{"id":1043827,"date":"2022-03-04T14:02:12","date_gmt":"2022-03-04T20:02:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.snkrsday.com\/?p=1043827"},"modified":"2022-03-06T01:06:53","modified_gmt":"2022-03-06T07:06:53","slug":"formerly-incarcerated-entrepreneur-opens-bottom-bunk-sneaker-house-to-facilitate-change-for-criminal-justice","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.snkrsday.com\/formerly-incarcerated-entrepreneur-opens-bottom-bunk-sneaker-house-to-facilitate-change-for-criminal-justice\/","title":{"rendered":"From Incarceration to Entrepreneurship: How Cole Richman is Using Bottom Bunk Sneaker House to Facilitate Change for Criminal Justice"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

After spending 8 years in prison, Cole Richman<\/strong> was determined to find his passion and turn his life around. With a little bit of street smarts and a whole lot of determination, Cole was able to turn $200 of government sanctioned probation money into a full-blown business. With almost nothing to his name, Cole took a risk and decided to buy a pair of Air Jordan 1s<\/a>, which he then flipped for profit. Cole built his reselling momentum from there and before he knew it, Bottom Bunk<\/strong> was born.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Located in the heart of Melrose, Bottom Bunk Sneaker House<\/a> <\/strong>sits right in the middle of LA’s sneaker shopping hub. As the founder and creative director, Cole incorporates his time behind bars into the store\u2019s aesthetic and purpose. More than just new releases and sneaker grails, Cole provides resources for formerly incarcerated people that are in need of direction. A portion of every sale from Bottom Bunk helps to fund programs that aid formerly incarcerated people that are transitioning back into society.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Outside of the store, Cole spends his time as a mentor to LA\u2019s youth and works to help former inmates stay out of the vicious prison cycle. Cole and the Bottom Bunk team are currently in the process of launching their own non-profit, in which the retail store will serve as a pillar in helping ex-inmates get access to mental health treatment, job placements, & housing post-release.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cole has mentors of his own who have helped him get to this point. Bottom Bunk\u2019s Head of Marketing, Nate Schlimme<\/strong>, has worked with brands like Jordan<\/a> and Nike<\/a> by putting together pop-ups across the country. Nate brings his background in business to help Bottom Bunk create a one-of-a-kind retail concept. Cole and Nate both hope that Bottom Bunk will be able to host private shopping experiences for celebrities, and that they\u2019ll even be able to invite exclusive brands to take part in their mission.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The name \u201cBottom Bunk\u201d is a reference to the bed that Cole slept in for years while he was in prison. As you take a look around the store, you\u2019ll notice other elements that are nods to Cole\u2019s time behind bars, such as the concrete benches, the single payphone hanging on the wall, and black bar finishings around the mirrors. The interior of the store has soft blue paint that is meant to honor the sky, which Cole rarely got to see while locked up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Together, Cole and Nate hope that Bottom Bunk Sneaker House will be a springboard for not only the formerly incarcerated, but for criminal justice reform as a whole. The U.S. prison system is an institution that touches all of our lives in one way or another, and Bottom Bunk hopes to eliminate the stigma that ex-inmates endure when trying to get their lives back on track. Cole\u2019s story of redemption is proof that there is a possibility for freedom and hope in an otherwise seemingly hopeless situation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Get to know more about Bottom Bunk Sneaker House<\/strong> as Cole Richman <\/strong>and Nate Schlimme<\/strong> talk about how they got started, Cole’s vision for the non-profit, and what\u2019s next for Bottom Bunk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n