Nike x Foot Locker House of Hoops Pop-Up

The old Borders space (RIP bookstores) outside Madison Square Garden at 2 Penn Plaza is now home to a Nike/Foot Locker House of Hoops pop-up.

33rd Street at Seventh Avenue, open 10am-11pm daily till February 22

This shoe mecca pop-up is here for the NBA All-Stars game, and will remain open till February 22nd. This 5,100 square foot location fits a lot of kicks, and will host shoes releases, a customization center, and visits from Nike basketball athletes.

All photos below from HYPEBEAST

House of Hoops Pop-Up
2 Penn Plaza at 33rd Street and Seventh Avenue
Open 10am-11pm daily

Amar'e is Real at House of Hoops by Foot Locker Grand Opening

Amar'e Stoudemire's Twitter handle is @amareisreal. He was real at House of Hoops last Saturday for the grand opening, too.

The legs here kill me. I really dig his Tshirt - for you non-Knicks fans, STAT is his nickname.

I was waiting with other press and bloggers for Amar'e to show up, but was highly entertained by the question and answer session with the Nike Camp kids who were front row and center. I'm a sucker for this stuff, but who isn't? A roomful of student players waiting for their local hero to arrive, all vying to upstage each other makes for good copy. If my phone and camera weren't dying at the time I would have recorded it on Broadcastr. Hey, it was a Saturday afternoon, I forgot to charge everything.

Kids who asked questions got signed balls.

Amare'e on his way out, swarmed by kids.

You know I want the camel perforated Nikes - the Spring '11 trend kicks.

I hate the Lakers but I like the purple ball.

So if you're into anything basketball, we now have your store on 34th Street, a proper home down the street from the basketball mecca, Madison Square Garden. Go Knicks.


House of Hoops by Foot Locker 11 W. 34th Street between 5th & 6th Avenues

34th Street Rumors: Imminent House of Hoops Arrival?

The New York Observer House of Hoops 125th Street photo courtesy of leesean via Flickr

The New York Observer heard it first, and I'm looking for confirmation from Foot Locker* **, but in the meantime I can moan: Where will Bakers go? I so had them in 11 West 34th, the old Shoe Mania shop, but looks like I'm wrong. Instead, as reported by the Observer, House of Hoops is possibly moving in to 11 West 34th.

Perhaps Bakers is not re-opening their 34th Street store (before Desigual it was Bakers Shoes). Again, I'm trying to get some confirmation. This would make me very sad as then Aldo would be the reigning, 34th Street under-$100 trend resource (just like Kelly Cutrone's very cute boots). I don't like a shoe-opoly, as when I get bitchy sales staff I prefer to walk out of their store and stroll into their competitor down the block. Of course, there's still Steve Madden, but I consider Steve Madden a step above the Aldos and the Bakers. You know, like a $30-$50 step.

I also noticed this while browsing Bakers' site:

H as in Huh? H by Halston shoes? Now available at Bakers. And yes, if you call it multi-glitter I will buy it.

*Yes, this is confirmed, so Welcome HOH to 34th Street! We'd like a big party with Lebron James, please, for the opening, maybe throw in a little Paul Pierce (♥) and don't forget to invite us, k thanks.

**This is not confirmed. House of Hoops on 34th Street is back to being a rumor!


Aldo, 27 W. 34th Street between 5th & 6th Aves.
Steve Madden, 41 W. 34th Street at 6th Ave.
Possible new House of Hoops, 11 W. 34th Street between 5th & 6th Aves.