Nike's 'City Market' Dunk Low shoes are a love letter to grocery stores

When the designers at Nike looked at all the possible graphics for its "City Market" Dunk Low, they must have just said "yes." The busy sneaker nods to damn near everything you can find in the store, with panels inspired by the burlap sacks used for bulk coffee and rice, reusable grocery totes, and nutrition fact labels — as well as Nike's origins as Blue Ribbon Sports.

You've gotta really love the grocery store if you've got your eyes on these upcoming Dunks. Either that, or you aren't afraid of a full send. The textiles used here aren't a common sight on sneakers, and the number of disparate prints adds up enough to disqualify them from the express checkout.

With so much going on, it's easy to miss that the Swoosh has been rendered clear — all the better to let the textures and colors underneath stand out.

Need storage? — We've seen Nike play with stash pockets on some of its weed-themed Dunks, and the "City Market" version gets a small, zippered compartment on the tongue that could store, like, a handful of coffee beans or perhaps a single grape. And while this Dunk doesn't come from Nike's SB line, the durable materials used could still make it an ideal choice for skating.

Natural fibers are used for the laces and complement the burlap panels well. And even though this isn't a sneaker I would ever wear myself, my only real complaint is that Nike doesn't seem to have upcycled the materials used for the upper. Certainly, there are enough surplus sacks out there in the world to source from, and Nike makes no mention of any such sustainability bid.

Repurposing the bags would make branding more difficult, sure, but it'd be more environmentally friendly and would only help to strengthen the narrative. That said, some of the panels give the Dunk's weight (2.2 pounds all told) which is a sweet little detail.

Pull up SNKRS and pray — The "City Market" Dunk release will make waiting in a grocery store line in the early days of COVID sound fun. It'll drop through the ever-cruel SNKRS app at 8 a.m. EST March 4. But hey, at least the price is nice at just $110. You may not even have to dip into your food budget if you are indeed successful in your attempt to cop.