Costco sent sneaker culture into a spiral after quietly releasing a surprise collaboration with Nike: the Kirkland Signature x Nike SB Dunk Low Pro QS.
Dropped without warning at select warehouse locations on Friday, the gray, logo-heavy shoes are already being resold at a hefty markup. The sneakers themselves scream "Kirkland Signature," however, and not everyone gets it.
Nike x Kirkland: the Costco sneaker drop noone saw coming
Nike and Costco announced and dropped the collab on Jan. 30, 2026, letting the word spread online among sneaker lovers. They only appeared at select locations in New York, California, Washington, and Oregon, and retailed for $134.99.
The exterior is a heathered gray decorated in both Nike and Kirkland Signature logos. The white interior is designed to look pre-worn with a piled texture like that of a well-loved Costco sweatshirt. The tongue badge reads "Nike Skateboarding Dunk Low Pro" with a surprise on the underside.
Shoppers lifted the tongue to find something just like Costco's iconic white price tag sheets that say "Kirkland Signature Skateboarding Shore" and "135.00."
The one-cent price difference appears to be a nod to the slight increase Costco imposes when something is low in stock, signaling the shoe's exclusivity.
Plus, the reverse side of the insole features a shot of one of Costco's beloved $1.50 hot dogs.
Regardless of any personal opinions on the style, the clever branding worked. Lines backed up far outside Costco doors, and third-party resellers already have them marked up to $400 or even $900.
"Somebody is asking $5,000 for this"
Sneaker fans were left with their heads spinning after the Friday drop, with hundreds lining up and making Costco even less of a tolerable experience for everyone else. Witnesses later hopped on TikTok to express their shock and awe.
"What the actual f*ck was that Costco dunk release that just happened?" asked @sneakcoder. "Shock dropping that on a random f*cking Friday."
The dedicated sneaker TikToker couldn't understand the hype, calling the Kirkland Nike dunks "mid."
Meanwhile, @backtothebasketdotcom was similarly floored by the reseller prices, especially after he found one wild individual peddling a pair for $5,000.
"This shoe?" he said. "Plain gray Nike SB. I know it's a Costco dunk, whatever, limited, but $900? And you think that's crazy? Wait. Somebody is asking $5,000 for this."
Those who got them at retail price, however, felt the chaos was entirely worth it, including @shoegeekflips, who picked up one of just 512 pairs available at his local Costco.
"Such a cool-designed shoe," he said. "Awesome idea for the SBs."
In the comments on a @dj_sneakerhead video, other Kirkland Signature fans expressed approval.
"These are so harddd," wrote @rellflg, "they look comfy too."
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