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Skateboarding => Skate Questions => Topic started by: Schismatic on September 25, 2011, 11:43:57 AM
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Just doing a little market research. Like the subject line says, what are some of the factors that make you immediately like or dislike a skate shop? I'm personally pretty selective, maybe a little overboard, but I don't assume that everyone is like me so I'd like to hear some constructive feedback on what you think makes a shop great, just ok, or terrible and you wouldn't plan on going back. Thanks.
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No meth labs inside
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Big stacks of whack sunglasses/watches
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The cool guy vibing gets old. The "skater girl" at the counter who has no idea what she's doing. Not having certain product in stock. I don't know, I don't even have a local shop.
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-Longboards (but these are in every shop so there is almost no avoiding it)
-Employees who clearly don't skate. Especially teeny-bopper high school girls.
-A weak skate video display - I know dvds don't sell but I buy them. I want to see some independent videos in the case (DLXSF is the best for this).
edit: the guy above me hadn't posted when I started writing my post, but I REALLY agree - cool guy vibe is not acceptable.
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-Longboards (but these are in every shop so there is almost no avoiding it)
-Employees who clearly don't skate. Especially teeny-bopper high school girls.
-A weak skate video display - I know dvds don't sell but I buy them. I want to see some independent videos in the case (DLXSF is the best for this).
edit: the guy above me hadn't posted when I started writing my post, but I REALLY agree - cool guy vibe is not acceptable.
truth.
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A lack of complementary blowjobs is such a bummer.
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-Longboards (but these are in every shop so there is almost no avoiding it)
-Employees who clearly don't skate. Especially teeny-bopper high school girls.
-A weak skate video display - I know dvds don't sell but I buy them. I want to see some independent videos in the case (DLXSF is the best for this).
edit: the guy above me hadn't posted when I started writing my post, but I REALLY agree - cool guy vibe is not acceptable.
truth.
The longboard thing, as long as it's hidden or put in the back corner I don't mind. I used to, but unfortunately those things bring in a lot of money to shops, and--truth be told--longboarding can be really gnarly if done right.
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Thanks for the feedback so far. Of course the "cool guy" vibe is weak. Even if it's shop team hanging around, they should represent the shop in a positive way. Thanks for bringing up the independent videos and DLXSF, both good points. They always treated me great whereas going into a place like Skates On Haight and they just weren't personable. Not trying to talk bad about them, maybe I just went at the wrong day/time. About the videos, we all know that YouTube destroyed the skate video market and when videos don't sell, you have no choice but to put them on clearance to try and recoup the cost just to buy more videos that probably won't sell either. However, the indie videos are a different story and don't usually become outdated, so that's terrific feedback.
Also agree about the watches and sunglasses. A little is one thing, but when skateboard hardware inventory is dwarfed by other crap then it doesn't have the same vibe.
The longboards I don't necessarily agree with. As long as there's a good selection of real skate gear, then they don't bother me. It's not as if they're rollerblades, it's really just a bigger skateboard and I see the appeal of going super fast and carving, but I choose to do it on a normal board. Same with snowboarding, I'm not into it but don't mind seeing it. Another factor is that the profit margins on a lot of skateboard stuff isn't very much so the other stuff can help keep you in business.
Thanks again and keep the peeves coming. Also curious about what kinds of things make you really like a shop.
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-Longboards (but these are in every shop so there is almost no avoiding it)
-Employees who clearly don't skate. Especially teeny-bopper high school girls.
-A weak skate video display - I know dvds don't sell but I buy them. I want to see some independent videos in the case (DLXSF is the best for this).
edit: the guy above me hadn't posted when I started writing my post, but I REALLY agree - cool guy vibe is not acceptable.
truth.
The longboard thing, as long as it's hidden or put in the back corner I don't mind. I used to, but unfortunately those things bring in a lot of money to shops, and--truth be told--longboarding can be really gnarly if done right.
this, i have a shop thats one town over from me and they are barely making it and dont sell longboards, another shop kinda far away does sell longboards and ive talked to the owner about how they are actually really good for business usually because when longboarders break something on their setup they have no idea what theyd need or anything so they just buy new completes, and theyre doing way better than the other shop
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Thanks for the feedback so far. Of course the "cool guy" vibe is weak. Even if it's shop team hanging around, they should represent the shop in a positive way. Thanks for bringing up the independent videos and DLXSF, both good points. They always treated me great whereas going into a place like Skates On Haight and they just weren't personable. Not trying to talk bad about them, maybe I just went at the wrong day/time. About the videos, we all know that YouTube destroyed the skate video market and when videos don't sell, you have no choice but to put them on clearance to try and recoup the cost just to buy more videos that probably won't sell either. However, the indie videos are a different story and don't usually become outdated, so that's terrific feedback.
Also agree about the watches and sunglasses. A little is one thing, but when skateboard hardware inventory is dwarfed by other crap then it doesn't have the same vibe.
The longboards I don't necessarily agree with. As long as there's a good selection of real skate gear, then they don't bother me. It's not as if they're rollerblades, it's really just a bigger skateboard and I see the appeal of going super fast and carving, but I choose to do it on a normal board. Same with snowboarding, I'm not into it but don't mind seeing it. Another factor is that the profit margins on a lot of skateboard stuff isn't very much so the other stuff can help keep you in business.
Thanks again and keep the peeves coming. Also curious about what kinds of things make you really like a shop.
Ok, now it is your turn to tell us what you want information for!
What I like (pretty much the adverse of what I said before) - friendly employees who skate, not a boutique look, a decent ratio of hard-goods to soft-goods (so many shops seem to be 90% soft-goods these days), a stacked dvd case, more skate shoe brands (and less Nike, Adidas, cons and vans... yeah, I said it, Vans!), and a mini-ramp doesn't hurt.
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The silent awkward shops where the guy just kinda watches you browse the whole time.
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there better be a tv with a good video playing on it....
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if i walk in and no-one says hello or at least gives me a head nod, im not buyin
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Shops with nothing but thin vulcs and nikes will never see my money.
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I always liked the idea of like a second hand bin like when people drop off old truck parts, boards, bearings, etc. Like if someone is short on cash, just give it to them. Charging for that shit is fucking gay. A lot of other things have been said in this thread already. There should be a ton of boards on the wall, with a good selection (size, shape and brand).
EDIT by the time I got to this part I forgot the thread title was put offs. Probably a video game system in the store. Well Maybe anything Super Nintendo or older is cool. PS3 or XBox with SKATE is fucking dumb, use the TV for a good video. Also, don't charge for DVDs that usually come free with magazine subscriptions.
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I always liked the idea of like a second hand bin like when people drop off old truck parts, boards, bearings, etc. Like if someone is short on cash, just give it to them. Charging for that shit is fucking gay. A lot of other things have been said in this thread already. There should be a ton of boards on the wall, with a good selection (size, shape and brand).
EDIT by the time I got to this part I forgot the thread title was put offs. Probably a video game system in the store. Well Maybe anything Super Nintendo or older is cool. PS3 or XBox with SKATE is fucking dumb, use the TV for a good video. Also, don't charge for DVDs that usually come free with magazine subscriptions.
"You wanna go skate today man?"
"Naw, I think I'm going to the shop to play Skate instead."
"Sounds good, see you there."
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The cool guy thing is definitely a put off.
Large displays of companies like element, billibong, plan b.
One time I went into my shop and there was this kid who was working there, and I got some shoes but he feels the need to tell me every detail about the shoe, and how they have "mad flick, bro". I know what I want, and don't need someone to talk to me like i'm some 10 year old.
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Ok, now it is your turn to tell us what you want information for!
What I like (pretty much the adverse of what I said before) - friendly employees who skate, not a boutique look, a decent ratio of hard-goods to soft-goods (so many shops seem to be 90% soft-goods these days), a stacked dvd case, more skate shoe brands (and less Nike, Adidas, cons and vans... yeah, I said it, Vans!), and a mini-ramp doesn't hurt.
I'm asking because I'm advising a buddy of mine with his new shop, and don't want to simply advise based on my personal opinion. The dude love skateboarding and the shop is far enough from every other skater-owned shop that it shouldn't affect their business, mainly want to take customers away from the nearest Zumiez and the like. Now, the owner is a little older and he [awkward silence...] longboards. The crazy super-fast hill and parking garage bombing kind though, not cruising the boardwalk in boardshorts with tribal tats on display. He's a good guy and if the shop is successful he and I can work to do a lot for the local scene. I am selectively building a shop team and want to help guys make the most out of skating while also putting on demos, BBQ's, petitioning for skate parks (that are made properly), fighting anti-skateboarding laws, etc.
Here's my piece: A big shoe selection is hard to do, that is very expensive to stock so w/o a couple hundred K in start-up, you're lucky to have any shoes. I can get my shoes at the next skateshop or as a last resort, at the Vans store. If there is a shoe selection, I like to see Circa, Es, and DVS, among others. Same with the soft goods. I don't wear skinny jeans, I buy my pants at the nearest surplus/workwear outlet. Can't go wrong with Ben Davis and Dickies. However, a good selection of T's and sweatshirts is nice but the most important thing is the hardware.
Not all skateboards are created equal. Of course all shops have to carry the Dwindle stuff, and element unfortunately, but if I don't see a ton of DLX, some Regulator (1031), NHS, and Black Label, then I'm immediately put off. The day I ride a BAM deck I might as well start buying from the Shaun White designed clothing selection at Target. Oh, and support the smaller companies. Even if it's just a few decks, supporting the skater owned start-ups keeps your local scene thriving.
Same with wheels. In my opinion there's really only a handful of really decent wheel companies (the only ones that come to mind are Spitfire, Bones, OJ, Ricta, and Landshark). Did I miss any? Anyway, I ride 56's so when I see a cabinet full of 52's and 53's, and the only wheels I find in the 55-56 range are made by Darkstar...yeah, I'm going elsewhere.
About customer service, skaters should work at a skate shop. Generally, unless they're dicks, most skaters will greet you, let you know that they're there if you need anything, but leave you to find what you want. Almost every skater knows what they want before they walk in the door. When I'm looking at Anti-Hero decks and some guy with a crew-cut, Fox shirt, and stretched ears pulls down an Enjoi and says "this is pretty much the same size..."
Oh, I've actually never seen video games set up in a shop but that sounds like a waste of good skate video playing opportunity. That just shouldn't be allowed.
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Thanks for the feedback so far. Of course the "cool guy" vibe is weak. Even if it's shop team hanging around, they should represent the shop in a positive way. Thanks for bringing up the independent videos and DLXSF, both good points. They always treated me great whereas going into a place like Skates On Haight and they just weren't personable. Not trying to talk bad about them, maybe I just went at the wrong day/time. About the videos, we all know that YouTube destroyed the skate video market and when videos don't sell, you have no choice but to put them on clearance to try and recoup the cost just to buy more videos that probably won't sell either. However, the indie videos are a different story and don't usually become outdated, so that's terrific feedback.
Also agree about the watches and sunglasses. A little is one thing, but when skateboard hardware inventory is dwarfed by other crap then it doesn't have the same vibe.
The longboards I don't necessarily agree with. As long as there's a good selection of real skate gear, then they don't bother me. It's not as if they're rollerblades, it's really just a bigger skateboard and I see the appeal of going super fast and carving, but I choose to do it on a normal board. Same with snowboarding, I'm not into it but don't mind seeing it. Another factor is that the profit margins on a lot of skateboard stuff isn't very much so the other stuff can help keep you in business.
Thanks again and keep the peeves coming. Also curious about what kinds of things make you really like a shop.
the problem with having snowboards and longboards is soon the staff become based around these and not skateboarding, and thats shit.
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you guys just described pharmacy boardshop.
pharmacy=shittiest shop ever. fuck pharmacy boardshop! and anyone associated with them.
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I'm asking because I'm advising a buddy of mine with his new shop, and don't want to simply advise based on my personal opinion. The dude love skateboarding and the shop is far enough from every other skater-owned shop that it shouldn't affect their business, mainly want to take customers away from the nearest Zumiez and the like. Now, the owner is a little older and he [awkward silence...] longboards. The crazy super-fast hill and parking garage bombing kind though, not cruising the boardwalk in boardshorts with tribal tats on display. He's a good guy and if the shop is successful he and I can work to do a lot for the local scene. I am selectively building a shop team and want to help guys make the most out of skating while also putting on demos, BBQ's, petitioning for skate parks (that are made properly), fighting anti-skateboarding laws, etc.
If he needs advise on how to stock his shop, your buddy should just open a longboard shop since that's what he's into.
There's also a difference between taking away customers from Zumiez (never been to one, but it sounds lame) and running a legit shop. If he wants to beat them, he'll have to give the same selection at lower prices--basically cater to the lowest common denominator.
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if youre starting a shop a bit of personal advice for board stocking.
Have the boards hung up/stacked up whatever by size not brand, if you do it by brand people will always ask what size stuff is, but if its by size they'll just look through the size they like and find whatever they want, much easier.
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I'm asking because I'm advising a buddy of mine with his new shop, and don't want to simply advise based on my personal opinion. The dude love skateboarding and the shop is far enough from every other skater-owned shop that it shouldn't affect their business, mainly want to take customers away from the nearest Zumiez and the like. Now, the owner is a little older and he [awkward silence...] longboards. The crazy super-fast hill and parking garage bombing kind though, not cruising the boardwalk in boardshorts with tribal tats on display. He's a good guy and if the shop is successful he and I can work to do a lot for the local scene. I am selectively building a shop team and want to help guys make the most out of skating while also putting on demos, BBQ's, petitioning for skate parks (that are made properly), fighting anti-skateboarding laws, etc.
If he needs advise on how to stock his shop, your buddy should just open a longboard shop since that's what he's into.
There's also a difference between taking away customers from Zumiez (never been to one, but it sounds lame) and running a legit shop. If he wants to beat them, he'll have to give the same selection at lower prices--basically cater to the lowest common denominator.
About the Zumiez thing, just saying that there's no heavy/direct competition with core shops. There are some great shops around my area, I'm lucky, and out of principle I wouldn't want to try to compete with them, I'll push for collaborration before competition. Never been into a Zumiez either but walked by them when I was doing school shopping a few weeks back. It made me puke in my mouth a little.
With the longboards, he has that side covered already. Doesn't make a strictly longboard shop because dude has been around skating forever, just drifted a bit out of touch with our side since the 80's, but loves skateboarding so there's nothing wrong with chasing what you love so I'm helping him learn about skating in it's current form/trends (example: he didn't know about the popularity of STF wheels and didn't have any). I started early so in my early 30's I've been in and out of the skate industry for a long while, and I still push myself hard, so when an opportunity comes up to help out my local scene by making sure the next shop that pops up is as undouchey as possibly, gotta jump on it.
If I went with my preference the shop would always play Thrasher videos, stock nothing but local companies, 1031/Landshark/Beer City, and DLX, with a good T selection. My reason for posting this though is to give some skateboarders an opportunity to give input on the formation of a shop because it's you guys who in the end really win if the place turns out to be great. Like I said in the first post, it's market research, in its simplest form.
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-Longboards (but these are in every shop so there is almost no avoiding it)
-Employees who clearly don't skate. Especially teeny-bopper high school girls.
-A weak skate video display - I know dvds don't sell but I buy them. I want to see some independent videos in the case (DLXSF is the best for this).
edit: the guy above me hadn't posted when I started writing my post, but I REALLY agree - cool guy vibe is not acceptable.
Nailed it
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Longboards in the shop = air conditioning in the summer and heating in the winter. Those things suck, but it's the truth.
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The most important aspect to me is that the dudes running it skate themselves while they stock and push the product they like. I want the dude behind the counter to be passionate about what he is selling and not just read me off a fucking mall dialogue. If it happens to be the product I don't like, I guess I'm out of luck, but that dude has an opinion or a reason for it and I respect that. What the shop looks like, the music they are playing, the videos they are watching, all of that stuff is not mine to decide or even impose. If I had to sit in the shop all day while it was sunny outside watching Tivo'd Street League contests because thats what kids are into I would kill everyone that walks in the door, and that would definitely be bad for business.
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-Skater owned is a must.
-Aside from that, the main put-off that I notice immediately would be the lack of a chill area for the kids with like a couch and a TV so they can hang out and watch skate videos. All the legit shops around me have 'em.. all the shitty ones don't. I think it's completely necessary if you want to have a group of kids who are going to hang out at your shop and support it.
For example, when visiting a shop in another city we often travel to, I find the atmosphere a bit odd. There's no TV or hang out area or anything. It's set up like a boutique or whatever... everything is white and spotless. And depending on who was working, they may not even say what's up to us... let alone ask us if we needed help with purchasing anything. However, someone on here kindly explained to me that the shop appears this way because of its location. The shopping mall is very strict on how the businesses are run. So I guess all I can say is to make your shop a good hangout spot if your location allows.
Like I said though, I'm down with their shop. My friends and I have bought quite a few things there... their shop shirts, videos, etc. But the vibe we've gotten most of the time is that we're not really welcome, and they want us in and out as quick as possible.
So I guess like every other kind of shop or store, making people feel welcome is a big deal as well.
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the one i hate most is girls working in the shop
cool guy vibe is probably after that
i know it's hard to get nike and adidas when you are starting but without those i won't doing a lot of shoe shopping there
wack product won't kill it as long as it's balanced with some smaller and more reputable brands
oh and having skaters working in the shop is essential but just know that they will steal from you, no matter how tight you think you are with them
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I'm asking because I'm advising a buddy of mine with his new shop, and don't want to simply advise based on my personal opinion. The dude love skateboarding and the shop is far enough from every other skater-owned shop that it shouldn't affect their business, mainly want to take customers away from the nearest Zumiez and the like. Now, the owner is a little older and he [awkward silence...] longboards. The crazy super-fast hill and parking garage bombing kind though, not cruising the boardwalk in boardshorts with tribal tats on display. He's a good guy and if the shop is successful he and I can work to do a lot for the local scene. I am selectively building a shop team and want to help guys make the most out of skating while also putting on demos, BBQ's, petitioning for skate parks (that are made properly), fighting anti-skateboarding laws, etc.
If he needs advise on how to stock his shop, your buddy should just open a longboard shop since that's what he's into.
There's also a difference between taking away customers from Zumiez (never been to one, but it sounds lame) and running a legit shop. If he wants to beat them, he'll have to give the same selection at lower prices--basically cater to the lowest common denominator.
About the Zumiez thing, just saying that there's no heavy/direct competition with core shops. There are some great shops around my area, I'm lucky, and out of principle I wouldn't want to try to compete with them, I'll push for collaborration before competition. Never been into a Zumiez either but walked by them when I was doing school shopping a few weeks back. It made me puke in my mouth a little.
With the longboards, he has that side covered already. Doesn't make a strictly longboard shop because dude has been around skating forever, just drifted a bit out of touch with our side since the 80's, but loves skateboarding so there's nothing wrong with chasing what you love so I'm helping him learn about skating in it's current form/trends (example: he didn't know about the popularity of STF wheels and didn't have any). I started early so in my early 30's I've been in and out of the skate industry for a long while, and I still push myself hard, so when an opportunity comes up to help out my local scene by making sure the next shop that pops up is as undouchey as possibly, gotta jump on it.
If I went with my preference the shop would always play Thrasher videos, stock nothing but local companies, 1031/Landshark/Beer City, and DLX, with a good T selection. My reason for posting this though is to give some skateboarders an opportunity to give input on the formation of a shop because it's you guys who in the end really win if the place turns out to be great. Like I said in the first post, it's market research, in its simplest form.
If you are going to do smaller brands I would do more than just the 'punk' (for lack of a better term) brands. Maybe Traffic, Shut, Coda, Rasa Libre, Paradise Wheels, Prize Fighter Cutlery wheels, Magenta Skateboards... companies like that.
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The silent awkward shops where the guy just kinda watches you browse the whole time.
Haha this one made me laugh.
You guys pretty much covered it, but I'll add something. It isn't really a MUST, but I do like it when shops have old boards or posters or some shit on the walls. It's just gives it some personality.
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-Skater owned is a must.
-Aside from that, the main put-off that I notice immediately would be the lack of a chill area for the kids with like a couch and a TV so they can hang out and watch skate videos. All the legit shops around me have 'em.. all the shitty ones don't. I think it's completely necessary if you want to have a group of kids who are going to hang out at your shop and support it.
Now don't interpret this as shit talking. But when visiting Kansas City, I've been to Escapist several times, and I find the atmosphere a bit odd. There's no TV or hang out area or anything. It's set up like a boutique or whatever... everything is white and spotless. And depending on who was working, they may not even say what's up to us... let alone ask us if we needed help with purchasing anything.
Like I said though, I'm down with their shop. My friends and I have bought quite a few things there... their shop shirts, videos, etc. But the vibe we've gotten most of the time is that we're not really welcome, and they want us in and out as quick as possible.
So I guess like every other kind of shop or store, making people feel welcome is a big deal as well.
To each his own, doesn't sound like a shop I would back though.
Here's what we're heading for, much of it we already have. To be clear this isn't a pipe dream, it's been open for business for a few months now, just want to make sure it's proper before we advertise heavily so people get a good first impression.
- Carpeted entryway with couch and coffee table. After going through the entryway there's a wooden picnic table in center of shop, flat screen on the wall. As the video selection grows I'd like to make the "outdated" videos available for cheap rent ($1/day).
- Workbench in back, tools available for people to wrench on their boards at the picnic table too.
- Open wall of boards. I hate it when I have to ask someone to pull a board down for me or when they're behind the counter. Stock should always be around 100 decks, most major companies represented with a good amount of underground brands and local company decks added in. Unfortunately you have to carry some blanks, but not prominently displayed. I don't push blank decks but I'm thinking Beer City because they're good and skater-owned, not coming from a Chinese toy factory, as an alternative to the Powell and Darkstar mini-logo boards. Shop boards will likely be collaboration with local companies (but I'd love to do something like a shop/Krooked board).
- Wheels: I personally believe that Spitfire, Bones, OJ, Ricta, and Landshark (surprisingly good I hear) are really all you need. I haven't heard great things about Hubba. I'd rather go with a proper wheel brand than board company names stamped on generic wheels. Does anyone disagree with any of that statement? Would you really be upset if a shop didn't have Girl or Plan B wheels?
- Trucks: Easy, stock the majors in a variety of sizes.
- Bearings. I've ride Spitfire Burners bearings and they're awesome so gotta have those, Bones, Shortys, FKD, and maybe some others that kids want for some reason like Shake Junt. I had a really bad experience with Independent bearings, has anyone tried and liked them? Mine were complete shit.
- The rest of the hardware is standard variety.
- It's not a boutique, it's a skate shop, so aside from t-shirts and a few hats and sweatshirts, I'm thinking about focusing on the hardware for now. Do you guys walk into a skate shop and say "man, this place needs more pants" or anything like that? I don't but again, thats why I'm asking this here.
Please don't hold back if you have any ideas. Even if though it might not be your local shop, who knows, you might road trip through some time and be able to stop in. I have been devoted to skateboarding for a couple dozen years and I know that a local shop is a special thing, and I take every comment on here very seriously. Even the ones about meth and blowjobs.
The shop is moving to a new space this weekend and set-up of the new shop and roiding up the inventory will commence over the next couple of weeks. When it's done I'll post up the details, name, location, and pics.
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If you are going to do smaller brands I would do more than just the 'punk' (for lack of a better term) brands. Maybe Traffic, Shut, Coda, Rasa Libre, Paradise Wheels, Prize Fighter Cutlery wheels, Magenta Skateboards... companies like that.
Agreed. Already planned on doing Shut and Rasa Libre. I'll look into the others, I've heard of some of them, not all, but am not familiar with the rest. Thanks a lot for bringing that up. Once again, that's why I'm on here asking this weird question, so there's more than Bacon, Cockfight, and Pillage on the walls.
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If you are going to do smaller brands I would do more than just the 'punk' (for lack of a better term) brands. Maybe Traffic, Shut, Coda, Rasa Libre, Paradise Wheels, Prize Fighter Cutlery wheels, Magenta Skateboards... companies like that.
Agreed. Already planned on doing Shut and Rasa Libre. I'll look into the others, I've heard of some of them, not all, but am not familiar with the rest. Thanks a lot for bringing that up. Once again, that's why I'm on here asking this weird question, so there's more than Bacon, Cockfight, and Pillage on the walls.
Uh oh, looks like Shut stopped operations. Definitely won't forget about 5boro too. I know they're a bit bigger than the others you mentioned, but I don't see them in enough shops.
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You asked about the wheels - My rule of thumb is to buy wheels from a wheel brand. I figure the chances of them focusing on putting out a better quality wheel is greater than a board company.
As far as what you said about pants - though I never buy skate jeans (or any skate clothing for that matter), the unfortunate truth is that soft-goods sell better and these are often not skateboarders buying this stuff. While I was the one that made the original comment that I get turned off when I see a shop that sells more soft-goods than hard, I still think it is smart business to cary some pants, jackets, sweatshirts, button-ups and the like. Don't focus on it but also don't skip out on it entirely.
I mean, shit, you might not even want to listen to us to have a successful shop! Maybe the path to success is carrying more soft-goods and ignoring small brands. While I have more respect for a shop trying to do what you are doing, you can't deposit respect into the bank.
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If you are going to do smaller brands I would do more than just the 'punk' (for lack of a better term) brands. Maybe Traffic, Shut, Coda, Rasa Libre, Paradise Wheels, Prize Fighter Cutlery wheels, Magenta Skateboards... companies like that.
Agreed. Already planned on doing Shut and Rasa Libre. I'll look into the others, I've heard of some of them, not all, but am not familiar with the rest. Thanks a lot for bringing that up. Once again, that's why I'm on here asking this weird question, so there's more than Bacon, Cockfight, and Pillage on the walls.
Uh oh, looks like Shut stopped operations. Definitely won't forget about 5boro too. I know they're a bit bigger than the others you mentioned, but I don't see them in enough shops.
Agreed, on 5Boro. Too bad about shut. Even though BLVD has a bigger backing than some of the other brands I listed up there, I would go for them as well. I am a big fan of everything they are doing.
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three nike banners, one window
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No sale/clearance section. Those are what's stopping me from buying everything online.
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-Skater owned is a must.
-Aside from that, the main put-off that I notice immediately would be the lack of a chill area for the kids with like a couch and a TV so they can hang out and watch skate videos. All the legit shops around me have 'em.. all the shitty ones don't. I think it's completely necessary if you want to have a group of kids who are going to hang out at your shop and support it.
Now don't interpret this as shit talking. But when visiting Kansas City, I've been to Escapist several times, and I find the atmosphere a bit odd. There's no TV or hang out area or anything. It's set up like a boutique or whatever... everything is white and spotless. And depending on who was working, they may not even say what's up to us... let alone ask us if we needed help with purchasing anything.
Like I said though, I'm down with their shop. My friends and I have bought quite a few things there... their shop shirts, videos, etc. But the vibe we've gotten most of the time is that we're not really welcome, and they want us in and out as quick as possible.
So I guess like every other kind of shop or store, making people feel welcome is a big deal as well.
To each his own, doesn't sound like a shop I would back though.
Here's what we're heading for, much of it we already have. To be clear this isn't a pipe dream, it's been open for business for a few months now, just want to make sure it's proper before we advertise heavily so people get a good first impression.
- Carpeted entryway with couch and coffee table. After going through the entryway there's a wooden picnic table in center of shop, flat screen on the wall. As the video selection grows I'd like to make the "outdated" videos available for cheap rent ($1/day).
- Workbench in back, tools available for people to wrench on their boards at the picnic table too.
- Open wall of boards. I hate it when I have to ask someone to pull a board down for me or when they're behind the counter. Stock should always be around 100 decks, most major companies represented with a good amount of underground brands and local company decks added in. Unfortunately you have to carry some blanks, but not prominently displayed. I don't push blank decks but I'm thinking Beer City because they're good and skater-owned, not coming from a Chinese toy factory, as an alternative to the Powell and Darkstar mini-logo boards. Shop boards will likely be collaboration with local companies (but I'd love to do something like a shop/Krooked board).
- Wheels: I personally believe that Spitfire, Bones, OJ, Ricta, and Landshark (surprisingly good I hear) are really all you need. I haven't heard great things about Hubba. I'd rather go with a proper wheel brand than board company names stamped on generic wheels. Does anyone disagree with any of that statement? Would you really be upset if a shop didn't have Girl or Plan B wheels?
- Trucks: Easy, stock the majors in a variety of sizes.
- Bearings. I've ride Spitfire Burners bearings and they're awesome so gotta have those, Bones, Shortys, FKD, and maybe some others that kids want for some reason like Shake Junt. I had a really bad experience with Independent bearings, has anyone tried and liked them? Mine were complete shit.
- The rest of the hardware is standard variety.
- It's not a boutique, it's a skate shop, so aside from t-shirts and a few hats and sweatshirts, I'm thinking about focusing on the hardware for now. Do you guys walk into a skate shop and say "man, this place needs more pants" or anything like that? I don't but again, thats why I'm asking this here.
Please don't hold back if you have any ideas. Even if though it might not be your local shop, who knows, you might road trip through some time and be able to stop in. I have been devoted to skateboarding for a couple dozen years and I know that a local shop is a special thing, and I take every comment on here very seriously. Even the ones about meth and blowjobs.
The shop is moving to a new space this weekend and set-up of the new shop and roiding up the inventory will commence over the next couple of weeks. When it's done I'll post up the details, name, location, and pics.
i do like a decent selection of board brand shirts and pants and jackets and stuff.
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Don't forget about shoes
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a public shitter is important, also a change room with a door
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an old guy wearing a nice shirt and a tie at the counter.
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seeing old shoes on display where the white outsole is turning yellow
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its cool when they sell stuff that is not sold by other shops in the area, for example in melbourne only one place sells palace.
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I work in a mall shop, so I'll give you my opinion based on experience in a mall shop. There's a few things you can do, that we can't, that always hurts our business.
- Stock brands Zumies DOESN'T carry. This will help bring people into your shop. My shop doesn't carry Supra, so we lost a lot of business when Supra dealers moved near us.
-Don't be afraid to order specific stock. Mall shops can't usually just order one thing in, their ordering and purchasing is done at a head office level, and done ahead of time. Owning your own shop allows you to order specific stock. The local shop I used to go to would order in specific boards/shoes from brands they carried. They always had catalogue's around so you could browse current models you can order in specifically.
- Keep the atmosphere as skate oriented as possible, and have things in/around the shop to bring people to your store. My local shop used to have rails, a spine, a quarter pipe, and some other stuff cemented in behind the shop. And they had a mini ramp in the back room.
- Don't be afraid of poser kids, and don't treat poser kids like shit. They may be annoying, and bug the regulars, but they may also help business. Explain to your regulars that they need to be respectful to dumb wiener kids, cause they won't come back/spend money if they're ragged on. Bad gossip travels faster than good gossip. If some kid goes into your store and gets dumped on, he'll never come back, and he'll probably tell all his poser friends that you guys are pricks, and then they'll tell their parents, and you'll lose a bunch of business.
- Become involved in your skate community. Go skate with the kids, the regulars. The owner of the shop i grew up at used to actually skate with us all the time. He was nice to the kids, and the regulars, and his involvement made us want to shop there, and support him. Put on contests, skate tours, all that stuff. We used to have a "skate club" every thursday where the shop regulars all went out and skated together. The more you're out there, the more kids you meet, and the more word will spread.
- Meet some skaters that work at Zumiez. Seriously, do it. If they dig you, they'll probably send customers to you. If someone comes into Zumiez, can't find what they want, and a Zumiez employee likes you, and know you carry that product... They'll probably send them your way. My store always sends people to the closest private shop to find skate shit we don't have. As much as we are a corporation and what not, we still skate, and still like to help local skate shops. If we don't carry what someones looking for, we aren't losing business if we send them to another shop, we're just making the customer happy.
- Find a good balance between price matching, and giving deals. Keep an eye on your prices, and zumiez prices, and try to compete. And if someone comes in, buys a set up, and shoes, and some hardware, and a bunch of shit, don't be afraid to help them out. Give them 10$ off or something, or throw something in. Mall shops can't really do this. But don't give discounts to everyone who asks. Sometimes you've just gotta say no, but be cool about it. Just explain that you lose money by giving deals.
- I mentioned regulars before, but didn't explain much. Find some regulars! Get some guys hyped on the store, and hyped to hangout there. It may start with only 3 or 4 dudes hanging around there, but eventually you'll end up with a pack of rad dudes who ONLY shop in your store, and will spread the word!
- Set up some kind of shop team. 4 or 5 dudes who rip. Give them shirts, stickers, anything to help advertise your shop, and flow them some gear here and there. If they're sick, kids will eventually know they skate for you, and will end up bringing people to your store.
That's just off the top of my head, hope it helps. As hard as it may seem to compete with Zumiez, it's easier than you think. It's slowly become more and more "uncool" to shop at the mall, and if you run a legit shop, with comparable pricing, people will shop there instead of zumiez. Even if it's just for Skate stuff. You may not get all the shoe/clothing sales, but if you can take their skate hardware business away, it will help you as well as hurt them.
Let me know if you have any questions!
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being honest with kids always pays back. if somebody asks you how long a certain shoe lasts be honest and show them another one that lasts longer. don't tell em shit like "this are the fastest bearings" or whatever.
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The only skateshop I never will go back to is one where the guy put my deck on after I gripped it, and laid on the board to countersink the bolts as hard as he could. I told him to stop and that he was ruining my board, he told me it was better, and I still told him to stop because it weakens the board a lot, but he still kept fucking screwing it in all hard. I broke the deck that day skating a knee high ledge. I almost went back just to bitch him out, but I already did, and he didn't listen then, so fuck him, he lost me, and he'll lose more customers too.
-Nike shit (especially ads and swooshes everywhere)
-No skater owned skate shoes
-More clothes than skate stuff (I like how 510 does it where all soft goods are sold in a completely different storefront next door)
-Only a couple of brands
-Person behind the counter doesn't know shit about skating.
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The only skateshop I never will go back to is one where the guy put my deck on after I gripped it, and laid on the board to countersink the bolts as hard as he could. I told him to stop and that he was ruining my board, he told me it was better, and I still told him to stop because it weakens the board a lot, but he still kept fucking screwing it in all hard. I broke the deck that day skating a knee high ledge. I almost went back just to bitch him out, but I already did, and he didn't listen then, so fuck him, he lost me, and he'll lose more customers too.
-Nike shit (especially ads and swooshes everywhere)
-No skater owned skate shoes
-More clothes than skate stuff (I like how 510 does it where all soft goods are sold in a completely different storefront next door)
-Only a couple of brands
-Person behind the counter doesn't know shit about skating.
It is one storefront now.
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The silent awkward shops where the guy just kinda watches you browse the whole time.
What the fuck are you talking about? I hate it when the workers need to fucking talk all the time. If you don't have anything important to say then don't talk to me unless I talk to you.
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If the shoe wall is bigger than the board wall, I feel a little weird.
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if i walk in and no-one says hello or at least gives me a head nod, im not buyin
agreed. well actually i might still buy if there is a good deal, but it's nice to be greeted. i get the feeling that i just walked into someone's house uninvited if i don't get a hello. it's uncomfortable. and the dudes that don't say hello are usually the ones that stare you down expecting you to shoplift or something.
so say hi.
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-Longboards (but these are in every shop so there is almost no avoiding it)
-Employees who clearly don't skate. Especially teeny-bopper high school girls.
-A weak skate video display - I know dvds don't sell but I buy them. I want to see some independent videos in the case (DLXSF is the best for this).
I got 3 local shops, and they all have longboards and no employees that skates (besides one dude I think). So I usually just buy shit online instead of giving them any of my hard earned cash
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Definitely walking in and having everyone giving you this awkward stare. This kept me from going to the local shop and to just order stuff online.
Or having to listen to Blink 182 while skating a mini ramp.
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when you walk in and there's no bob marley t shirts.......
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Poor customer service takes the cake. I'm not saying you have to be phony like a waiter but damn act like you give a shit.
Although this isn't "immediate" I sometimes hate how shops don't usually get the new shit in time, unless its nike.
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The silent awkward shops where the guy just kinda watches you browse the whole time.
What the fuck are you talking about? I hate it when the workers need to fucking talk all the time. If you don't have anything important to say then don't talk to me unless I talk to you.
Well I'm not socially regular, so people talking to me isn't really a big deal.
Even a colloquial greeting when I walk through the door is good enough for me.
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The majority of skaters are socially regular though. I sure don't want any more than a head nod or a hello.
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hipster music in the shop, the guy talking about how good he skate fuck all that crazy ass attitude, here in chile are 3 or 5 skate owned shop and all sucks
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The presence of snowboards is an immediate deal-breaker.
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employees that think they know more about skateboarding shoes/decks than i do
rich kids getting better service with mom there
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oh and same employee trying to make me buy different unproven shit every time, I don't give a fuck how "dope" janoski's are, i don't give a fuck about your fucking tensor trucks
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oh and same employee trying to make me buy different unproven shit every time, I don't give a fuck how "dope" janoski's are, i don't give a fuck about your fucking tensor trucks
this shit pisses me off, when i go to the shop i always have at least a good idea of what i want, im not gonna buy what you tell me just because you think its cool
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The majority of skaters are socially regular though. I sure don't want any more than a head nod or a hello.
Okay, well that's more of an engagement than said awkward silence from my initial post.
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shops that clearly are marketing all their products for little kids, shitty brand selection, snowboard gear, employees cool guyin the customers i've never understood this i'm going to your fucking shop to buy things if your gonna be a cock i'm not gonna get anything or come back again, but make sure you have a couch and a tv with playing some local video so people can come chill n shit
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energy drink cabinet, board wall full of nothing but shit guaranteed to sell- but that one's already been thoroughly covered.
free shop stickers is a must
I'm big on having a decent sticker selection to choose from when I'm in the market for a board. And though I'm not too particular on the matter, a lot of people have an almost odd loyalty to whatever griptape they're used to, so you may wanna research what 3 or so griptape companies are the safest bets.
The concept someone mentioned of a communal 2nd hand bin full of used components is always awesome. Nothing puts a bad taste in your mouth more than being charged 25 cents for a single hardware nut and bolt. A 2nd hand board selection is a good idea as well. The shop I go to/ride for will give store credit for old decks in ridable condition and sell them for cheap.
Having pleanty of tools (especially a surplus of sharp razor blades) and workspace handy so that multiple people can be essembling their boards sumultaneously is a good idea.
And also, someone mentioned skate videos, even though they don't sell- which I agree with, but I'd like to add to this skateboard magazines. At least have shop copies for kids to nerd out over if you're not gonna stock em' for retail purposes.
A willingness to do special orders for shop locals is a much appreciated courtesy.
If you can't find guys well versed in both skating and snowboarding, finding people with snowboard knowledge willing to work seasonally could help prevent the shift of focus everyone on here is so up-in-arms about. And yeah, I agree with longboard products sort of being tucked away, same with snowboarding gear, skimboards, etc..
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Getting vibed for not wearing skate brand clothes, or not looking like a "skater".
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oh and same employee trying to make me buy different unproven shit every time, I don't give a fuck how "dope" janoski's are, i don't give a fuck about your fucking tensor trucks
yeah, I was gripping/setting up a new deck at a shop that I don't go to super often but happened to be close to, and the guy behind the counter kept trying to sell me Ace trucks. At first he was real friendly, then he started insinuating that if I was a real skater I'd understand that Ace trucks are far superior the the Thunders I'm riding. Never went there again, 2annoyingbro
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Attractive female employees.
I lose focus and end up buying shit that I didn't intend to. ("She's watching me! I better buy this chicken wax so she thinks I'm worth her time")
Nowison!
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I always felt weird when I called a shop with a specific question about a product or something relating to skating and a girl answers the phone. I end up not even asking the original question. My go to question for when a girl answers the phone is "what time do you guys close?"
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Haha, there's this one shop I know of, and I guess sometimes the guy gets his girlfriend (or I think wife now) to fill in, and she INSISTS on gripping a board she sells, even if you actually ask her not to. She fucked up my buddy's grip hardcore, hahaha.
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I always felt weird when I called a shop with a specific question about a product or something relating to skating and a girl answers the phone. I end up not even asking the original question. My go to question for when a girl answers the phone is "what time do you guys close?"
I think in a lot of cases this is valid, but I wouldn't automatically jump to that conclusion over the phone. The girl *might* skate or may have taken the time to learn some basics, at the very least from word of mouth. In one case, again using Cowtown as an example being it's pretty much the epitome of a well executed core skate shop, the owner's wife Laura would work the shop sometimes and she was cool as hell and seemed familiar with the inventory, knew what's good, etc.
Also, though I think skate shops should only hire skateboarders, having a non-skating girl work the shop seems ok as long as there's at least one skater working there too.
Girl or guy, if anyone "insisted" on gripping my board I would insist right back that they keep their hands off my shit.
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Antisocials owned by a woman(I think rick isn't in anymore, could be wrong), and for a while had only her and another female friend running the whole thing. It actually does a ton of the things said 'not to do' in this thread and is definately the best shop in vancouver. Location is a big part though, I don't think a boutique run by women would work in many other places.
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There's a shop called KORE that doesnt have one person that skates and they sell army clothes and GAS MASK
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I went to a shop near my parents house a few months ago, and their whole deck selection consisted of element, darkstar, world industries and almost. Nothing above like a 7.75, if that. For trucks, they offered silver, destructo and tensor. All the bearings/bolts were element, there were more longboard wheels than skate wheels and there was snowboard shit out in the summer. It was like a nightmare, haha.
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-Walking into a shop and the guy working there is wearing a Fox shirt or a Tapout shirt (it's happened)
-DC shoes all over the fucking place, Billabong, Plan B, basically everything that's already been said.
I dunno, everything has already been said. I live in a really small town in Nova Scotia, Canada, so either I go to my local shop or I drive an hour to go to West 49 (Bigger selection but shitty) and we used to have this shop called Zero Gravity, and they had really shitty boards, clothes, shoes, hardware, and a really unfriendly staff who didn't give a fuck, and half of the workers were girls. I mean, some of the stuff was good but it was basically a 2:5 ratio of good to bad. Now, we have this shop called HAF and it's actually pretty sick. A lot of good brands like Altamont, DVS, Emerica, Vans, and a lot of sick hardware like Krooked boards, Baker boards (Whatever), Alien Workshop, Habitat, Thunder, Bones, Spitfire, all of the likes. The staff consists of like 3 guys, all of which skate and they're really nice guys and we talk about skate videos and shit all of the time.
So I dunno, don't get shitty brands of clothes (Because as sad as it is that's gonna be where most of your profit is coming from) and get good boards and hardware! Good luck brah.
Oh my God the worst thing are a lot of surf stuff. Just, no.
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Diamond clothing all over the clothing section
Longboards
World Industries
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It is kind of a bummer when the shop doesn't carry certain brands (Adidas, Fallen, Dekline) because the manager doesn't like said brands.
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I worked at Utility for four and a half years, this fucking hell hole called "Kore" for a month and i quit that stupid place, and im now working at a shop that is owned locally for just about six months now.
From seeing every different aspect of all these places that main thing i learned is who ever you hire make sure they know about skating, when you cant answer peoples questions about product it is an auto turn down. I've worked with people who didnt really skate but i would always show them videos and Mags and fill them in on things which really helped. Kids who were the "core" skaters in my area would still come in and chill with these guys because they could still talk about skating with these other employees who didn't skate, some even started skating which was fucking sick. Basically people can tell if your bullshitting be honest to customers.
Product is hard to tell from the start because u need to see what will sell in your area more.
NEVER act to cool, annoying kids will turn into grown ass kids who can skate better so just be chill with everyone unless they are obviously being a douche.
Side note fuck KORE that was the fuckin worst place i have ever worked, straight up corparate scum.
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Two things are make and break for all skateshops in San Diego.
1. If they don't sell Almost, they don't sell shit.
2. If I don't hear KoRn or Natalie Imbruglia, they don't sell shit.
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Now, we have this shop called HAF and it's actually pretty sick. A lot of good brands like Altamont, DVS, Emerica, Vans, and a lot of sick hardware like Krooked boards, Baker boards (Whatever), Alien Workshop, Habitat, Thunder, Bones, Spitfire, all of the likes. The staff consists of like 3 guys, all of which skate and they're really nice guys and we talk about skate videos and shit all of the time.
psyched! that's like an hour away from me.. definitely paying em a visit.. i'm in the same small-town boat as you.
and yeah, everything already said, especially the deal about size/stock proportions. there's nothing worse than walking into some shop loaded with awesome gear and being left with 2 or 3 choices because you don't have a size 16 foot or wear toddler clothes.
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If its in a mall or sells stuff other than skateboarding
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There's a shop called KORE that doesnt have one person that skates and they sell army clothes and GAS MASK
Hahaha I just went to their website out of curiosity and the first thing that pops up is a picture of a dude wearing an affliction shirt and the photo said "Swag!" on top of it. Here are some other gems I found.
"We have the biggest selection of kicks in cali-ali!!! Also, we have many of our kick's on saleezy!!!"
"Deck, ohhhhh our decks. We must say they be pretty clean!"
"Yo, also we have much apparel like TuB.i.g. LRG, Green Apple Tree, JSLV, GRENADE, KORE, NEFF,ECT"
Seriously? Saleezy?
This place makes Zumiez seem badass.
(http://koreskateshop.com/welcome/images/phocagallery/kore_funk_sunday/thumbs/phoca_thumb_l_Kore_Stores077.JPG)
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Skate videos have already been mentioned a bunch, but this really is a big one for me. I like having a physical copy of videos, so it's nice that my shop has the latest videos and a decent selection of older stuff.
I like it when shops have shop shirts/sweatshirts. Skate brands are generally really expensive, but I know soft goods bring in more money than hard goods. If I'm checking out a shop in some area I'm visiting, I'll almost always buy a shirt for the shop or a local video (as long as it seems like a good shop). I figure buying a shop t-shirt supports the shop and also "advertises" it to other people when I wear it.
Stuff to skate outside if there's room for it. Mini ramp inside is always awesome to see, but I realize that's difficult for almost every shop.
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well my local shop went out of business, i'm pretty sure that classifies as a "put-off" right??
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Do you guys walk into a skate shop and say "man, this place needs more pants" or anything like that?
(http://troll.me/images/pushy-john-barrowman/pants-who-needs-pants.jpg)
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Its not a skateshop if they dont have Indys
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I like to at least be noticed when i walk in like a head nod or a what's up. I don't mind the xbox with SKATE in it as long as we can still play a good video. As long as I can get my size from a company I like riding I'm good but if it has some kid I know doesn't skate working I'm done with the shop
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1. old and outdated product.
2. no boards over 8.0
3. dirty box of generic hardware with the bolt heads that are big enough to hold train tracks together
4. people who have no idea about what their talking about
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KCDC (brooklyn NYC) is a great skate shop.. and it happens to be run by a women.
weird that everyone seems to be vibed by girls / women in the shop.
i mean if they dont know anything, and no one there does. yeah then its weird.
but seriously.. is everyone here 14 and afraid of girls?
anywhos. i hate it when people try to "sell" me something. obviously people are gonna have things they like over other things. but if you got shit that isn't selling, don't try to push it out the door. just put it on sale and hopes it leaves and don't get it again.
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cool guy jock motherfuckers that don't skate/sometimes skate running the place. or shop owners with too big of an ego. or a horrible combination of both.
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got vibed by the dude at the counter when i went into Cowtown yesterday. i'd rather order online from liberty or whatever than deal with that.
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When the dude working doesn't saying anything to you about skating. Only "want to try on those shoes?" "want me to grab you a board?"
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Its not a skateshop if they dont have Indys
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seeing the word "Zumiez" in neon letters on top of it, also if it's in a mall.
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When the shop feels like a Boutique instead of friendly atmosphere where you're comfortable. Also employees who don't skate. Element is notorious for hiring people who don't and when they talk to about skating you want to punch them in the face! Plus, carrying super gay shit like vans that are purple, blue, green, and pink. No get that shit out. Plus a shit load of Vulc. Get at least one cupsole in stock.
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chicks that dont skate gripping my board with crazy scissors
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I'm gonna give a huge shout out to Blue Tile in Columbia, SC.
My nephew is 7 and just got into skateboarding. My mom told me about it and said she didn't want him riding some lame Wal-Mart board. I told her to go to the local shop and ask for some help with his size. I also told her to be prepared for the way local shops were (blow her off because she's in her 50s, not give a shit about a little kid) but that going local was always better. My mom took Simon, my nephew, there right when they opened and dude was just cruising up. He saw my nephew and said, "Are you waiting for me?!" and warmed right up. He took my nephew around, showed him the whole shop, let him touch the boards and hold them etc. Then he got him on a board that was good for his size, didn't rip my mom off with a bunch of bullshit that isn't going to have anything to do with a little dude's first board and sent them on their way.
That's a big deal to me- seeing how the shop dudes interact with the non-cool guys, the little dudes and the parents.
Yeah, that shit gets played and isn't cool, but remember, we all started somewhere. I'd much rather my nephew start off with a good experience than getting blown off for a regular.
Now this is fucking rad. I'd have never thought how stoked a kid would be to get a little tour of everything - it must seem so mysterious. Really psyched to hear this.
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It's really cool. I'm not a local to Columbia, so I had no idea. Really stoked on the whole experience. People need to stop and think about how taking five minutes can totally effect the way a little dude starts skating and how an adult non-skater views skating. My mom has fully backed my skating since I was 8, so she knew how it could go, but she said Simon couldn't have had a better time picking out his first board.
Now I just have to get him to stop lying to me about the tricks he can do. The other day he told me he meant to do an ollie but "accidentally" did a 360 flip.
Hahaha man I wish that would happen to me! For real though, glad to hear about the experience. First time I ever went in to a real skate shop I had my parents circling the block waiting for me to come out. I was so nervous I told the guy (Grant Taylor's dad) that I didn't need griptape. Luckily he sorted me out.
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I'm definitely not into small talk, but when it involves skating that totally changes. When the dudes appear uninterested in talking about skating that pisses me off. The people who work at Supreme NYC suck big time. At least the time I went and the times I've talked to them. The guy who runs Cardinal in Virginia Beach is super tight. The people who work at Venue(Dominion) are usually too cool for school. Historically at least. Sean O Dell is tight though. I've been going there since i started in like 2002 and never once has the owner spoken to me at all.
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I'm definitely not into small talk, but when it involves skating that totally changes. When the dudes appear uninterested in talking about skating that pisses me off. The people who work at Supreme NYC suck big time. At least the time I went and the times I've talked to them. The guy who runs Cardinal in Virginia Beach is super tight. The people who work at Venue(Dominion) are usually too cool for school. Historically at least. Sean O Dell is tight though. I've been going there since i started in like 2002 and never once has the owner spoken to me at all.
I'm not a hundred percent on this, but I do believe that's Kyle Berard's dad.
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It's really cool. I'm not a local to Columbia, so I had no idea. Really stoked on the whole experience. People need to stop and think about how taking five minutes can totally effect the way a little dude starts skating and how an adult non-skater views skating. My mom has fully backed my skating since I was 8, so she knew how it could go, but she said Simon couldn't have had a better time picking out his first board.
Now I just have to get him to stop lying to me about the tricks he can do. The other day he told me he meant to do an ollie but "accidentally" did a 360 flip.
Hahaha man I wish that would happen to me! For real though, glad to hear about the experience. First time I ever went in to a real skate shop I had my parents circling the block waiting for me to come out. I was so nervous I told the guy (Grant Taylor's dad) that I didn't need griptape. Luckily he sorted me out.
I'm not an ATL native but have family there and visit all the time, Stratosphere is definitely awesome.
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I gotta check out Cardinal some time soon. I don't think I've ever even seen it before which is strange since I've lived in VA my whole life. There are not too many core shops around the Hampton Roads part of VA except this one place called Skate Supply. I really like that shop and I've heard that some days they don't really get any customers which really sucks. I think it has something to do with the location of the shop. I can't really describe it but that shop is definitely not where everyone can see. Anyway I went to my local shop today and a chick who looked like she was around 18-20 was running the shop by herself. I thought that was pretty lame.
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when you walk in and theirs that guy jacking off in the corner and then he vibes you for not jacking off in public (fuck that guy)
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Shops that price their trucks individually. That's usually a good warning sign for me.
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i hate the longboards but unfortunately this is one of the best ways for our local shops to make money, all the rich college kids come in with daddy's credit card and blow 400 dollars on something they will never use! thanks for the money kook!
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Pre-made completes and penny boards!
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Not being able to touch boards and fell them I went to a shop that told me i couldn't see the board unless I'm buying.
also check what skaters in your area are into i would like to open a shop and support smaller brands like Roger which is my favorite board company. Except i would be closed in months if i didn't carry stuff from baker boys distribution since it's the most popular brand in my small town.
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The lamest shit you can see when you walk into a core shop is seeing a woman working there. Save that shit for zumiez and vans stores.
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The lamest shit you can see when you walk into a core shop is seeing a woman working there. Save that shit for zumiez and vans stores.
I got a couple of smoking hot chicks in my shop and they both skate, they know there shit and can grip a board better than you. Just cos they got tits dont mean they cant out do most dudes on the skate chat.
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The lamest shit you can see when you walk into a core shop is seeing a woman working there. Save that shit for zumiez and vans stores.
Dude, thats awesome that you have hotties, who skate and know what the fuck they are talking about. I've always run into the exact opposite situation. Where's your shop and what's it called?
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That's a big deal to me- seeing how the shop dudes interact with the non-cool guys, the little dudes and the parents.
This. Sunday skate shop in Buffalo has always been really cool about it. My mom bought me Bag of Suck for my birthday one year and there's no way she would have known to get it without a friendly dude in the shop. Good job mom.
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People who don't know shit about skateboarding
Went into this shop right after stay gold came out, asked the dude if they had stay gold. He just looked at me like a fucking person and said he didn't know what it was. Walked out and downloaded that shit
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The lamest shit you can see when you walk into a core shop is seeing a woman working there. Save that shit for zumiez and vans stores.
Dude, thats awesome that you have hotties, who skate and know what the fuck they are talking about. I've always run into the exact opposite situation. Where's your shop and what's it called?
Aberdeen Scotland, one of them is about to blast off to France for the summer to surf and skate so im going to be down one. I have had shitty skateshop experience also so its easy to get it right, just depends if you can be arsed or are hungover
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Polar boards, on a side and scooters on the other.
(and also magenta/palace/western edition, mixed with shitty plastic cruisers/longboards, beach cruisers and fixed gears..)
aka the "corest sell-out shop ever"
WHY?
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Definitely already been said, but
1. scooters
2. nothing over 8.25
3. not skater operated.
The main shop in my city is run by a stingy rollerblader.
The other two main guys that work there are cool though, they don't skate (much anymore) but still keep up on it and are able to talk about videos etc.
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chicks that dont skate gripping my board with crazy scissors
why the fuck are you letting chicks grip your board in the first place?1 i really really grudge anyone else gripping my board let alone the standard teeny 'surf chick' thats inevitably works in any given skateshop
as far as the thread goes nothing that hasnt been said already to be honest..
as long as theres a good atmosphere in the shop i can easily look past questionable stock (longboards etc) IF the hardware is up to scratch, if they got a good selection of brands/sizes im stoked. Youre never gonna please every one but if you have as broad a spectrum as you can then your gonna be better off than you would be if you just aimed your shit at one demographic i.e- only stocking dlx thrasher and cons
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I think everyone pretty much already summed it up.
But my two biggest pet peeves are employees who have the "better than thou" attitude and employees who have little to no product knowledge at all. If you don't know the difference between a 139 and 149 truck, then why are you even working there?
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The lamest shit you can see when you walk into a core shop is seeing a woman working there. Save that shit for zumiez and vans stores.
i know where you work dude... i wouldnt be throwing the word 'smoking' around that casually, haha i thought one of 'em was once but it turned out it was just the stench fog from sparkys armpits!
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Employees asking/saying "so you know what kinda brands you like?" or "we just got a bunch of great longboards in today".
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chicks that dont skate gripping my board with crazy scissors
Nobody above 14 should get another person to grip their board for them anyway. It's like getting a dude with a bigger dick to fuck your girlfriend for you but worst.
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chicks that dont skate gripping my board with crazy scissors
We can learn much from your wisdom, sir.
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chicks that dont skate gripping my board with crazy scissors
We can learn much from your wisdom, sir.
Concurring on that one! HAHAHA!
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chicks that dont skate gripping my board with crazy scissors
We can learn much from your wisdom, sir.
Concurring on that one! HAHAHA!
Fuck that! If I'm spending $56 for a deck why should I have to grip my own board? It's not about masculinity...
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yea its fucking griptape, who cares. if someone wants to save me a couple minutes go right ahead.
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To me not gripping your own board seems like some little kid shit. Skating a board that someone else gripped for me these days would make me feel like someone just tied my shoes for me or something.
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caring about griptape is little kid shit. why wouldnt you let someone tie your own shoes? are you that self centered?
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I worked in a shop for a few years and one of my favorite things to do was gripping boards. There's something satisfying about filing down the edges and getting a clean cut from the razor blade. I prefer to grip my board cause it brings me back to working at the shop, and also cause it's fun ritual that I look forward to when I get a new deck.
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Fuck this "boutique" bull shit trend nowadays. I miss the sit-on-the-couch-and-watch-a-video-while-your-buddy-sets-up-his-shit days.
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1. seeing shop dudes out skating and they are always like come through come through we will hook you up fat.
i come through get a deck and wheels. and they have the nerve to charge me full price plus grip?
2. same dudes talking shit about new a boutique opening and how much they hate swag fags then turn around and try to sell me an obey and hundreds hat that they so happily keep in stock..
3.i only go to the boutique because they have all the current dlx boards with grip for 40 flat. no tax and aren't trying to rip you off.
guess i'm a little jaded because i used to be super down for that shop and they just screwed me over too many times.
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My local shop is super sick. Some kid who hangs out there everyday (i'm not exaggerating) helps out, and the rest are the same two guys there. They've memorized my deck size and everything, super awesome dudes. Plus if you buy a board, any grip is free and they let you get about 10 stickers with it for free. It's lame when they charge extra for two stickers and MOB.
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10 stickers? thats pretty good, what ones? do u think i could get 10 too?
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Go into a shop when I'm kinda drunk just need a board . Ask for a used complete.. " We dont't sell used anything man" Well Damn
we don't sell used stuff as well. but when somebody has a low budget and is in need of a deck i'll give him a used one for free. but when you give someone a used deck because he says he can't afford a new one and he drops by the shop 2 days later and shows you his new iphone, it pisses me off. stuff like that happens more often than you think.
also 10 stickers seems to be a good deal, since our sticker maximum is set at a solid 9.
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if one of the workers is wearing one of those fucking beanies with the visor on it i'll walk right out. no fucks given.
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if one of the workers is wearing one of those fucking beanies with the visor on it i'll walk right out. no fucks given.
if you'd have skated in the 90ies it musta been impossible for you to enter any skateshop worldwide.
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10 stickers? thats pretty good, what ones? do u think i could get 10 too?
I usally get a few Bones, an Indy, a Vans, maybe a spitfire, and then a couple of their local shop stickers. They've never charged me when i get a board. I never asked either, I just grabbed everything, they scanned the board and gave me the total, super cool guys there.
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if one of the workers is wearing one of those fucking beanies with the visor on it i'll walk right out. no fucks given.
but it's almost 2013 and it's time to leave some things in the past along with blind pants.
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10 stickers? thats pretty good, what ones? do u think i could get 10 too?
that's so sick , i might consider moving to that area cause the shop i sometimes go to ( 1.5 hrs away) has NEVER given me more than 2 free stickers no matter how much i buy. consider yourself lucky.
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yea I almost don't believe him, seems a bit fake.anyways I heard bones also makes wheels now too, the sticker business must be good
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10 stickers? thats pretty good, what ones? do u think i could get 10 too?
Yeah, it's super dope. I've been going there for about 4-5 years, they know me by name, so that might be the main reason. Either way, i'm really thankful for those guys.
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Anything with hemp.
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My local shop is the best feeling to walk into. Every time you walk in your greeted with a "Whats up man?" and i High five from the owner. Lurkers are welcomed to sit on the couch and watch their choice of the collection, or talk to the owner about anything. Hes a super layed back guy that loves skateboarding and company. shit somedays we end up talking about bong buddys, slap threads, or just local skating. He does a really good job at keeping kids in the scene, but always pulling out the local magazine and having us flip through it, and him beng a major roll in the magazine gives us a behind the scene type comentary and directions to the spots. I honestly have never had anything bad to say about him or his shop, and after spending so much time in his shop i look to hopfully open my own someday and mimic the ways he runs his shop.
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If I walk into a shop and a girl is in there I usually get scared and walk out and go home and jerk off.
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:D
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Snobby cool guys
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No "Hey whats up, man?" If I come into a shop and theres no greeting, fuck you. Im not buying.
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leftover, old boards that cost money.
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Fuck this "boutique" bull shit trend nowadays. I miss the sit-on-the-couch-and-watch-a-video-while-your-buddy-sets-up-his-shit days.
true shit
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Fuck this "boutique" bull shit trend nowadays. I miss the sit-on-the-couch-and-watch-a-video-while-your-buddy-sets-up-his-shit days.
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Fuck this "boutique" bull shit trend nowadays. I miss the sit-on-the-couch-and-watch-a-video-while-your-buddy-sets-up-his-shit days.
preach brotha!
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oudalay philavanh works at DLXSF and I just wanna say he is a huge FAAAAGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG
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immediate put-off is probably the wake board wall, snowboard wall, nixon watch and dc icon shoe wall, the swagy kid wall, and who could forget the fat chick who dont know about skating and trying to grip your board wall
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chicks that dont skate gripping my board with crazy scissors
thats sig worthy
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If I walk into a shop and a girl is in there I usually get scared and walk out and go home and jerk off.
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man my shitty hasnt had a legit skateshop in like 6 years now all we have is chadrick 49 and all they sell is funkin nick garcias pro element boards, moonboot osiris, element shoes fuckin gator ass shit man, hot chicks that are dumb as fuck. fuckin shitty mall hipsters, swag kids, soccer moms, smelly foreign people. mall shops are the worst, plus u cant even buy plain black grip, you can only get it if u buy fuckin dick senoritas board fuckin pissin me ill tell ya what
thank god for the internet
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man my shitty hasnt had a legit skateshop in like 6 years now all we have is chadrick 49 and all they sell is funkin nick garcias pro element boards, moonboot osiris, element shoes fuckin gator ass shit man, hot chicks that are dumb as fuck. fuckin shitty mall hipsters, swag kids, soccer moms, smelly foreign people. mall shops are the worst, plus u cant even buy plain black grip, you can only get it if u buy fuckin dick senoritas board fuckin pissin me ill tell ya what
thank god for the internet
i feel your pain on not having a skateshop besides chain stores, our only local shop that was hooking all of us up got destroyed by the owner, so now its either order online or go to west 49 and get your trucks put on backwards by some dumb kid
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My local shop is sick, the know my board, and wheel size, and what kind of wood I ride, I also get 20% off plus free grip and stickers, instead of paying 85-90 bucks for a board, grip and stickers I get em all for 70 :D
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Seeing blacks behind the counter :-X. Ya that's right I said it!
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When I was in South-Africa a few years ago I went to a skateshop because it was a lot cheaper than back home in Holland. The shop I went to had plenty of boards twice as cheap as back here so I planned to buy a few boards. Talked a bit to the dude who worked there and suddenly he asked what my best trick was. I was paralyzed, confused and hurted myself in confusion. I said to him that if the boards weren't that cheap I would have left the shop.
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^ that's the worst. It's bad enough when it's just some random, but a skateshop employee? Ick.
About ten years ago or so, I was at some shop a buddy drug me to that he was trying to get sponsored by. The guy working approached me unwarranted while I was watching some video and started talking to me about how good one of their riders was. I was initially disinterested, but totally shut down when he said the kid laser-flip noseblunt slid the local park rail.
Don't need to mention the place by name as I don't remember, and they're long out of business, thankfully.
Another place, we were asking as to locations to a ledge spot we've seen in videos. The guy was nice enough and gave us reliable directions, but not before illustrating tricks team riders have done by way of fingerboard on a hand-crafted ledge.
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I've noticed that I don't like shops that are overly clean. Like Supreme in NY, or GOODS/Alive & Well in Seattle, I tend to support shops that are more unrefined.
I just realized I think all those shops have hardwood floors, maybe i just like skateshops with rugs.
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If I walk into a shop and a girl is in there I usually get scared and walk out and go home and jerk off.
man, you are funny!
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Even if the shopowners and people working there are cool, most shops are a let down in the hard goods department. I understand they have to stock what sells (i.e. what is popular among the average 15 year old kid), but when you are completely ignoring most of the 30+ demographic by failing to stock wider boards, trucks (8.5''+), and larger wheels (55mm+) in any decent quantity or variety that means my money goes to a store that sells online. Same thing with decent pads for transition riding. IMHO shops are making a huge mistake by ignoring the older demographic because we have more disposable income to spend on skate stuff than your average kid. This means that the only things I'm going to buy from the local shop are skate videos and mags and/or the occasional pair of shoes/t-shirt/hoodie.
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dirtbike brands
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scooters. IE http://detroitcityskateboards.com/ (http://detroitcityskateboards.com/)
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longboards. adio shoes. zoo york boards
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When I was in South-Africa a few years ago I went to a skateshop because it was a lot cheaper than back home in Holland. The shop I went to had plenty of boards twice as cheap as back here so I planned to buy a few boards. Talked a bit to the dude who worked there and suddenly he asked what my best trick was. I was paralyzed, confused and hurted myself in confusion. I said to him that if the boards weren't that cheap I would have left the shop.
Jesus Fernandez once asked me what my best trick was.
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probably someone at the counter that doesnt skate
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When I was in South-Africa a few years ago I went to a skateshop because it was a lot cheaper than back home in Holland. The shop I went to had plenty of boards twice as cheap as back here so I planned to buy a few boards. Talked a bit to the dude who worked there and suddenly he asked what my best trick was. I was paralyzed, confused and hurted myself in confusion. I said to him that if the boards weren't that cheap I would have left the shop.
Jesus Fernandez once asked me what my best trick was.
lol
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scooters. IE http://detroitcityskateboards.com/ (http://detroitcityskateboards.com/)
ive never been in there for the simple reason that its called "detroit city skateboards" and its more than 30 miles away from detroit. it doesnt surprise me that they also sell scooters.
the only time i really go to shitty shops is if im on vacation and happen to stroll past a skate shop. ive been to some decent ones, but most of them suck. ive been to one that was just part of a touristy gift shop. one that was half guitar shop, half skate shop. most recently i was in one that was your typical skate/snowboard shop (when you live in michigan, these are very common) but it had a swag wall which was something i had never seen. one of the guys working there made sure to tell me that he could embroider anything i wanted on a new era hat for just a few extra bucks. there was also this girl there who i over heard say this "yeah, im from cali, so i know a good shop when i see one," letting the staff that their shop was indeed cali girl approved.
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"yeah, im from cali, so i know a good shop when i see one," letting the staff that their shop was indeed cali girl approved.
hahahahaha
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If I don't get a "How ya doing today" or they don't have and Santa Cruz shit.
Or if a shop has used snowboards for sale.
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scooters. IE http://detroitcityskateboards.com/ (http://detroitcityskateboards.com/)
ive never been in there for the simple reason that its called "detroit city skateboards" and its more than 30 miles away from detroit. it doesnt surprise me that they also sell scooters.
the only time i really go to shitty shops is if im on vacation and happen to stroll past a skate shop. ive been to some decent ones, but most of them suck. ive been to one that was just part of a touristy gift shop. one that was half guitar shop, half skate shop. most recently i was in one that was your typical skate/snowboard shop (when you live in michigan, these are very common) but it had a swag wall which was something i had never seen. one of the guys working there made sure to tell me that he could embroider anything i wanted on a new era hat for just a few extra bucks. there was also this girl there who i over heard say this "yeah, im from cali, so i know a good shop when i see one," letting the staff that their shop was indeed cali girl approved.
Haha, holly shit, what shop was this? (I'm a Michigander as well.)
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scooters. IE http://detroitcityskateboards.com/ (http://detroitcityskateboards.com/)
ive never been in there for the simple reason that its called "detroit city skateboards" and its more than 30 miles away from detroit. it doesnt surprise me that they also sell scooters.
the only time i really go to shitty shops is if im on vacation and happen to stroll past a skate shop. ive been to some decent ones, but most of them suck. ive been to one that was just part of a touristy gift shop. one that was half guitar shop, half skate shop. most recently i was in one that was your typical skate/snowboard shop (when you live in michigan, these are very common) but it had a swag wall which was something i had never seen. one of the guys working there made sure to tell me that he could embroider anything i wanted on a new era hat for just a few extra bucks. there was also this girl there who i over heard say this "yeah, im from cali, so i know a good shop when i see one," letting the staff that their shop was indeed cali girl approved.
Haha, holly shit, what shop was this? (I'm a Michigander as well.)
Casualties in Marquette. Stopped in when I was in the UP last winter.
http://ridewithcasualties.com/ (http://ridewithcasualties.com/)
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I only go to shops with candy dispensers and free lowcards.
If they don't have a couch or a place to chill, forget about it...
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when they sell plastic DC, Osiris shoe shit
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my local shop rules.
no complaints
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chicks that dont skate gripping my board with crazy scissors
thats sig worthy
Having someone grip or setup your stuff when youre above 14 is just weird, except if you make them know you can do it yourself but you wanna make them your bitch.
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"yeah, im from cali, so i know a good shop when i see one," letting the staff that their shop was indeed cali girl approved.
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man my shitty hasnt had a legit skateshop in like 6 years now all we have is chadrick 49 and all they sell is funkin nick garcias pro element boards, moonboot osiris, element shoes fuckin gator ass shit man, hot chicks that are dumb as fuck. fuckin shitty mall hipsters, swag kids, soccer moms, smelly foreign people. mall shops are the worst, plus u cant even buy plain black grip, you can only get it if u buy fuckin dick senoritas board fuckin pissin me ill tell ya what
thank god for the internet
Having a mall shop as your local blows, thats why i dont support my "local" shop, can you believe they rarely have black mob, and what they always have is this piece of shit for 10 bucks
(http://nhs-inc.com/blog/images/381.jpg)
Id rather skate without grip
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its always a bummer to see tons of nikes, adidas and converse and barely any core shoe brands.
boards that dont have their dimensions clearly marked
employees that dont really know shit, or care to show you product
i like the shops that always have vids on, tools you can use to set up your board, and maybe a few seats. also if they dont mind you just chilling for a minute and waiting for the homies to meet up.
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Obese people for sure I mean you don't have to be skinny but if I can tell you can't even Ollie I don't even want you to try and talk about skating with me. The worst for sure is a fat chick though like how the hell are you working here? Do they even carry clothes in your size? Hot chicks are alright but when they try to talk skating please just don't let me buy my shit and peace out.
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i hate it when people need to cuddle afterwards especialy if your a man lol
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longboards
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Animal/Fox
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Bearded stinky hippies behind the counter
People skating inside
Overall cleanliness is a big one
If they don't have my size deck in stock I usually never go back
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Pyramid belts and Monster stuff.
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As someone who works in a skater-owned shop, I feel like I learned a lot from this thread. Here's my two cents though:
-I know that a lot of people have shared about how they are socially awkward, and they don't want interaction, but I feel just as weird when customers don't say anything back. I know it's not a requirement or anything, but I thought it was just polite to reply to someone who is saying "hello".
-The shop I work in recently started carrying longboards a year or so ago, and while I don't like them, I'm ok with the money they bring in. I had to do homework about these things so that I can have an honest and decent conversation with customers. It's not my favorite, but whatever, they're going to buy them anyways; why not let them support the local shop?
-I noticed a lot of people are mentioning not carrying core brands in exchange for the bigger conglomerate ones (i.e. "it sucks to stock nike; only carry Emerica"). I can identify. I don't do the ordering in my store, as my boss is infinitely better at figuring out what kids want than I am, but I do understand how it works (at least, at it's most basic level). I wish our shop would carry more of the "core brands", but even they are adopting some of the same business strategies (like "pre-booking") as those evil conglomerates. At any rate, brands like Nike and Adidas are popular, so I think it's necessary to find a balance between core and corporate; you know, so the shop can keep the lights on. I think someone mentioned that it's rad to carry brands that the owner likes, and for the owner to have a reason for carrying those brands. That shit is cool.
-The last thing I wanted to mention was the "used goods" bin idea. I HATE the used goods bin. I am by no means a wealthy person; I am scraping by going to a community college and living on ramen noodles. But I see so many grown ass men come into the store and ask for used decks that I'm slowly losing my grip on reality. While the idea is awesome for little skate rats whose only income comes from hustling, it loses the shop tons of money. After our shop did away with it, I can't tell you how many times I've had a grown man ask for one, get rejected, then pony up the cash for a new board. I'll stash a few of mine away for the deserving little dudes, but I am so glad to see our used board bin leave.
Anyways, this is my first post, so please don't crucify me for my opinion. Or do it, whatever.
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-Skater owned is a must.
-Aside from that, the main put-off that I notice immediately would be the lack of a chill area for the kids with like a couch and a TV so they can hang out and watch skate videos. All the legit shops around me have 'em.. all the shitty ones don't. I think it's completely necessary if you want to have a group of kids who are going to hang out at your shop and support it.
For example, when visiting a shop in another city we often travel to, I find the atmosphere a bit odd. There's no TV or hang out area or anything. It's set up like a boutique or whatever... everything is white and spotless. And depending on who was working, they may not even say what's up to us... let alone ask us if we needed help with purchasing anything. However, someone on here kindly explained to me that the shop appears this way because of its location. The shopping mall is very strict on how the businesses are run. So I guess all I can say is to make your shop a good hangout spot if your location allows.
Like I said though, I'm down with their shop. My friends and I have bought quite a few things there... their shop shirts, videos, etc. But the vibe we've gotten most of the time is that we're not really welcome, and they want us in and out as quick as possible.
So I guess like every other kind of shop or store, making people feel welcome is a big deal as well.
Very Important. And if you are familiar with SUPREME NYC at all...... DO THE EXACT OPPOSITE OF EVERYTHING THEY DO.
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Mid to late 30's looking dudes that look like they don't skate and do a ton of coke running the show is never nice; lack of variety in sizes for trucks/decks; maybe selling decks you don't even have trucks for; etc.