Adidas x Arizona Iced Tea New York pop-up shut down – but you can still get a pair

Adidas x Arizona Iced Tea pop-up had a price tag of 99¢ per sneaker

Crowds got violent, police got involved and the Adidas x Arizona Iced Tea pop-up shop was shut down.

We’re not sure if you heard the news, but Adidas and Arizona – yes, the iced tea company – had a very limited release in New York City. A total of four models were dropped – two colorways of the Continental 80s and two of the Yung-1s. The colorways are inspired by the iconic Arizona Iced Green Tea and the original Iced Tea Lemon tallboy cans, sporting pastel teal, neon pink and floral embroidery. Though the sneaker is slated for a much larger release at a later date, the Adidas x Arizona Iced Tea pop-up gained lots of attention thanks to the price tag of each sneaker. To pay homage to Arizona, each sneaker was to be sold for 99¢ at the New York pop-up.

You saw that right: 99¢. The shoes do not look cheap either. One of the Yung-1 sneakers features detailed, pink floral embroidery on teal uppers comprising layers of mesh and premium suede. The same details and colorway can be found on fully leather uppers of a Continental 80. Even if you can’t appreciate the bright colorways, the limited batch and ridiculous price point meant you could make a quick buck just flipping a pair or two.

Limited quantities, hype and a low price point? This spelled a recipe for disaster. Huge crowds started to gather at the Bowery Street pop-up, with queues starting at 3 am. The queues eventually got so long, it began spilling into the street and going around the block. Soon, word began to spread that the pop-up may not have enough pairs for everyone, and things turned for the worse.

The crowd got violent and rowdy, which prompted the New York Police Department to get involved. By 10 am, under the recommendation of the NYPD, Adidas called off the event. Officers on the ground began using loud hailers to announce the closure of the pop-up. This only spurred on yelling and chanting. With two ambulances on standby and police officers announcing the closure, the crowd finally dispersed at 10:30 am.

And you might be wondering if you could still cop a pair. If you can’t wait for the retail release, you can already find them on StockX, with a pair going for US$600.

Would you have gone down at 3 am to cop a pair at the Adidas x Arizona Iced Tea pop-up? Share your survival plan in the comments below.

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