Release: Saturday, May 30

Style: 555088-101

Color: White/Black-Varsity Red

Price: $160

In 1984 the world was a black and white place. That is, the world of professional basketball and the color landscape of the sneakers worn by the players existed in a palette of just two tones. Ever since the creation of the NBA, the look of the sneakers players wore were either black or white, with maybe a stripe matching the team's jersey. But that was about to change, for 1985 was the year the first Air Jordan sneaker debuted and changed the culture of athletic footwear forever.

Fresh off a gold medal performance with Team USA and a national championship at the University of North Carolina, Michael Jordan was a hot commodity when the Chicago Bulls selected him with the third pick in the 1984 NBA draft. He subsequently signed a five year endorsement deal with Nike. They planned on making him the face of their fledgling company, building a marketing campaign around his high flying style of play and charismatic personality, and they needed brand new signature sneaker for him that would be as innovative as his game.

It was going to be a big risk to say the least. Michael Jordan was not yet MICHAEL JORDAN, and Nike was betting the future of the company on an exciting but still unproven rookie. They needed a shoe that would be as different from all the other sneakers on the market as Michael was different from every other player on the court. Designer Peter Moore was tasked with creating this shoe. Basing his design on the Air Ship, the shoe Michael wore during his first season in 1984, Moore created one of the most iconic silhouettes of all time. Taking basically the same sole and toebox as the Ship, Moore added fixed straps to the forefoot and ankle for more stability, a heel cup for extra support, padded ankle collars for a more comfortable fit, and a brand new custom logo featuring a winged basketball with the words "Air Jordan" written above it. 

While lacking the technological advances that would become a hallmark of Brand Jordan, they featured the same air unit in the heel as the Air Ship, the aesthetic innovation was truly revelatory. At the time the Air Jordan came out, all other sneakers worn in the NBA were either all black, all white, or white with one accent color that matched the uniforms. Moore decided to throw convention out the window and release the Air Jordan in a wide variety of color combinations. The original version came in white, black, and red, a heretofore unprecedented combination of colors on an athletic shoe. They looked unlike any other sneaker on the court. It was a loud and clear proclamation that the old rules did not apply anymore: Air Jordans were not your father's basketball shoe. It was a new wave in sneaker design and set the stage for the wild and multi-hued designs that are commonplace today. This sneaker truly was a game changer.

Now, on the 30th anniversary of its debut, the original Air Jordan 1 is back. The Air Jordan 1 Retro High OG "Chicago" is the classic white/black-varsity red colorway that started it all. Featuring the Air Jordan "Wings" logo and a nylon mesh tongue with Nike Air tag, these sneakers are identical to the ones that shook up the world and established Nike as the premier sportswear brand that it has become today. Simply put, they are the most important sneakers ever made. Grab your pair this Saturday, and own a piece of the past that held the key to the future.

This Saturday, Jordan Brand continues their 30th anniversary assault on our wallets with the release of the shoe that started it all: the original Air Jordan 1. Due to the special nature of this shoe, this is a very limited release and will only be available at the following City Blue locations:

537 South St., Philadelphia, PA 19147

13544 Euclid Ave., East Cleveland, OH 44112

4601 Northfield Rd., North Randall, OH 44120

These shoes will be available by raffle only. Starting today and running through Thursday, fill out a raffle ticket at any of the three stores listed above for your chance to purchase a pair of these historic sneakers. One ticket per customer, one pair per customer. Winners will be notified on Friday. 

These will only be available through the raffle. There will be no first come first serve for this item. Please do not camp out, wait in line, or try to buy these shoes without a ticket; it won't happen. No ticket, no Jordans. Make sure you enter the raffle if you want to purchase these sneakers because they will sell out. Good luck!

Release: Saturday, May 23

Style: 528895-012

Color: Black/University Red-White

Price: $170

The Air Jordan 11 is among the best loved of all Air Jordan models, especially the "Bred" colorway. In fact, the black and red Air Jordan 11 were the first Jordans to be referred to as "Breds", a term which is now used to refer to any black and red sneaker. In accordance with the multitude of special releases this year in honor of Jordan Brand's 30th anniversary, the "Bred" 11's are coming out in low top form for the first time ever. Previously available to only one man, MJ himself, as a Player Exclusive in 1996, the Air Jordan 11 Retro Low "Bred" mirrors Mike's pair right down to the distinctive red lining not found on the original mid top. This highly anticipated release does share all the essential features of its mid top ancestor though; like a black patent leather and cordura nylon upper, a red translucent outsole wrapped around a white midsole, and the envy and admiration of all who bask in its resplendent glow. These low tops will be in high demand, so get down to the nearest City Blue bright and early on Saturday to cop your pair.  

Release Date: Saturday, May 16

Style: 304775-125

Color: White/True Red-Lght Slvr-Trmln

Price: $190

When an Air Jordan reaches the magical age of 23, as the Air Jordan 7 is doing this year, Jordan Brand celebrates that milestone by releasing several colorways, both new and OG, throughout the year. For the 7, no release will be more hotly anticipated than the Air Jordan 7 Retro "Hare", which will be hitting shelves this Saturday. After whetting our appetites with cartoon collaborations like the Bugs Bunny and Lola Bunny AJ 1 Mids, the Lola Bunny 7 Girls, and the Marvin the Martian 7's, the shoe that everybody has been waiting for is finally here. Originally debuting in 1992, the "Hare" marked the beginning of the relationship between Nike and Warner Brothers and featured a memorable commercial starring Bugs Bunny and Michael Jordan. The two would team up in several subsequent ads with their relationship culminating in the 1995 film Space Jam. 

The "Hare Jordan" 7 was last seen in 2008 as part of the 7/16 Countdown Pack, but now thanks to Jordan Brand's new remastering program, this OG colorway is better than ever. The upper features white premium leather overlaid on grey nubuck with a red Jumpman on the ankle and a purple 23 in a red and black triangle on the heel. The red, neoprene mesh sock liner explodes into a frenzy of red, black, green, orange, and silver geometric shapes on the tongue. The all-white midsole is capped with an outsole that echoes the colors and patterns found on the tongue. Aside from the orange and green being obvious references to Bugs' carrots, the shoe is further into our floppy-eared friend with the inclusion of a Bugs Bunny retro card imitating the iconic Jumpman pose. The attention to detail put into this sneaker more than justifies the level of hype surrounding this release. These are a must have, so make sure you don't get shut out, because one they're gone...th-th-th-th-th-th-that's all folks!

Release Date: Saturday, May 9

Style: 440892-018

Color: Wlf Gry/Blk-Ht Lv-Wht

Price: $140

Once again we have a Jordan release that is only for the girls and small-footed males, and this one is really hot... literally. The Air Jordan 5 Girls Retro "Hot Lava" comes to the world this Saturday in extended girls GS sizes from 4 - 9.5. Why this is labeled as a "girls" shoe I have no idea. It doesn't seem like something that would be considered a traditionally "female" colorway. Maybe Jordan Brand extracts a perverse pleasure in denying their larger hoofed customers the opportunity to cop some of the best colorways released this year, like this one. 

The "Hot Lava" gives you a Wolf Grey upper lined in black, with a black Jumpman on the 3M tongue. Black shark teeth contrast with the white midsole, while the Hot Lava that gives the shoe it's nickname appears on the outsole, tongue lining, lace lock, and the embroidered '23' on the outside of the heel. While I think it's a nice thing for Jordan Brand to offer exclusives to ladies and kids, it's absolute torture for someone with a size 11 and an unhealthy addiction to sneakers.