Virginia store postpones rare Nike Air Max 97/1 shoe release over crowd

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) -- The first exclusive release of a rare sneaker that was postponed in Virginia after police were called to help control the crowd has gotten underway.

News outlets report the line outside Need Supply Co. in Richmond began Monday, ahead of the launch of the Nike Air Max 97/1 that was scheduled for Tuesday morning. The store delayed the release just before 5 a.m. Tuesday, citing a rowdy crowd that Richmond police said had grown to nearly 500 by 2:30 a.m. Police dispersed the crowd.

WBBT reports that the store allowed customers in to buy the shoes at 10 a.m.

The shoe was designed by Richmond native Sean Wotherspoon. The shoes will be sold in Los Angeles, too, before a global release set for March.