We hit up ATC to traffic kicks across the Atlantic & State lines, and join the Mile High Club with Allie Incredible.
Interview & Photos by Clint Servantes.
September 2008.
South Beach is widely known for it’s sun, sand, night life, and beautiful women. Finally, a city that was built on the drug trade has another kind of traffic residing in its sandy beaches and city streets. ATC [Air Traffic Control] Miami is South Beach’s newest sneaker hot spot, and with an 80/20 consignment program called the Mile High Club, no other store in the Gunshine State can touch its selection. ATC boasts an aesthetic and concept that rivals top of the line boutiques around the World, as the design was conceptualized by the owners themselves, a couple of New York natives who used to work for a major record label up north. After a 45 minute flight from Orlando, we landed in Miami and arrived at Terminal 16, kept our flight attendant, Allie Incredible, company during her layover, and discussed the shop, sneakers, and music with ATC founders, DJ Daai Lo and Mark Bolkovich.
So tell us about the boutique and the name, Air Traffic Control, we heard it was slightly inspired by the drug trade and trafficing in Miami.
Mark: Slightly, it’s definitely a play on words. Miami is a city that’s built on the drug trade, so ultimately it’s something you can’t deny. It’s definitely a part of it, but at the same time the “Air” ties into Nike Air, Air Jordans, etc. It’s a little bit of everything, it can have multiple definitions, interpret it how you like.
DJ Daai Lo: Yea, definitely a play on words, “Traffic” relates to how the shoes are coming in on the whole Miami drug trade metaphor, and finally, “Control” we’d like to think we’re controlling the game.
Now, besides the shop aesthetic what separates ATC from other boutiques in Miami and throughout the World for that matter?
DJ Daai Lo: Selection.
Mark: By far. I think in terms of shops in Miami, I don’t like to toot our own horn, but I don’t think there’s a shop that’s doing what we’re doing conceptually. Obviously, as [DJ Daai Lo] said, the selection is what we pride ourselves on and what we think separates us from more of the Mom & Pop oriented stores here in Miami. We definitely have a good amount of respect for them, and what they’ve done. They’ve been here for years, and we’re not looking to step on their toes or hurt them in any way. We just want to bring something different to this area and we feel like we’re doing it.
