'M' Nike shoes prized by Japanese

Where in the world does Michigan basketball consistently beat out basketball superstar Michael Jordan? It happens all the time in the land of the rising sun, says Steven Parker.

Parker, a traveling shoe salesperson who has been selling used shoes in Japan for a decade, claims there is no shoe that sells as well as the 1985 Michigan Nike Dunk basketball shoe. Selling for between $1,000-$2,000 a pair, the maize and blue Dunk exceeds even Nike's Air Jordan shoes in terms of demand.

"The Dunks are the best shoe right now," said Parker, adding that he's never had an averaged size shoe that he couldn't sell for a good price.

And Michigan victories in this weekend's NCAA Basketball Tournament could drive shoe prices up even higher.

"If (the tournament) is well advertised overseas and (the Michigan players) do really well," Parker said, it is definitely possible for prices to increase.

The popularity of the shoes overseas shows that Michigan fever isn't limited to the United States, said Engineering first-year student Pat Marsac.

"It proves that collegiate athletics are looked at worldwide," Marsac said. The people who buy the shoes in Japan "probably watch Michigan sports."

Parker said the appeal is not just that the shoes are comfortable or well made, but they represent American culture. Instead of buying cars, many Japanese citizens spend their money on high-priced shoes, he said.

"Why?" asked LSA sophomore Lewis Jones. "I paid $150 for a pair (of shoes) before, but I think that's too much."

Parker began selling shoes about 10 years ago when he saw an advertisement offering more than $200 for a pair of shoes to be resold in Japan.

Parker owned the shoes and because he was planning to go to Japan, he decided to see how much money he could get for the shoes. When he found a store that sold used shoes, he offered his pair, and after some negotiating, walked out with $400. Since then, he has established a client base of 12 such retailers.

Although he searches for shoes around the country, he only comes across 2-3 dozen pairs of the U-M dunks every year.

But there is more than one type of shoe for which he is actively searching.

In addition to the 1985 dunks, the 1986 pair also sells incredibly well, Parker said. Due to their rarity, these pairs could sell for thousands of dollars as well.

Although Purdue and Kentucky dunk models also are popular, "the (Kentucky) wildcat dunks will not supersede the U-M dunks," Parker said.

03-12-98