LA Gear, which was third in athletic shoe sales behind Nike and Reebok in 1990 with $818M in sales. By 1993 LA Gear’s popularity was beginning to wane. The company began restricting access to the shoes, focusing on higher-end department stores to gain a more upscale clientele. However, in doing so the company was so desperate to sell the remaining inventory that LA Gear shoes began showing up at flea markets, swap meets, and supermarkets.
