Solepack: Getting to the Bag
For a baller the most important thing, besides your actual skills on the court, are your sneakers. You have your basketball sneakers that you use to play in then you have your pair that you wear outside of the game. Back in the day it would be easier just to cram everything into one bag and worry about the rest later. Solepak is a company that started out with this thought in mind. They created an innovative bag that is designed to make traveling with your sneakers easy and stylish at the same time.
A bag from Solepack is the perfect accessory for a baller. Carry your basketball sneakers in style. This is the new wave. Photo Solepack.com
I got a chance to connect with Mike Sala, the Founder of Solepack, for a quick interview. Although this wasn’t my first time meeting Mike, this would be the first time that I got a chance to hear about how he started His company. We sat in the Nike Headquarters in Manhattan as a part of the Model Basketball event at the Barclays Center and I decided that his story needed to get out:
AllThingsHoops: Mike, first of all… it’s a pleasure to have you do this All Things Hoops exclusive interview. Can you tell me how you got started with Solepack?
Mike Sala: Solepack is no overnight sensation. I started the company way back in the late 90’s and early 2000’s, when I would commute to NYU. I played ball every day at Coles and just needed a better way to carry my sneakers. I would have this Foot Locker bag tied around my fingers that would cut off my circulation and I said to myself there has to be a better way! From there I started cutting up pieces of bags and pieces of backpacks and Solepak was unofficially Born.
…Our roots are deeply woven into the Basketball culture…
AllThingsHoops: Did you immediately go into business? What was your plan of attack?
Mike Sala: The foundation was set so I had to put my plan in motion. After I created my working prototype, I kinda sat on my idea for a few years. Then one day I decided to try and get a patent for this idea. So back in 2003 I filed for the patent and I got rejected a few times. I was crushed but it didn’t defeat me. I applied again and in 2005 I got the patent for my accessory bag that wraps your sneakers around your backpack.
AllThingsHoops: Did you keep your hoop dreams alive during this time or were they gone?
Mike Sala: I continued my basketball career and played in every rec league that I could. I also had dreams of playing overseas but for me, having this original concept gave me a chance to reach people and gave me life. I was still active in the basketball community but using my dream of establishing a name for my company to do so. Little by little our Solepak company took off and sprouted into a few different products along the way. It was a no brainer for me.
Without Basketball there wouldn’t be a sneaker culture. Solepack has organic ties to both and uses the company as a form of expression. Photo Solepack.com
AllThingsHoops: How did you come up with the name Solepack?
Mike Sala: Since being a innovative brand new concept we tried to come up with original names… like the Street at NYU where we developed the concept (Mercer Street), but for us it came down to just having a functional name out there. We went with the name that gave us the best feel for our product. The name stuck and we rode out the wave. That’s pretty much it. No real scientific method to the name it’s just something we liked so the rest is history.
AllThingsHoops: Are your products geared toward the basketball community or are you marketing to athletes of all sports?
Mike Sala: Originally our roots are deeply woven into the Basketball culture and our products are an expression of myself and the people at Solepak. Our concepts have also evolved with the urban running community on the lower east side (NYC) to connecting with track athletes, dancers, B-Boys and all of the subcultures related to growing up in New York City in the 90’s. So it’s definitely basketball but it also any culture that needs to sport an extra pair of kicks.
The SP-1 is one of the best bags on the market. Visit The Solepack.com and check out the variety. Photo Solepack.com
AllThingsHoops: I see that you’re definitely tied into the sneaker culture. Today the culture is not only in New York City but a global phenomenon. Having the latest sneakers has always been a competitive sport. Right now it might be at its peak and you might be able to use some of that momentum with respects to your marketing. With that said, where can people reach you to find out more about Solepack?
Mike Sala: The easiest way to find me or information about Solepak is on Instagram @Solepack. Our website is www.TheSolepack.com and we’re in a few retailers like Richmond Hood Company in Shaolin (Staten Island) for street and lifestyle wear. They have been with us since day one! We also are in a few overseas retailers and also blessed to have stuff in Packer early on. A great way to see our products is on our website so make sure to check that out.
AllThingsHoops: Mike, thank you again for granting us this exclusive and wish you and the Solepack family nothing but continued success in the future!
Being an entrepreneur isn’t easy. Just ask the millions of entrepreneurs that made the decision to go into business for themselves. Believe in your dream and never give up. You never know when the day will be when you have your breakthrough. For an entrepreneur there are no set hours. There is no set salary. You get out what you put in so get ready to work harder that you have ever worked before. That’s only if you want to make your business successful. We salute all those who are attempting to go into business for themselves. Especially if your business has something to do with basketball or the basketball culture.