Anyone else have a wack local skateshop?

[quarterpound]

Eh I like Labor. Sure you can't really chill there, but that's because it's insanely small. There also used to be this real bummer of a man that worked there, he sometimes pops up in those Transworld "New York Times" videos. Dude was such an asshole and it really comes off in any video you see of him. But he's gone as far as I can tell and everyone that works there currently is cool. I moved away just as I was getting to know people there and honestly kind of miss it. My current shop in the DC area sells like one shoe and 2 boards I have no idea how they stay in business.

that guy was just Puleo, it's safe to go back now

i always wonder about those shops like yours in DC.  I figure they sell weed out the back

[Sizzla]

Mi breddas I & I ah trod like Moses wit de rod pass bumboclaat skateshop

[petersmolik]

Just chiming in to echo an earlier post and say Stratosphere in Atlanta, GA is absolutely the worst shop I've ever stepped in.

[quarterpound]

It just seems mad weird to me, I couldn't picture skating a board I didn't grip myself. Where I grew up I would have definitely gotten shit from the older cats if I asked the guy working behind the counter to grip my board. To each their own, I guess.

I totally get this but a lot of things have changed over the years.  I had to let go of some stuff... now I actually buy the occasional dyed wheel and will even sometimes use the branded grip everyone sends w decks these days!  GROWTH

[quarterpound]

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I live in SF, but still head to the east bay just to support the homies Dandy & Jerry at 510. Shop is awesome: great selection, friendly/helpful folks, super supportive of the scene, etc.
Never had caught any vibes what so ever there. I like ‘em enough to buy gear when o have absolutely zero need for it, just to help keep their wheels moving through the COVID thing.
Over on my side of the bay, the guys at the DLX shop are also always super cool to me, even when I bring a toddler in with me.
Both places have offered me OG/family discounts even though I’m not family at either of them. Love those two shops & feel fortunate to have access to them.

[close]

I believe there’s a certain uprightness that exhudes from east coast shops like a competitive vibing with other’s and shop’s.


Whereas on the left coast the shop’s aren’t as cliquey and try to vibe someone out, if it did happen I wasn’t aware of it damn sure I wasn’t going to tolerate it neither.


From McGill’s & Church of Skatan to 510 shop’s I haven’t had any issues. If there was a sketchy biker/Nazi kook shop I wasn’t going to even bother with it.

Oregon the kook shop is Cal’s best shop is Shrunken Head barnone.

This is too true.  Growing up I had a lot of badass skate shops for sure but I did what I could to fit in bc they were intensely competitive and cliquey.  Everything was so antagonistic on the east coast back then - you were always on the run from rats and cops for skating, smoking, drinking, or even just loitering with boards and beanies.  You really needed those eight skaters in your town cos everyone else kinda hated skaters.  So I learned to be a holier-than-thou skater too, everything crisp and clean, plain black grip, no wheel gfx, khakis and white tees, etc.  I can't even imagine how much different it would've been to grow up here on the left coast.  The shops seem kinda lazy maybe but knowledgeable, chill as fuuuuck and absolutely zero bad vibes.  I was joking a few days ago about how all the shops carry too much crail, but everyone here worships those guys and I'm 99% sure it's because their stable of retired skaters are just uhhh... hella cool dudes.

[ndsr]

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I live in SF, but still head to the east bay just to support the homies Dandy & Jerry at 510. Shop is awesome: great selection, friendly/helpful folks, super supportive of the scene, etc.
Never had caught any vibes what so ever there. I like ‘em enough to buy gear when o have absolutely zero need for it, just to help keep their wheels moving through the COVID thing.
Over on my side of the bay, the guys at the DLX shop are also always super cool to me, even when I bring a toddler in with me.
Both places have offered me OG/family discounts even though I’m not family at either of them. Love those two shops & feel fortunate to have access to them.

[close]

I believe there’s a certain uprightness that exhudes from east coast shops like a competitive vibing with other’s and shop’s.


Whereas on the left coast the shop’s aren’t as cliquey and try to vibe someone out, if it did happen I wasn’t aware of it damn sure I wasn’t going to tolerate it neither.


From McGill’s & Church of Skatan to 510 shop’s I haven’t had any issues. If there was a sketchy biker/Nazi kook shop I wasn’t going to even bother with it.

Oregon the kook shop is Cal’s best shop is Shrunken Head barnone.

[close]

This is too true.  Growing up I had a lot of badass skate shops for sure but I did what I could to fit in bc they were intensely competitive and cliquey.  Everything was so antagonistic on the east coast back then - you were always on the run from rats and cops for skating, smoking, drinking, or even just loitering with boards and beanies.  You really needed those eight skaters in your town cos everyone else kinda hated skaters.  So I learned to be a holier-than-thou skater too, everything crisp and clean, plain black grip, no wheel gfx, khakis and white tees, etc.  I can't even imagine how much different it would've been to grow up here on the left coast.  The shops seem kinda lazy maybe but knowledgeable, chill as fuuuuck and absolutely zero bad vibes.  I was joking a few days ago about how all the shops carry too much crail, but everyone here worships those guys and I'm 99% sure it's because their stable of retired skaters are just uhhh... hella cool dudes.

Shrunken head is all time and so is 510, been to both shout out Justin, filmed stuff for each of their first videos.  Great people and great times

[nonickname]

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Hot take: Antisocial is a funny one. Preaching inclusivity to death but quick to vibe out anyone who isn't a homie or fits their bill of how to dress/skate. I understand that's not uncommon with a skate shop but pretty hypocritical. Internet presence does not match the in person attitude. Will continue to support because Rick McCrank but Michelle Pezel gets more credit than she deserves.

MENU also caters to the sneakerhead/FA crowd too hard and could stop selling hardgoods without missing a beat.

[close]

Lived in Van for a year and could never bring myself to go there. Skull Skates definitely has a ‘cool, low-energy’ vibe, but I never felt it to be ‘too cool for you’.

Same. Dropped into Antisocial on a work trip...was vibed by Michelle really hard. It was a few years ago and they had a photo exhibition in the back of 90s EMB locals and she bascially implied that I didn't know who I was looking at and when I asked about a Studio shirt it was as if I asked her to do a task worthy of Sisyphus. I guess my backpack (was right off the plane and took transit there) outed me as a tourist who wasn't worth the time. But online? Everyone loves em.

As for my local? It drifted into kook status by doing a full reno into a boutique and then went under, but I had already switched to a shop near one of my work sites that I now hit up on the way home.

[Spacetravelisboring]

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Hot take: Antisocial is a funny one. Preaching inclusivity to death but quick to vibe out anyone who isn't a homie or fits their bill of how to dress/skate. I understand that's not uncommon with a skate shop but pretty hypocritical. Internet presence does not match the in person attitude. Will continue to support because Rick McCrank but Michelle Pezel gets more credit than she deserves.

MENU also caters to the sneakerhead/FA crowd too hard and could stop selling hardgoods without missing a beat.

[close]

Lived in Van for a year and could never bring myself to go there. Skull Skates definitely has a ‘cool, low-energy’ vibe, but I never felt it to be ‘too cool for you’.

[close]

Same. Dropped into Antisocial on a work trip...was vibed by Michelle really hard. It was a few years ago and they had a photo exhibition in the back of 90s EMB locals and she bascially implied that I didn't know who I was looking at and when I asked about a Studio shirt it was as if I asked her to do a task worthy of Sisyphus. I guess my backpack (was right off the plane and took transit there) outed me as a tourist who wasn't worth the time. But online? Everyone loves em.

As for my local? It drifted into kook status by doing a full reno into a boutique and then went under, but I had already switched to a shop near one of my work sites that I now hit up on the way home.

Michelle? You were vibed by a chick? Hahaha

[EdLawndale]

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Hot take: Antisocial is a funny one. Preaching inclusivity to death but quick to vibe out anyone who isn't a homie or fits their bill of how to dress/skate. I understand that's not uncommon with a skate shop but pretty hypocritical. Internet presence does not match the in person attitude. Will continue to support because Rick McCrank but Michelle Pezel gets more credit than she deserves.

MENU also caters to the sneakerhead/FA crowd too hard and could stop selling hardgoods without missing a beat.

[close]

Lived in Van for a year and could never bring myself to go there. Skull Skates definitely has a ‘cool, low-energy’ vibe, but I never felt it to be ‘too cool for you’.

[close]

Same. Dropped into Antisocial on a work trip...was vibed by Michelle really hard. It was a few years ago and they had a photo exhibition in the back of 90s EMB locals and she bascially implied that I didn't know who I was looking at and when I asked about a Studio shirt it was as if I asked her to do a task worthy of Sisyphus. I guess my backpack (was right off the plane and took transit there) outed me as a tourist who wasn't worth the time. But online? Everyone loves em.

As for my local? It drifted into kook status by doing a full reno into a boutique and then went under, but I had already switched to a shop near one of my work sites that I now hit up on the way home.

[close]

Michelle? You were vibed by a chick? Hahaha

Michelle lol

I would started rambling about 111 Mina and telling her you used to steal ppl's shoes in the Tenderloin and wtf does she think about that?

[nonickname]

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Hot take: Antisocial is a funny one. Preaching inclusivity to death but quick to vibe out anyone who isn't a homie or fits their bill of how to dress/skate. I understand that's not uncommon with a skate shop but pretty hypocritical. Internet presence does not match the in person attitude. Will continue to support because Rick McCrank but Michelle Pezel gets more credit than she deserves.

MENU also caters to the sneakerhead/FA crowd too hard and could stop selling hardgoods without missing a beat.

[close]

Lived in Van for a year and could never bring myself to go there. Skull Skates definitely has a ‘cool, low-energy’ vibe, but I never felt it to be ‘too cool for you’.

[close]

Same. Dropped into Antisocial on a work trip...was vibed by Michelle really hard. It was a few years ago and they had a photo exhibition in the back of 90s EMB locals and she bascially implied that I didn't know who I was looking at and when I asked about a Studio shirt it was as if I asked her to do a task worthy of Sisyphus. I guess my backpack (was right off the plane and took transit there) outed me as a tourist who wasn't worth the time. But online? Everyone loves em.

As for my local? It drifted into kook status by doing a full reno into a boutique and then went under, but I had already switched to a shop near one of my work sites that I now hit up on the way home.

[close]

Michelle? You were vibed by a chick? Hahaha

[close]

Michelle lol

I would started rambling about 111 Mina and telling her you used to steal ppl's shoes in the Tenderloin and wtf does she think about that?

If picking up on a crappy attitude and having someone who works at a shop seemingly care very little about a customer, then yeah, I was vibed by a "chick". Later that day I had amazing Thai food...so it wasn't the end of the world. Now back to cleaning out the garage (found an old Big Brother mag so may take a slight break).

[rusty knees]

this is skateboarding we are talking about here, getting vibed at a skateshop by an old head is like a badge of honor

[sus]

this is skateboarding we are talking about here, getting vibed at a skateshop by an old head is like a badge of honor

facts

[nonickname]

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this is skateboarding we are talking about here, getting vibed at a skateshop by an old head is like a badge of honor

[close]

facts

Update: The Big Brother I found in the garage has a picture of Adolf Hitler with the caption "This page and a half was originally devoted to an article (with) photos of a naked girl...it was deemed too naughty for the eyes of our readers...Instead we have decided to replace it with something much nicer than a photo shoot with a naked girl: a cute picture of Adolf Hitler taking a nap. I bet he's dreaming of a world where he can do whatever he wants".

[EdLawndale]

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this is skateboarding we are talking about here, getting vibed at a skateshop by an old head is like a badge of honor

[close]

facts

[close]

Update: The Big Brother I found in the garage has a picture of Adolf Hitler with the caption "This page and a half was originally devoted to an article (with) photos of a naked girl...it was deemed too naughty for the eyes of our readers...Instead we have decided to replace it with something much nicer than a photo shoot with a naked girl: a cute picture of Adolf Hitler taking a nap. I bet he's dreaming of a world where he can do whatever he wants".

It sounds to me like BB was criticizing the censors by juxtaposing a naked woman's body with Adolf Hitler, the worst human being on the planet to point out an unbalance. Not the most clever thing...but I doubt it was BB's intent to legitimately trivialize or promote Adolf Hitler.

[Lou Strux]

Oof! Speaking of bad skate shops, you heard about this place out in Fort Mill, SC called Five Oh?
Just kidding. Of course you have.
Condolences to the kids of Fort Mill.

[cucktard]

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this is skateboarding we are talking about here, getting vibed at a skateshop by an old head is like a badge of honor

[close]

facts

[close]

Update: The Big Brother I found in the garage has a picture of Adolf Hitler with the caption "This page and a half was originally devoted to an article (with) photos of a naked girl...it was deemed too naughty for the eyes of our readers...Instead we have decided to replace it with something much nicer than a photo shoot with a naked girl: a cute picture of Adolf Hitler taking a nap. I bet he's dreaming of a world where he can do whatever he wants".

[close]

It sounds to me like BB was criticizing the censors by juxtaposing a naked woman's body with Adolf Hitler, the worst human being on the planet to point out an unbalance. Not the most clever thing...but I doubt it was BB's intent to legitimately trivialize or promote Adolf Hitler.

Of course they were’t promoting Hitler.

The juxtaposition (of a naked girl and one of the worst people in history) doesn’t work unless you recognize the absurdity of thinking’s seeing boobs are more dangerous than seeing the face of a man responsible for the deaths of millions.

[nonickname]

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this is skateboarding we are talking about here, getting vibed at a skateshop by an old head is like a badge of honor

[close]

facts

[close]

Update: The Big Brother I found in the garage has a picture of Adolf Hitler with the caption "This page and a half was originally devoted to an article (with) photos of a naked girl...it was deemed too naughty for the eyes of our readers...Instead we have decided to replace it with something much nicer than a photo shoot with a naked girl: a cute picture of Adolf Hitler taking a nap. I bet he's dreaming of a world where he can do whatever he wants".

[close]

It sounds to me like BB was criticizing the censors by juxtaposing a naked woman's body with Adolf Hitler, the worst human being on the planet to point out an unbalance. Not the most clever thing...but I doubt it was BB's intent to legitimately trivialize or promote Adolf Hitler.

Agreed, but it was just odd to see these old ads; Osiris shoes, Nice Skate Shoes ad, a really homophobic interview and then a big pic of Adolf Hitler. The humour of 2003 doesn't age well.

[cucktard]

Some of it doesn’t.

But I also remember the intro of The Black Issue talked about the history of racist garden ornaments, and ended with saying that if you ever saw one, burn the house down.

[Miller92]

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i live near a great shop in the midwest but the owner doesnt even skate anymore and he plays favorites like a school teacher.  gives people a hard time if they want to buy grip for a board NOT bought at his shop.  called me a "piece of shit" for selling 30 boards out of my truck with dope artwork on them from a friend.

like thanks for running this dope shop but can you not be a total fuck wit?

[close]

I understand your frustration, but honestly, I'd be pretty bummed if someone came into my shop for grip for a board they didn't buy from me. Feels like a slap in the face. Also, did your friend try contacting said shop to see if they would be down to sell those boards? That could have helped both parties instead of pulling more business away from them if they're trying to help develop the skate scene in your area.
Not trying to play holier than thou or anything like that. Just trying to give an outsider's perspective on the situation.

I totally get what you're saying.  I managed a skate shop for 4 years.  But they weren't ebay blanks, they were from a well-known distributor and I also did ask him if he'd like to do consignment for 2 or 3 of them and he literally laughed and said "I don't really do that here".....not 2 months later he has another kid's boards (which were wack af) on the fucking wall.  Not to mention, his best friend makes boards and he sells them at his shop.

Trust me, I totally understand not wanting to, but you don't have to be a dick about it.

Also, by turning away people just coming in for grip, you piss people off.  That ain't good for business. Word spreads quickly that you're a dick and then instead of selling a sheet of grip, you've lost 4-6 customers or maybe more.

This was awhile ago and I was fairly fresh in a new city and after people told him I was respected and was a good skateboarder he seemed to chill on the "cool guy" schtick he'd throw at me.

regardless, a business is a balancing act and you have to be careful HOW you say things to people. but ye

[EdLawndale]

I bought stacks upon stacks of blacked-out blemish decks from the Bareback warehouse back in the day for like $10 to $15 bucks a pop. When you would bring them into the skateshops to grip them, the dudes would for sure not be pleased. I remember the shops (and probably companies) must've reprimanded Bareback because when I went there the final time, he was like, "No, we can't sell those anymore..." But when I pulled out the wad of $200, he shrugged and sold me a big ole stack as a goodbye. God bless that man....

[DarthDingusMaximus]

I bought stacks upon stacks of blacked-out blemish decks from the Bareback warehouse back in the day for like $10 to $15 bucks a pop. When you would bring them into the skateshops to grip them, the dudes would for sure not be pleased. I remember the shops (and probably companies) must've reprimanded Bareback because when I went there the final time, he was like, "No, we can't sell those anymore..." But when I pulled out the wad of $200, he shrugged and sold me a big ole stack as a goodbye. God bless that man....

Use to be during 05' 09' I would but a shitload of blank decks from Moose and do a stencil on the bottom.  During that time I think was shittiest for economy and spending $50 on a deck vs. buying a stack of 10+ for $120? i was going to have back ups for breaking decks.

[EdLawndale]

Yeah $15 decks were a godsend when skating was all I did

[quarterpound]

I get skate shop owners being mad about the existence of blanks and whatnot, but refusing to grip them is just bad business.  Charge grip+$10 if you have to, there’s no way you can tell me they’re making more than that on decks after you factor in sales time, wall time, checking for warps, etc; it’s $10 for 5 minutes’ work and no inventory space.