Business
How Phil Knight Sold Shoes From a Car Trunk to Build Nike
In 1964 Phil Knight sold Onitsuka Tigers from his car at Pacific Northwest track meets. Here is what that trunk did for Nike, and which parts still apply now that outreach is cheap.
In 1964, Phil Knight was working as an accountant and teaching at Portland State University, and in his off-hours he drove to regional track meets and sold running shoes out of the back of his car. The shoes were Onitsuka Tigers, made in Japan. He sold them through Blue Ribbon Sports, a company he had just formed with his old track coach, Bill Bowerman. That company later became Nike.
