm
  Your right this is American and if these idiots want to pay 1K for a pair of shoes, they have every right to do so.
  
  I could use that thousand to catch me up on a couple mortgage payments. Of course what am I thinking, thats what responsible people do.
  
  Freedom comes at a price and if these fools are on any government assistance then I think they need to be removed from it. If they can come up with a grand for some sneakers, they can feed their families.
  
  Report this comment
- LostInTheSpin
  Posted on June 12, 2012 at 12:01am
  I agree with airheado…I would bet good, hard earned money that most of the people buying these shoes are on the taxpayers teat.
  
  Report this comment
jas0707
Posted on June 11, 2012 at 10:10pm
Francis sounded too intelligent to be suckered into such a scam…you just never know.

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aChameleon
Posted on June 11, 2012 at 10:07pm
He does love fish sticks.

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aChameleon
Posted on June 11, 2012 at 10:05pm
I’d rather have ten subscriptions of GBTV than give a penny to that pos con-yay

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artman54
Posted on June 11, 2012 at 10:05pm
Food Stamps at it’s worst !

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Maxim Crux
Posted on June 11, 2012 at 10:00pm
Personally, I would rather have a pair of Rockie high top boots. If you see a person wearing a pair of these shoes, you know what to do.

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- ModerationIsBest
  Posted on June 11, 2012 at 10:03pm
  Glad to see that the recession hasn’t stopped people from paying asinine prices for garbage products.
  
  The American Dream!
  
  Report this comment
- JACKTHETOAD
  Posted on June 11, 2012 at 11:12pm
  You’ve gotta stop eatin’ right before bed, MODERATION. It’s givin’ you asinine dreams of garbage.
  
  Report this comment
Hawaii_Conservative
Posted on June 11, 2012 at 9:52pm
Being that Kayne West is dating Kim Dardashian, I am wondering, who is the Gold Digger now?

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Mr.Fitnah
Posted on June 11, 2012 at 9:51pm
I hop e they are made out of real Kayne West and some Karadasian thron in as tread.

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- Cloth Stews
  Posted on June 11, 2012 at 10:03pm
  I will look at this a little differently. 3 pairs purchased and they are selling online for double that. This is capitalism at its simplest form. Well, maybe a lemonade stand would be simpler but the govt. doesn’t want you doing that. More power to the individual.
  
  Report this comment
GardenoftheGods
Posted on June 11, 2012 at 9:49pm
I’ve got to agree with the first few posters..Isn’t Detroit the city that’s going bankrupt, can’t pay to maintain it’s parks, and has to turn off half the street lights? So, who’s buying sneakers at $1,000 dollars a pair? And why aren’t they paying to help maintain their city? Something’s awfully screwed up in “Three Rivers”!

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- oldguy49
  Posted on June 11, 2012 at 9:55pm
  they using obama money
  
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- AxelPhantom
  Posted on June 11, 2012 at 11:02pm
  Drug dealers.
  
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- moraleskp
  Posted on June 11, 2012 at 11:05pm
  Here in rural Louisiana it’s the same. Lots of people on welfare and food stamps have $10k of rims on a $5K car. All of the hurricane relief money went to houses that were not damaged and after some of them got $70k to $150k, no improvements were made to the houses. Its all a scam to give money to people of color.
  
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Dougral Supports Israel
Posted on June 11, 2012 at 9:48pm
If you have $1000 and live in Detroit, you are an idiot if you are not on a bus, plane, or train out of there.

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- right
  Posted on June 11, 2012 at 10:41pm
  You are so right. Why are they still there? Like living in a dump I guess. But they have ‘nice’ shoes.
  
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- Psychosis
  Posted on June 12, 2012 at 12:07am
  would you want these people living near you ???
  
  may i remind you who they vote for ????
  
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godhatesacoward
Posted on June 11, 2012 at 9:48pm
You know your a dead man if wear them in public. WTF!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!

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- RamonPreston
  Posted on June 12, 2012 at 12:58am
  You beat me to it.
  
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- MAMMY_NUNN
  Posted on June 12, 2012 at 6:35am
  At least they were civil enough to wait in line but after the purchase guns come out a blazing.
  
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gbfreak
Posted on June 11, 2012 at 9:47pm
Wow…..kanye taking advantage of his people…..he should be giving these away…..Oh Wait….guess he’s a CAPITALIST!

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MrButcher
Posted on June 11, 2012 at 9:44pm
Kanye West does not care about black people.

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- RAGEAGAINSTTHEMACHINE
  Posted on June 11, 2012 at 11:07pm
  That’s awesome!! Your comment, that is :)
  
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Eaglesnest
Posted on June 11, 2012 at 9:43pm
Priorities and Life Management skills.

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momrules
Posted on June 11, 2012 at 9:43pm
I would really like to know where these people WORK since they have all this extra money or did I just buy a bunch of ugly shoes for people I don’t know with my tax dollars.

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- BIgWheeler
  Posted on June 11, 2012 at 10:19pm
  I wonder what $1,000 worth of crack looks like?
  
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Individualism
Posted on June 11, 2012 at 9:42pm
wow i am surprised political campaigns don’t have limited pairs of shoes for sales for people to fight over, easy campaign money.

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Mikeramseyjr
Posted on June 11, 2012 at 9:40pm
your tax dollars at work!

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nighttrainno9
Posted on June 11, 2012 at 9:40pm
Detroits broke, the residents are 90% on welfare and
their concern is $1000.00 sneakers?? Of course the taxpayers are
buying just like where I live you drive through the section 8
housing and look at all the Cadillac escalades with their
$8000.00 tires & rims (that the taxpayers bought). Or go
to the meat market and watch a black woman gather up
$400.00 worth of meat and drop her card with the American
flag on the counter. Does no one see anything wrong with
this picture??? I swear, this country has gone INSANE!!

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- PROSECUTE_PUBLIC_SERVANTS__FOR_CONSTITUTIONAL_TREASON
  Posted on June 11, 2012 at 10:31pm
  What ‘s wrong with every pimp and drug dealer owning a nice pair of shoes?
  
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Psychosis
Posted on June 11, 2012 at 9:35pm
and you wonder why detroit looks the way it does

complete morons are the only fools that would pay 1000 dollars fo a pair of freakin ugly sneakers

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- CatB
  Posted on June 11, 2012 at 9:42pm
  You deal drugs and get a free phone,,,, free food ,,,,, free rent ,,,, free medical care …. “FREE FREE FREE” and you too can waste “your” money .. .HEY GLENN WHY ARE YOU SENDING A TRUCK TO DETROIT? Northern lower WEST MICHIGAN has truly needy people. Go to Irons, Baldwin, Idlewild etc … lots of other little towns where people NEED REAL HELP!
  
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ChiefGeorge
Posted on June 11, 2012 at 9:35pm
Thats a tidy sum of money! Maybe it could be put to better use? You bet! Same people will be asking the government for more handouts and student grant monies.

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Tusker00
Posted on June 11, 2012 at 9:33pm
People that spend this kind of money in this economy on this crap……..no wonder they don’t have a damn thing and live off of the guvment.

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LaBelle
Posted on June 11, 2012 at 9:32pm
Detroit, the city that’s broke and where almost all of the residents are on welfare, makes sense to me. s/o

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