Vans‘ Fifth Avenue store in New York City closed Thursday after rowdiness broke out on the street for the release of Satoshi Nakamoto‘s latest sneaker with the brand.
The New York City Police Department responded to a 911 call for disorderly conduct at 6:25 a.m., more than three hours before the store was set to open. A public information officer confirmed two suspects were taken into custody and issued summons prior to their release. No injuries were reported.
A sign posted on the door to the Midtown Manhattan store said it would be closed until Friday morning and that the collaborative sneaker is sold out and won’t restock.
Footwear News has reached out to Vans for comment and will update this article if a response is given.
Videos posted to social media show several members of a sizable crowd pushing each other and at least 10 officers intervening. Photos also indicate a line had already began to form by Wednesday afternoon.
The sneaker at the center of the ruckus was the Satoshi Nakamoto x Vans Era “Gems,” the fifth release since the two parties began collaborating in 2025. Multicolor gemstone studs line the collar and toe box as a continuation of the same motif on prior sneakers, and a black canvas upper with distressing can be worn away to reveal a checkerboard pattern underneath. The brand’s name then gets a repeat print on a midsole that comes out of the box scuffed.
Founded by the Los Angeles creative George Robertson, Satoshi Nakamoto is named after the presumed pseudonym used by the mysterious creator of Bitcoin. Its Vans sneakers have been roundly hyped, with sales on the resale market going for as much as $2,000.
Another sneaker release drew the NYPD onto the scene earlier this month, as two people were arrested during wristband distribution for the Palace x Nike Air Max 95. An in-person release planned for the next day was subsequently canceled.
