Renarts Launches new “Dead End Kids” Reebok Sneaker with After-Hours Celebration at the East Northport-Based Retail Location

Limited Edition Sneaker Designed with Inspiration from 1986 World Series Mets

East Northport, New York – Though the New York Mets have been on the field for more than 50 years, it is perhaps the 1986 Word Series team – and the seasons that followed – that are the embodiment of the rollercoaster on which its fans ride. And, it is that squad that inspired the creative team at Renarts to design the “Dead End Kids” Reebok sneaker, which was launched earlier this week with a celebration at the retailer’s East Northport storefront on Tuesday, October 18. The party was attended by the store’s owners and employees, representatives from Reebok, Mets fans and Renarts customers alike. 

Coinciding with the team’s 30th Anniversary, and tell-all books from Ron Darling and Lenny Dykstra, the Renarts team drew inspiration for the new “Dead End Kids” Reebok sneaker from the ’86 Mets squad. With a royal blue, suede toe, this new sneaker appears to be every bit the cool, suave, sophisticated Met to which it is associated. But, a closer look reveals a darkness behind the façade – in this case, the sneaker’s black leather insoles, sides and back.

Though each is younger than the team itself, the creative personalities associated with the shoe grew up with stories of the legendary “Miracle Mets,” including those from 1986. On the outside, the ’86 Mets were the shiny, glimmering symbol of hope for New York baseball – which was tormented by poor showings by the region’s beloved New York Yankees throughout the 1980s – but, in the locker room and on the road, the team was plagued with fighting, jealousy and egos that were further fueled by the drug and alcohol abuse common in major league sports at that time. 

It was this team that Sports Illustrated Magazine plastered on a cover in 1995, with a headline that read “The Dead End Kids,” from which the shoe name was derived. The ’86 team was the specific inspiration for the blue toe and black back of the sneaker, but a closer inspection reveals orange and blue piping indicative of the now long-gone, and adoringly remembered, neon signs of Shea Stadium – a true symbol that any “Mets Faithful” would be proud to wear.

Working collaboratively with the designers at Reebok, the Renarts team went through several designs before ultimately landing on one that everyone loved. A staple on the North Shore of Long Island since 1981, Renarts has always set out to show its love for all things sports – past, present and future. It’s from this mantra that the company owners inspire their employees to focus their creative attention. 

A Renarts exclusive, the “Dead End Kids” Reebok sneaker is now available in-store (2060 Jericho Turnpike, East Northport, New York 11731) and online at www.renarts.com. 

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About Renarts

Renarts has been a staple of the community on the North Shore of Long Island, New York for the past 30 years. Since opening its doors in 1981 as the neighborhood sneaker store, the company has prided itself on serving a loyal and diverse customer base in an era when big-box retail franchises have dominated the footwear and apparel industry. The company’s new storefront, on Jericho Turnpike in East Northport, is specifically designed to express the owners’ love for all things sports – past, present and future – as it is their belief that, in order to know where you’re headed, it is important to know where you’ve been. The character and atmosphere in the store speaks to a taste for both classic and vintage athletics, while the carefully selected product offerings reflect a well-rounded assortment that consist of the latest innovations in footwear and sportswear, cutting-edge street wear and a generous dose of retro-inspired products that harkens back to the owners’ roots. For more information, visit www.renarts.com or call 631-493-2333.