It’s a cold January afternoon in NYC and the ever-lowering angle of the sun in the sky hints at a bone-chilling truth that’s about to set in. Despite this frigid reality and a biting breeze that doesn’t want to give up, there’s an unusually enthusiastic group of folks congregating outside on the corner of Graham Ave. and Conselyea St. in North Brooklyn. They’re buzzing and ready to go for a run.

“Squad up,” a voice says with authority. The leader of this pack is Colin Carlton aka “Colin from Homerun” if you follow him online. His storefront/clubhouse, Homerun NYC, that he co-founded with Tokyo graffiti writer WANTO, is the meeting place for today’s activities. Among the geared-up runners, there’s downtown luminaries like Heron Preston and Ben Solomon, both in the mix and ready to make some moves. They’re flanked by less publicly-known figures who like to keep their identities (and faces) out of the spotlight, cause, ya know, the feds might be watching. Regardless of profile or street cred, they’re all united in their pursuit of a challenge in challenging conditions. And there’s nothing more Homerun than that.

The assembled runners rock a collage of streetwear selects that seamlessly blend with functional activewear. Their footwear choices, however, are more notably unique. Besides conventional running shoes, some of the Homerun posse rock Air Force 1s or even Timbaland boots. Though that might leave a lot of runners scratching their heads in disbelief, it’s actually what helped put Homerun on the map. When Homerun’s nickname “Black Air Force 1 run club” started bubbling in the streets, it caught Nike’s attention. Ultimately, it resulted in an ongoing collaboration that so far has brought to life a black Air Force 1 and a Vomero 18 Plus, both with distinct Homerun graffiti flavor, as well as a super limited Air Max Plus/TN.

Don’t get it twisted, though, Colin’s reputation from boardrooms to the block has been hard earned and Homerun’s rise isn’t just a “brand story,” it’s a story of Colin’s own tenacious commitment to survival, expansion, and supporting his squad.

Born in Michigan in the late ‘70s, his path wove through San Francisco, Alaska, Seattle, Tokyo, and eventually New York. In the early days, the Interstate 5 freeway from Vancouver to Tijuana was an artery through which he and his BTM graff crew flowed from city to city. They were heads committed to a lifestyle of doing things you don’t talk about outside of the circle. There was risk at every turn. Prison, sure, but physical consequences, as well. In spite of it all, they always left their mark.

In the early 2000s, the crew expanded with Tokyo connects. Homerun of that era was all about inner-circle artifacts — stickers, t-shirts, hats — exchanged among friends. It wasn’t about building a commercial enterprise, it was about who knew what was up and who didn’t. They were making essential accessories for the posse’s anti-establishment lifestyle. And to those who knew, Homerun gear signified the highest level of operating in the streets. But that’s 20 years ago, and today is the dawn of a whole new Homerun.

It kicked off in 2023, when Colin’s friend, tattoo artist Mark Cross, decided he was done operating Rose Tattoo Parlour in Brooklyn. He hit up Colin, told him the landlord was chill, and handed over the keys. It was a blank canvas for Colin to take all of his accumulated knowledge and figure out how to channel it into the new space as best he could. The result is Homerun NYC, a New York-meets-Tokyo apparel brand centered around its North Brooklyn HQ that’s part Japan-style select shop (clothes, zines, art, etc.) and part athlete-coded community space. A pop-up at Paris Fashion Week Men’s in January 2024 was a warning shot that turned up the temperature. Since then, each Homerun drop has sold out quicker than the last, and Colin’s inbox is overflowing with collab requests.

But how does a brand shaped by anonymity and the street build a public-facing movement for everybody without sanding off the edges that made it real? Colin’s street-athlete approach is one answer. It’s an attitude born out of what he describes as his “programming,” a nonstop commitment to staying active all day, everyday through running, calisthenics, and whatever other pastimes might call his name.

Just as the assembled crowd is almost ready to roll out, Colin rallies them together in front of the store for Homerun’s signature pre-run group photo. Once the flash goes off and this month’s run is documented for the record books, Colin turns, lowers his voice, and says with a smile, “You stay ready, so you don’t have to get ready.” And that’s exactly how Homerun is built. Ready by design.

HYPEBEAST: For a young brand, Homerun has been moving quick. Was there a moment it stopped feeling like an experiment and started feeling real?

Colin Carlton: None of it has really set in yet. It feels like we just opened yesterday. I’m 49, so two years ain’t much. For Owen from Homerun, who’s 19, Homerun probably feels much different. So far, the greatest accomplishment that I have is encouragement from people I really trust. They tell me that I’m doing something special and to keep up the good work.

Why “Homerun”? What does it stand for beyond the baseball connotation?

Homerun is a goal. It means connection and direction. It’s all the way. It’s a nonstop trip. Run it up. Without a goal, life is meaningless. You can score a home run with hits. You can also load up the bases through carefully planned teamwork and then get a grand slam.

What would you say the thesis of the brand is? Is there one specific thing that connects everything under one umbrella?

I’m not sure the thesis is even important. I think people just like the name Homerun. It could very well be that all of the programming and community-building isn’t even helping the brand. I can think of 10 ways to make Homerun successful, but then it wouldn’t reflect the crew; it would just be me and my vision.

Teamwork makes the dream work, for sure. What’s the story behind Homerun’s birth?

Necessity is the mother of invention.

Hard to argue with that. Physical retail stores can be really challenging to operate, though. What do you think a room can do that the internet can’t?

I don’t have any other context. I don’t know how the internet works. I always thought brands had stores. Come to find out it’s rare. So now looking back at the HUFs, the DQMs, alife, Supreme, and the thousands of mom and pop hip-hop shops, skate shops, record stores, and punk rock bookstores out there, I have a tremendous amount of respect. It’s more work than you could ever imagine.

How do you curate what belongs in the space — books/zines/art/product — what’s the filter?

Probably the human connection. The producer comes before the product. Producer. Process Product. That sounds about right.

What’s something you refused to stock or do because it didn’t fit the ethos?

I love some big brands aesthetically but their politics suck because they supported Trump. This stuff is important to me. I’m not gonna judge people for their fashion choices, but I’ll pass through this life with my values intact.

I feel that. What’s the most meaningful interaction you’ve seen happen in the store between strangers?

OK, you just nailed it, that’s the best part I see daily. That may actually be why the Homerun store exists. Running as culture and how it links to street culture.

How did running become central for you? Was it health, obsession, community, recovery, or competition?

I’ve had the dog in me my whole life. I love to toil. I’ve always looked at mountains and wondered how fast I could scramble up them. I would always daydream while looking out the window of a moving car and imagine I could run as fast as the car. I also love how goal oriented running is. It’s like first you visualize running up the hill and then you do it!

Are there any parallels you see between running and graffiti?

Graffiti is random. It’s like anarchy. I have no plan to tag, but I plan on tagging. I have no plan to run, but I plan on running. The repetition just happens because of the frequency.

What do you think the broader running world doesn’t understand about Homerun’s ability to bridge the gap between running and street culture?

I’m not sure because we’re kind of in our own world. Sometimes I see headlines like, “run clubs are oversaturated” and “fill-in-the-blank activity is the new run club,” but I think anything that can get people together is just wonderful. I know that there are a lot of runners right now, probably more than ever. But I’m certain that running is going to become even more popular, and that makes me happy because I think that runners are really great people and make for happier humans that will be kinder to each other and kinder to the Earth. Running gives us goals and goals give us purpose. I think most people agree that having a purpose in life feels good, even if it’s a small thing like running and that’s aside from the cardio, protective health benefits, and community.

Speaking of community, who’s an early mentor that shaped your taste?

Early on there were no mentors, only crew members. Every once in a while, we’d come across someone that would give us encouragement. Artists like Barry McGee, Steve Powers, Ari Marcopoulos, and wonderful people such as Kazumi and Fuminiro Hayashi. Other than that, the crew drew inspiration from each other.

You came up in a lot of different places from Seattle to Alaska to the Bay, but you ultimately chose NYC as your homebase both for your family and for Homerun. Why?

I have so much respect for New York City and its originators. Recently I had the honor to chitchat with heads like Kaves, Haze, and Futura. If there were mentors around like that where I came from, I would have had a different life. They probably would’ve told me to stay out of trouble and stay in school or something, like I would say to young people now. The OGs that I grew up around just wanted me to be bad so I could help support them.

That’s legendary wisdom right there. Speaking of which, what’s the most important lesson graffiti taught you?

Impact. Context. Energy. Design is the easy part. Learning how to be Dr. Frankenstein is the goal of a designer. Bringing it to life.

What do you look for in brand collaborators? Shared values, shared audience, or just shared taste?

Shared values and shared taste. Also reputation is definitely important. I guess that goes with values, but you have to make sure to work with people that have good reputations. Even if somebody is successful, if they have a bad reputation, that’s a dub.

How did the Homerun x Nike Air Force 1 come together?

When we first opened Homerun, we were looking for a new way to show what we were offering. So instead of doing the typical stuff like graffiti, skate, or just posing we decided to show Homerun doing things in action like riding bikes and climbing fences, and running and doing calisthenics. When we would go on our group runs, we would dress in our street clothes, so if JC had his boots on, he would be running in his Timbs. If Emilio was wearing black Air Force 1s, he’d be running in his black Air Force 1s.

Fast forward to Nike hitting us up and asking if we wanted to get lunch and chat. When I showed up, they were all joking, calling us the “black Air Force 1 run crew.” I thought it was cool that they noticed. But they were like, “You know everyone makes jokes about Black Air Force 1s on the internet, right?” and I’m like, “Well, it’s the Homerun shoe and I see all the coolest people wearing them. Watch, I bet you Nike is gonna be putting up big numbers this winter.”

Sure enough, the next time I saw them, nine out of 10 of them had black Air Force 1s on their feet, as well as the rest of the world. I’m not saying that this was all Homerun, but this is the kind of stuff that Homerun is a part of. Eventually, the marketing director of Nike running said, “Cut it out, you gotta take running seriously, so we’re gonna make you your own running shoe.” Hence, the black Air Force 1-inspired Vomero Plus that we all ran the 2025 NYC Marathon in.

What does Homerun look like in three years to you? More stores, products, events, or maybe even less of something?

In three years from now, there will be less of me. Or at least I will be less concentrated. Homerun will not be diluted, and there still might be the same amount of Colin, but there will also be a lot more surrounding me. I am going to build up an amazing team where we all inspire each other, and all have each other’s backs. There will be a magnetic and cyclical flow. There will be reciprocity, and there will be Homerun.

I like that. I wanna wrap up with a few quick hit questions if you’re cool with that. What’s one word you’re chasing this year?

Impact!

A ritual before a big drop / big run?

No sleep.

Favorite borough to move through on foot?

Manhattan, duh.

Most overrated thing in streetwear?

Nothing’s overrated, nothing’s underrated. It’s all unnecessary, so it’s all necessary.

Best advice you’ve ignored (or finally listened to)?

More zone two running. Zone two running is equivalent to shadowboxing for boxers.

Five writers/artists/designers who rewired your brain?

Margaret Kilgallan. Miuccia Prada. Lightnin’ Rod. Kara Walker. ORFN us.

An NYC place that still feels like your city?

Any park with a high bar and a dip bar.

If I dropped in on a perfect Homerun day, what would I see first: the store, a run, a drop, an opening, or a late-night scramble?

All of the above.

What’s the last thing you bought that made you think, “Damn, this is perfect”?

A haircut from my barber Jorge.

If Homerun disappeared tomorrow, what would you hope it left behind?

Tryers.