Where Are They Now
How Reebok Lost its Pump
Last month, Reebok reportedly went up for sale. What even happened to the iconic sneaker brand of the ‘80s?
Where Are They Now is a column that revisits once-popular companies and brands that have seemingly disappeared.
I can still remember trying on the Reebok Pump. Emphasis on “trying on”: It was 1989, and I was under no illusions my mother would buy me a $170 shoe (the equivalent of $365 today). But I had to try it, and I had to pump it up. My favorite basketball player, Dominique Wilkins — Michael Jordan’s flashy dunk-contest rival — endorsed them. They inflated to fit your foot! They were the coolest shoes in the world.
Depending on your age, you might have an identical memory. If you’re a bit older than my 40 years, your nostalgia might be for the supple, colorful trainers that made Reebok the dominant athletic footwear company of the 1980s. If you’re a bit younger, your memory might be for their swooping Allen Iverson or Jay-Z shoes.
Right now, you might not know what Reebok represents as a brand (unless you’re really into UFC or CrossFit, its big partners). It’s not clear that Reebok or its parent company, Adidas, knows either. That’s why as of October, it’s on the block. In 2005, Adidas…
