Nocturnal Skate Shop has been part of Philadelphia skateboarding since 2000, when pro skater Kerry Getz opened the shop just off South Street. It arrived not long after Sub Zero, a major shop from Philly’s LOVE Park era, had closed, giving local skaters another place to buy gear, meet up, find work, get sponsored, and stay connected to the scene. Nocturnal opened to support Philadelphia skateboarders and help grow Philly's local skate community. More than 25 years later, that remains their main mission.
Nocturnal’s first collaboration with Nike SB is part of the Air Force 1 City Pack alongside Fly Streetwear in Shanghai, Instant Skateboards in Tokyo, and Ben-G in Amsterdam. Each shop gets its own take on the skate-built Air Force 1, with Nocturnal using its pair to represent Philadelphia and the skate scene it has supported for more than 25 years.
Built Around Philadelphia
The colorway pulls directly from Philly. Soft grey suede covers the upper, a reference to the concrete, ledges, and plazas that have defined skating around places like LOVE Park, City Hall, Muni, and Cecil B. Moore. Court Green hits the Swoosh, heel tab, tongue branding, insoles, and outsole, bringing in the unmistakable green tied to Philadelphia football. A black midsole separates the grey and green and gives the shoe a darker finish underneath.
That connection was intentional. Nocturnal owner Brannon John said the shop wanted the project to emphasize Philadelphia and the way people in the city embrace where they are from. Philly’s skate history runs far beyond one shop, but Nocturnal has been around for much of it, from the years around LOVE Park to the current generation skating the city today
Nocturnal x Nike SB Air Force 1
Nocturnal released its own shop-exclusive version in Philadelphia on October 17 with the Nocturnal logo embroidered on the heel, a gold lace dubrae, special packaging, and additional shop details. That version was made specifically for Nocturnal’s local release.
The pair coming to Drift House uses the same Cool Grey and Court Green color story without the Nocturnal heel logo or shop-exclusive packaging. Grey suede runs across the upper, green handles the Swoosh and smaller details, and a second set of green laces comes with the shoe. It carries the same Philadelphia story into the wider Nike SB release while keeping the design cleaner through the heel.
The collaboration also marks another chapter for the Nike SB Air Force 1, which has been rebuilt for skating and is now becoming a platform for independent skate shops to represent their own cities. For Nocturnal, that meant keeping the references close to home: concrete, Eagles green, and more than two decades of Philadelphia skateboarding.
Release Details
- Cool Grey / Court Green
- Friday, October 23
- In-store: 11AM EST
- Online: 2PM EST
- Sizes: 6M-15M
- MSRP: $120
