A Complete History of Bodega's Sneaker Collaborations

Tomorrow will be a monumental day for Boston's Bodega: The retailer and brand will release its first-ever collaboration with the sneaker company it shares its city with, New Balance. The two have worked together on a pair of "HYPRCAT" 577s. If you're new to the limited-edition sneaker game, Bodega has been steadily working with a multitude of brands since 2007. Included in its history are co-designed sneakers with Puma, Converse, Nike, Lacoste, Reebok, Vans, adidas, Rockport, and Saucony. Tons of Saucony. We reached out to the folks who reside behind the magical Snapple machine, and got their perspective (they're the ones in quotes) on the history of collaborations they've had through the years. From 2007 to present, here's A Complete History of Bodega's Sneaker Collaborations.

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Year of Release: 2007

"First of the bunch. It will always have a place in my heart. It started us on the path of better packaging, and conceptual designs. "

Year of Release: 2008

"We could fill a book about this one. It is one of my favorites. The concept was right on, and working with the good people at MAD Magazine/DC Comics was awesome. Puma killed it on the execution. The elusive Grey SPY is still out there."

Year of Release: 2008

"Called the Fung Wah by most, this pack featured a hundred different packs with everything you needed to get on the bus and go to NYC. Each bag had the Pump, a shirt, toiletries, and random stuff."

Year of Release: 2008

"This one was one for the ages. The shoe is one of my favorite models, and the way adidas went about this project was amazing. They flew in 20 retailers from around the world to adidas HQ in Germany, and we all worked on our designs together. It was great to all be working side by side, and take the competition out of it for the moment. Plus some crazy nights in Germany with us all together."

Year of Release: 2008

"Our intro to Saucony. The shoe did pretty well, but we had a great time working with Saucony, which is a local company. This would lead to the Elite Program."

Year of Release: 2009

"Our first shoe pack. Very well received. This was during the boat shoe resurgence."

Year of Release: 2009

"The Boston Super is a great model, and the colorway was an homage to the O.G. I wish we kept more of these for the archive."

Year of Release: 2009

"Our Pump releases have done very well. This one was the most sought-after by far. The footbed had a map to a location in a park in Harlem NYC. There was a code for a lock placed there with a secret inside. The run of this shoe was very small, and people still hit me up trying to get my pair off me (not going to happen)."

Year of Release: 2009

"We took the Poorman Weapon and made it a super-high fold-down. The deerskin on this shoe was fantastic, and our friend Todd Kiel did up a flask graphic that was perfect. The whole pack came in a fleece-lined canvas bag that really separated this shoe from the rest."

Year of Release: 2010

"The Esteban is a great model, and we did a very simple colorway that showed it off. Every shoe had a real rattlesnake rattle keychain attached. Randy Price did an amazing graphic to go along with the shoe as well."

Year of Release: 2010

Long story short, everyone thought that, after they won Game Five of the NBA FInals and went up 3-2, the Boston Celtics were going to win the NBA Championship. Boston was going apeshit crazy. Unfortunately, it didn't happen, but we still have these Converse Chuck Taylors from Bodega to remind us of the time.

Year of Release: 2010

"It begins. We started this project selling only to Japan, but as demand grew, we opened it up to Europe and then the USA. Working with Mike Hughes at Saucony is the real highlight of this project. He is amazing at getting us back perfect samples, usually on the first try. Saucony was very willing to let us try new things and that's the kind of partner we love to work with."

Year of Release: 2010

"We were honoring our friends at Size? in the UK with our version of the Puma Blaze of Glory. In a beautiful molasses leather execution, this shoe was super clean."

Year of Release: 2010

"With Realtree camo on the inside, this Chukka is still highly sought after."

Year of Release: 2010

"The Legends project brought together sneaker people from all around the world to Germany for the Bread and Butter trade show. Our guys did up a very classy Savile Row inspired shoe that was super wearable."

Year of Release: 2011

"We started mixing uppers and midsoles which allows us a lot more freedom in designing interesting models. The Jazz 91 is still one of my favorites."

Year of Release: 2011

"Terry Blay. The puppet intern that could do it all. Including design shoes."

Year of Release: 2011

"A hiking boot with one of the best '70s-inspired tongue tags you will ever see. It's all about the details."

Year of Release: 2011

"The Master Control was the first model that Saucony let us bring back from the archive. It is a low profile runner that we are going to be working with again soon. A very understated model."

Year of Release: 2011

"Our first Nike. We at the shop are big fans of Footscape Wovens, and when we had a chance to do a shoe (thanks Jeff Erlinger), it was at the top of our list. We did a three-shoe pack with 3 different models of Footscapes. Only one was branded 'Bodega,' but all three had our Black Cat tongue. The Bodega shoe was a Footscape Woven Chukka, that is one of the most interesting, and comfortable models ever."

Year of Release: 2011

"The Grid 9000 was the second model that Saucony let us bring back from the dead, and it is my favorite by far. A '90s-era runner with tons of technology and a neoprene liner, I don't know why this shoe ever got dropped, but I am very glad we got to bring it back. It is a great model."

Year of Release: 2012

This time, Bodega mixed it up and took on the Master Control, Jazz '91, and Grid 9000: three different sneakers it has helped bring back.

Year of Release: 2012

"The rest of the world seemed to catch up to us as far as our love for runners. This pack killed it, and while the market was going more conservative, we were having fun."

Year of Release: 2012

"Doing a crazy high that was all pony hair and a very subtle low that was clean black leather, this was very much a yin and yang pack. No matter what people say, the high was not supposed to look like my dog, Mack."

Release: 2013

"Continuing on the G9 strength, we did a two-shoe pack (along with Captain Purp, a Bodega-only shoe) The Elite program is now a worldwide program, and although these shoes are not branded Bodega, they have perhaps the biggest reach of any of our ongoing projects."

Release: 2013

At this point, everyone expected Bodega to kill it with its Saucony collaborations, and it did—this time with the Shadow 5 and 6.

Release: 2013

"Using custom African prints, we did a three-shoe pack that was available at Bodega only. Using the Authentic LX and a comfort insole, these were a great summertime release."

Release: September 7, 2013

"Our first New Balance collaboration to come to market, the 577 is a great model, and Marvin Bynoe and Randy Price (our designers) did a great mix of colors and fabrics. Using a subtle donegal and our own HYPRCAT graphics, this shoe, along with a custom keychain and tee, is sure to be a hit. Judging from the interest this far, I'm very excited for the release."