Today we’d like to introduce you to Kordale “K.O.” Toomer.
Thanks for sharing your story with us K.O. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
Born and raised in Atlanta, GA. I’ve always had the desire for footwear/fashion as it was merely an umbrella up under the hip-hop mantra. I started out as an artist in 2008 and caught a break which ultimately ended up being a vessel towards today’s purpose. Marketing came fairly easy to me due to being so hands-on with the administrative side of the music business with our manager, Shaun Copeland (of Violator Management). He showed me that we could partner with big companies to increase visibility for our brand. This process was very intriguing to me. My music group received notoriety via the XXL, NBA Live 2010 OST, The Source and many more publications. We received sponsorships and support via numerous brands. This opened an eye for me because this was unheard of for NEW artist in the beginning stages of the “internet” and “music.”
In 2011, the music group decided to head towards a different direction. I began to focus on marketing and promotions to help build an Atlanta sneaker community, ATATF. ATATF is a buy, sell, and trade community-based in Atlanta, GA. The group was found in 2011 by Valmon, James, Brandon and myself.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
During the 2000’s era of online sneaker communities. Consumers would use websites such as; Sole Collector (ISS), Nike Talk, and Craig’s List to discuss, buy, sell and/or trade their product. Unfortunately, it was very hard to know if you were dealing with a legitimate person/account. At the time, Atlanta had a large amount of sneaker-related post on Craig’s List. To create a solution, we began to invite legit users from Craig’s List over to our ATATF Facebook page. This process created a domino effect in which evolved into a small community of people with a common interest for sneakers and ALL THINGS FRESH.
Please tell us about ATATF.
ATATF is Atlanta’s online community cult for sneakerheads and anyone interested in pop culture. Members often discuss current events relating to music, art, food, politics, fashion, and much more. The community is also helpful when member ask open discussions about career and life advice. I feel this is what makes ATATF bigger than just “sneakers.” To create a more exclusive environment for the members, I also began to invite select influencers and celebrities inside of the group to carry on daily conversations to create a larger than a normal platform. The group grew into a hit with the middle, high school & college communities.
Today, the group harbors 39k+ members. The group has grown from a buy-sale-trade platform into a marketing tool for brands in Atlanta, Ga. Brands have to use the community to grow their audience into a global sensations. It’s so intriguing to see brands that have made use of the ATATF platform and now are considered household names! Notable and past members include: Lil Yachty, Trinidad James, Honorable CNOTE, Nessly, V103’s DJ Greg Street, RobiiWorld, Streetz 94.5’s Fly Guy DC and Ferrari Simmons, Jay Envy(Atlanta Falcon’s Official DJ/Cobra Corps), Sofa King(Cobra Corps), Dj Weaponz, Lucid Twins, Yung Bans, Manolo Prado, Joshua Jelks of the GaFollowers, Fred Saint Foster of Cease And Desist, Señor Khaos Former Nike Footwear designer,) Latif of Wisdom ATL, Chris Peeples of Atlanta Streetwear Market, Zeus Trappin of Trap Clothing, Alan Sher of Terminal West, and many more. I have to stop myself because I’d like to name EVERYONE but EVERY member plays a roll in keeping the group thriving in the city.
I believe and KNOW Atlanta’s fashion/footwear market will skyrocket in the next five-ten years. If we can get this front-line together, everything will be just fine! As an Atlanta-native, I find it a duty to help as much as possible. There is so much potential and powerful circles whom ALL want to see Atlanta receive its proper attention. I’m happy that we were able to provide some type of avenue for locals and aspiring creatives to raise their visibility in the city.
It’s great to see these global corporations reaching out to HOW AND WHY Atlanta is a GOLD MINE. Hopefully, we can continue to create solutions for today’s fashion/pop culture market for the future of Atlanta.
Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
I’ll revisit a memory that stays on topic with ATATF and footwear. I vividly remember my dad taking me to the World Foot Locker at Greenbriar Mall to purchase the latest pair of Air Jordans. I had spent all morning calling around to stores for my size. On this day, I found out that my foot grew from kid’s size to men’s sizing. This meant, a higher retail cost. My dad gave me the coldest look after I tried on my normal size and the employee informed me that the fit seemed to small and recommended a size increase. I remember the phrase, “Oh you a man now?” My heart skipped three beats, not because of the thought that he would not purchase them but more so because I knew of the possibility of the store not having the next size up for me. Fortunately, the store had my size and I was able to obtain that particular pair of shoes and unfortunately, my shoe size was now in men’s pricing. Not the funniest story but that memories will always stay in tact, especially with these insane price points for sneakers in today’s climate.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.facebook.com/groups/atatf
- Instagram: @ATATF , @KOFROMATATF
Image Credit:
Tre Hamilton, Andy Le, Fabeux, DJ Greg Street(Drake photo), G-Roc of TSG
Getting in touch: VoyageATL is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
