Blue Ribbon Sports (BRS) opened its first retail door January 1967 at 3107 Pico Blvd in Santa Monica, California. Born out of a need to serve the athlete. It stood as a brand; by runners, for runners. 3107 Pico, opened by Jeff Johnson, was a space where runners were recognized, honored and respected, their self-images uplifted. BRS Santa Monica was open from 1967 – 1969, predated the jogging boom of the 1970s and foreshadowed an approach that laid a foundation for Nike's future engagement with athletes and consumers alike.
BRS reopened on January 25, 2019 – 52 years later – as a re-commitment to serving runners in the community and a destination to foster deep connections with the athletes of Los Angeles/Santa Monica to inspire the next generation of runners.
To commemorate BRS’s first tour, we created two BRS-exclusive footwear in classic running silhouettes – the Cortez '72 and Pegasus Turbo 2 – an expression of speed from our past and present. Each shoe gives a nod to our heritage as they both feature the iconic orange color palette, the BRS logo, our founding year 1972 on the sockliner. On the heel, it says “1 of 3107” to commemorate our first address of 3107 Pico Blvd.
Paying homage to our roots, BRS will pop-up in key cities in the new Volkswagen ID. BUZZ CARGO, a concept, all-electric version of the second-generation Volkswagen Type 2 Bus that Nike Employee #1, Jeff Johnson, drove for product deliveries as he served athletes in Los Angeles.
Together, Nike and VW will serve runners across the country by bringing the BRS experience to Chicago and New York City this month. At the Blue Ribbon Sports Volkswagen ID. BUZZ CARGO, you can purchase exclusive BRS footwear, donate used athletic shoes to Reuse-A-Shoe and learn more about the history of BRS and Nike’s beginnings.
Stay tuned for more.
