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10 years goes by so fast and before you know it, a simple idea to get free shoes can turn into something huge. A beacon representing the culture it originated from.  Sneaker Freaker is a perfect example and to celebrate the 10 years of publishing since Issue #1 in 2002, founder Woody has written his thanks along with a brief history of how it all started. If you’ve ever picked up a copy or have the entire series on your bookshelf, then this is definitely worth your time.

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“Needless to say, life was very different in 2002. The internet was barely up to speed. Facebook didn’t exist. Blogs either. The US dollar was worth more than a peso. Nike put a NYC logo on an Air Force 1 and we lost our minds! Remember when you had to travel to buy sneakers? Yep, they were the good old days.

Something was definitely in the Air ten years ago. Nike’s Sole Provider book dropped the same month Sneaker Freaker #1 came out. Boutique stores like Solebox, Size?, atmos, Alife and SNS started popping up. Slowly but surely, our secret shoe habit was creeping out from our wardrobes and into the mainstream.

The sneaker game was on!

The first Sneaker Freaker took less than a week to throw together. All I wanted was free shoes and the chance to add magazine proprietor to my CV. I never guessed that so many people from all over the world would connect through my Year of the Horse AF-1s that graced the cover. 32 pages of hastily written copy, a few grainy photos with my first (super expensive) digital camera and suddenly life changed forever.

Only 3000 copies of Issue #1 were printed and I gave them all away. The funniest thing is that they go for $200 on the Bay and yes, I do wish I’d kept a few boxes for my retirement.

There are many highlights since then that are worthy of mention, but I have to include the first issues released in partnership with our offices in Spain, Germany and Russia. I’m also proud to say that our colabs with PUMA, Lacoste, Saucony, New Balance, Supra and ASICS will also stand the test of time.

We might be ten but we’re not done yet! We’re planning to mark our anniversary in 2013 with a giant book that will take you through every twist and turn of our journey. It’s going to be a biblical epic that nails absolutely everything there is to know.

After all this time I’d be nowhere without our friends in the industry.

Thanks to everyone who has bought a copy.

Thanks to all the stores that have supported Sneaker Freaker.

Thanks to Hans, Mafia, Remi, Anthony, James, Terry, Ollie, Brendan and Steve. And Paul Chan!

Brett Chittenden and Carl Grebert also deserve a mention.

And most of all, thank you to everyone at Nike, adidas, Vans, New Balance, PUMA, Gourmet, Globe, Supra, ASICS, Reebok, Converse, Pointer, Saucony, PONY, FEIT, Fred Perry, Lacoste, Le Coq and Pro KEDS.

Keep your laces loose.

Woody”

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