A Public Service Announcement:

The Way It Outta Be:

Mailbox, December 2011:

"Mystery Shopping Zumiez" feedback:


Great article. Been telling the "core" skateshops [these things] for years, but to no avail. Keep at it.

Best regards,
Cedric Cornell



Our kind of letter...!:


Whats up, man! My name is [name deleted, for obvious reasons]. We met when Jeremy ran TOC in Terre Haute. Just thought I'd drop you an invite... any time you'd like to skate our indoor ramp. It's four feet [tall], sixteen feet wide, with a hip to a vert wall, and a six foot spine section. We work on ramp every Sunday. If you want directions, call me at [number also deleted, for obvious reasons].

The Freestyle Report: November/December 2011

Welcome to the December 2011 installment of "The Freestyle Report". The first bit of news that we have is a staffing change here at Everything Skateboarding. For the last couple of years, our freestyle correspondent has been our good friend AJ Kohn of One Skateboards, and Performance Tip Technologies.

A couple months ago, AJ asked if he could take on more ambitious projects here at Everything Skateboarding, and hand off the compiling of The Freestyle Report to the current World Freestyle Association (WFSA) Secretary, Hans Lucas. Of course, I'm totally cool with whatever AJ's cool with. So if AJ had confidence in Hans, then who in the world am I to say "no"...?

Turns out that Hans Lucas already does a monthly freestyle newsletter for the worldwide freestyle community. The plan was simple enough: Hans would put me on the WFSA mailing list; I'd edit the newsletter down, and clarify it a bit for our non-freestyling readers; and then, we'd simply publish the revised newsletter. Perfect...!

What follows are the highlights of the November and December newsletters (in that order). I'd like to take a moment, and thank AJ for all that he's contributed to Everything Skateboarding... as well as to Hans for coming on board, and being a part of the staff. You guys rock. Thanks so much.

Lastly: Everything Skateboarding remains committed to supporting flatland and freestyle skateboarding in any way that we can. Even though it's largely ignored by the "mainstream" media, freestyle remains a vibrant and growing community of skaters that are dedicated to their craft. They deserve recognition, and they deserve coverage. Freestyle's impact on modern street skating cannot be emphasized enough. And if you want to see what street skating will look like in ten to twenty years...? Then stay tuned to The Freestyle Report. Because the future happens here.

Enjoy...!



New WFSA Secretary 2012-2015:


Currently, Hans is the Secretary of the WFSA until the end of 2012. Last month, he said:

"I'm prepared to continue to be the Secretary from 2012, through 2015. But if you're confident that you are more experienced, or have better ideas, or more available time that could benefit the freestyle community... then I invite you to nominate yourself as a candidate. Of course, I will continue to support the new Secretary, the WFSA, and freestyle if I'm not re-elected...!"

This month, I got an update:

"Since there were no other candidates who nominated himself/herself before 1st December for WFSA Secretary 2012-2015, I am willing and able to continue this position for 4 more years with the same dedication as during the past 4 years..."

Congratulations, Hans, on your unchallenged re-election...!




Freestyle Links:

As part of his monthly freestyle reports, Hans sent over, like, a million YouTube links to various freestyle-related YouTube channels. These were, by far, the best parts of the November and December reports. Here's a few that I picked out for our readers:







Dan Garb does so many flip-in,flip-out pogo variations that it's almost dizzying. You can see more of Daniel Garb's YouTube Channel, here:

http://www.youtube.com/user/Doom1213








Hans also sent over the link for Rodney Mullen Skate TV Channel, which is:

http://www.youtube.com/user/RodneyMullenSkateTV

Here, you can find pretty much anything and everything "Rodney Mullen" that you'd ever want to know...

This clip is of Rodney Mullen's finals run at the NSA Munster, Germany, contest, circa 1990. Notice how the "freestyle area" is actually in the middle of the street course. A harbinger of things to come, perhaps...? The description says that this was his last freestyle contest...but I could've sworn that his "last" freestyle competition was the "Back To The City" contest in San Fran later that year.








This is WFSA Board Member, and The Freestyle Report cover-guy, Terry Synnott. Terry Synnott also hand-shapes and screenprints dedicated freestyle decks under his brand, "Mode", for freestylers all over the world. This is just a recent sampling of his work (below):














This is just the sort of thing that I love to get from Hans: Bruce Logan's "inductee profile" video for the Skateboarding Hall Of Fame and Museum in Simi Valley, California. If IASC keeps supporting the making of these sorts of archival documents, I might just have to start supporting 'em.









This just might be the very best thing in the entire WFSA Newsletter. It's a clip called "Unseen- Part 1" from some freestyle prodigy named Matt Galizia. I don't know who this Matt kid is... I've never even heard of him. Nor have I seen any of his footage. But if this is "Part 1", then I'm really kinda wondering where "Part 2" is, and when I'm gonna be able to check it out.









If you don't recognize who this is, don't worry- I'm about to tell you: It's legendary freestyler Rob Rodrigues, from New York City. In 1990, Rob was part of the "next wave" of freestylers that started going after Rodney's crown (along with peers like Cameron Martin). Rob had a bold, brash, street-influenced freestyling style. He skated fast, he skated smooth, and he made no apologies whatsoever for breaking the "freestyle mold". He was destined for great things... that is, until the NSA and Powell-Peralta (his sponsor at the time) permanently pulled the plug on freestyle forever. And then, poof: He was gone.

Rob's a true East Coast legend, in every sense of the word. His reputation was known everywhere- even to kids (like me) all the way up in New England.

Last year, I actually got to meet Rob at The Worlds in Philly. He wasn't skating much... apparently, he was too injured to make the comp last year. I was so, so bummed. Here I was, hanging out with the man... and I couldn't even watch him skate. Damn...

This year, though, Rob was back...! Skating! And that's always a great thing to see...









Here's some footage I found of Rob Rodrigues, circa 1990. Now, you know what I'm talking about. Check it out, man: Anybody that skates to "Axis: Bold as Love" is pretty fucking bad ass.

Do yourself a favor, and go learn how to skate like Rob. Now...!








Ahhhhh...! Joe Flemke. AJ warned me about this kid a couple years back. He described Flemke as a flatland machine, a singular talent, a total freestyle threat that skates faster than anybody else, and does completely ridiculous combinations of absolutely impossible stuff. Basically, the kid's nuts. And after watching this video three times back to back, and being horribly confused every single time, I must say that I'd have to agree.

You can probably guess that Joe won the US Championships in Philly this year. Well, you guessed right, kid. He did. And now, you can see why.









There was an extremely large Japanese presence at The Worlds in Philly a couple years back, and AJ explained to me a few weeks later (when I finally got around to asking) why that's the case: Freestyle is actually pretty popular in Japan. Oh, well... that does make perfectly good sense, now doesn't it...?! From what I saw, the Japanese blend a very "traditional" freestyle worldview, with a very smooth and precise execution, to create a strange, new, modern hybrid. This is Toshiaki Fujii from the Japanese feestyle video, "M80 Crossover". Yes: Even freestyle videos flourish in Japan...










... and Hidemi Ohishi, also from the "M80 Crossover" video. Check out how crazy fast this kid skates. Damn.




Upcoming Freestyle Events:
_______________________________________________


April 14th, 2012-

Freestyle demo, as a part of another event.

Ollie's Skatepark in Florence, KY (near Cincinnati, Ohio, USA)
Indoor flatland area - about as large as a full-size basketball court - with a polished concrete floor.



May 18th - 21st, 2012-

"The World Round-up":

A series of skating demos and a battle format.
Everybody can register for this, but only the top 30 freestylers can enter the event.
Cloverdale Curling Rink - Cloverdale Exhibition grounds, 6050A 176th Street, Surrey, British Columbia, Canada



June 21st, 2012-

"Go Skateboarding Day"

Create your own event to promote flatland and freestyle skateboarding.



July 7th - 8th, 2012-

World Championships 2012
(a.k.a. Freestyle BBQ Contest) Goldgrund Skatepark, Paderborn, Germany
Masters, girls, am, pro



July 6th - 8th, 2012:

NASS, Royal Bath & West Showground, Shepton Mallet, U.K.

This is a large 3-day annual extreme "relentless" sports festival and the entry fee includes free camping and free transport to the nearest train station (Castle Cary).
Format: Jam
Camping times: Fri 10am - Sun 6pm
Entry: £72.00 + booking fee



August 23rd - 27th, 2012:

Flatcamp 2012

Rollerskating rink, Schillerplatz, Schweinfurt, Germany





Welcome To America, Kilian...!






As our last bit of news for this month, we here at Everything Skateboarding would like to welcome Kilian Martin to America. Kilian made the voyage from his native homeland of Spain, to bright and sunny California on December 10th, to further pursue his skating career with Powell-Peralta. Hats off, buddy! We're glad to have ya...!




If you'd like your own, un-edited copy of the WFSA Newsletter sent to your e-mail in-box every month, simply send an empty e-mail to wfsa-join @ mylist.net. Hans will take care of you from there.



"Thank you...!"


Hans Lucas
WFSA Secretary
WFSA Mailinglist Administrator
World Freestyle Skateboard Association"



(For those that are curious, the WFSA web address is: www.wfsafreestyle.org)

Skateshop Spotlight: Hardcore Sportz

Here at Everything Skateboarding, we believe that credit should be given where credit is due. While skateboard shops all over the midwest are either closing their doors, or failing at their jobs... there are a few skateshops here and there that are not only holding it down, but thriving. These shops all tend to have the following five traits in common:

- They have the right product, in stock, at the right price.
- They know that product.
- They're cool to everybody that walks in their door (after all, anybody could be a customer...),
- They make positive investments in their local skate scenes, and
- They're diverse in their philosophies, and the types of skating that they support. Translated: They have a much bigger "worldview" of skateboarding than the "typical" skateboard shop.

As part of our ongoing "Spotlight On The Skateshop" series, we decided that it might be cool to spotlight not only what shops are doing wrong, but also some of the shops that are getting it right. The very first "Spotlight Skateshop" is right in my backyard... but as I travel the midwest next year, I hope that I find more:






I first discovered Hardcore Sportz when I went to New Castle in 2008, to document a skatepark for the guys at Concrete Disciples. If I'm remembering it correctly, I actually ran plum into the shop as I was heading out of town. I barely believed that there was a skatepark in New Castle... let alone, a skate shop. But even then, Hardcore was a cool little shop. Extremely tidy, well-styled, and with two of the coolest guys in the world- Kyle, and Karl Poynter- running it. It was abundantly clear that if these guys had anything at all, it was good taste, and a great attitude. I damn near liked them, right at first sight.




Karl Poynter


A couple weeks ago, I called the shop to chase down another lead on a New Castle skatepark rumor. When Karl answered the phone, he told me that they'd actually moved to Noblesville a few months back. That next weekend, I was heading up their way to check out the new digs.

When I walked into the shop, it was immediately clear that besides the physical location, very little else had actually changed. The guys were still friendly, enthusiastic, kind, and respectful. The shop looked much as it had in New Castle: Clean, tidy, well-styled, and well-organized. It was roomy, comfortable (which is a real achievement, since it occupies such a small space), and inviting. And best of all... like all truly great skateshops... it felt sorta like "home". And as I've mentioned a few times now, "vibe" is awfully hard to create, destroy, hide, bullshit, or fake. But the overall vibe of this shop is totally welcoming, all-inclusive, and chill.





As far as the skate inventory goes, I would call their selection "small, but diverse and well-selected". They don't carry zillions of everything... they just don't have the room... but what they do have represents everybody well.





The biggest gripe that I'll probably get over this one, is that Hardcore Sportz also doubles as a bike shop. Karl is a sponsored biker, and Kyle is an avid paintballer... so bikes and paintball supplies are really at the forefront of this shops' efforts. I can hear a small army of kids already bitching their asses off that "they're not 'core' enough", or "that's not really a 'core' skateshop...!" Well, given my recent experiences at more "core" skateshops... you can take that "core" deal, and jam it straight up your ass. At the very best, it's a completely meaningless marketing gimmick that doesn't really say anything about what my experience inside the store will be. That's why we ask our readers to support "independent retailers", instead. Because that "core" thing is such a joke.

The bottom line is that the guys at Hardcore know what they're doing, support skateboarding, are fully independent and locally-owned, have a great-looking shop, and treat their customers well.

That's a lot more than I can say about most "core" skateshops today.





30 S. 9th St.
Noblesville, Indiana 46060

765.624.9369

info@hardcoresportz.com


www.hardcoresportz.com/
www.facebook.com/hardcoresportz
http://twitter.com/#!/@hardcoresportz

Be The Scene: Support Your Local Skateshop

Sound Check:

Every once in a while, I start thinking to myself, "Man, sometimes these industry-insider analytics can get really, really tedious. I wish we could drop some music in here to liven things up a bit..." Well, this week, I finally smartened up and realized, "Hey, dude! It's the internet! We can do anything we want...!"

So with that, we're starting a new column titled "Sound Check", where we drop some of our favorite YouTube music videos throughout the editorial, for our readers' listening enjoyment.

To kick things off right, I thought this one would be pretty fitting:

Questions and Answers, Continued:

What would skateboarding look like, if the independent, brick-and-mortar skateboard retailer ceases to exist?

Call me old-fashioned, but I believe “the marketplace” depends on the existence of a real “place.” Most folks like to visit a real live place, at least some of the time, to check out the real live things that they’re thinking about really buying with their real money. Hi-res 3D holography over the Internet may arrive sooner than we think, but even that will not completely substitute for seeing, touching and holding the thing itself, in the company of live human salespeople who can respond to questions and let you walk out the door with the product in your hands. If it were impossible to go to any real “place” to see, touch, and hold a product before deciding whether to purchase… well, that would just suck for all of us, including web sellers, regardless of the type of product.

Similarly, large chain stores that push mainly their own in-house brands won’t be able to completely take over anytime soon. They face their own type of glass ceiling: the larger they get, the more they have to dumb things down to appeal to an ever-bigger lowest common denominator. That naturally threatens street cred with “core customers,” and the whole thing is at risk of crashing down. It’s a Catch-22 situation for them, and fortunately it helps protect the integrity of the marketplace for the rest of us.

Most importantly, large retail chains depend on the model of herding customers like sheep, and you can’t herd all of the people all of the time. A certain slice of the populace will always want more variety, higher quality, better customer service, etc. That’s where smaller, more specialized, more personalized shops come in. In one form or another, they’ll always be around, just like the manufacturers who value quality over quantity.


In your estimation, how is the average independent skate shop doing these days?

I don’t have up-to-date statistics at hand, but independent shops are obviously facing a host of modern challenges from big online dealers and chain stores. However, an old opportunity persists on the flip side of those challenges. Independent skate shops are still well positioned to offer more variety, higher quality, and better, more personalized customer service. Plenty of customers are still willing to go out of their way and pay a bit more for that. The unthinking herd will never absorb 100% of us.


How important is price when it comes to choosing where to shop?

That obviously varies widely depending on the buyer’s priorities, the particular product, and the state of the economy. In general, it’s a safe bet that more discriminating buyers look for a good balance among quality, price, and customer service.


What’s the best skate shop that you walked in to in the last year, and what made it so good?

I don’t bust out of my workaholic bubble often enough to visit very many real live skateshops. It’s sad, I know. Last spring I visited the Edge Boardshop in Dana Point, California. The owner, Mike Bornstein, displays a lot of the modern brands in a stylish, elegant environment. And he knows his shit. Well, mostly – he still insists on carrying other brands besides Seismic.


Describe the worst skateshop experience that you’ve suffered in the last few years.

We’ve all been to shortboard lifestyle shops that carry just a few token longboards and sneer at you if you don’t fit the right profile. In middle November I visited a shop like that in Lisbon, Portugal, to check out sales opportunities. The owner literally looked me up and down with disdain. I simply gave him my card and said, “Within a year you’ll want to carry high-end longboard products. I have to go now, but feel free to contact me when you’re ready.” He was floored.


Lastly, what is the “secret for success” for the independent retailer?

At risk of sounding like a broken record player, I think the keys to success are tried-and-true Old School values: good variety, high quality, reasonable prices, and outstanding customer service. The big online dealers and chain stores usually falter on customer service or variety, especially when it comes to the more specialized high-end stuff.

An independent shop can’t go wrong hiring and training salespeople who are educated, who communicate well, and who give a damn. Customers need solid, trustworthy help navigating the murky waters of the modern longboard marketplace. They’ll keep coming back if salespeople can explain not just what works well, but why, as well as a little bit about how modern functional designs evolved from what came before. They’ll keep coming back if sales staff is both reasonably brand-neutral and prepared to gently guide more caring customers away from the mediocre copycat stuff.

Spotlight On The Skateshop Month Continues...

Questions and Answers: Spotlight On Skateshops

Last month, I asked the staffers to answer a half-dozen or so questions on the current state of retail, from their various perspectives as publishers, manufacturers, skaters, writers, and industry leaders in their respective fields, for a new regular column called simply enough, "Questions and Answers".

This is an issue that we're going to keep talking about in the coming weeks and months, because we feel that it's an issue that truly touches each and every corner of not only our industry, but also our community.

Until now, the task of finding our way forward, and searching for workable answers has largely been left to our "industry leaders" at BRA (Board Retailers Association) and IASC (the International Association of Skateboard Companies). The fact that we're still discussing these issues, means that "those dudes" just aren't doing their fucking jobs. Somewhere, and somehow, somebody needs to take the bull by the horns, and move the ball forward. Given that there's just not a lot of "industry leaders" left, I believe that it's ultimately up to us... the independent media... to inspire and inform, and to mediate and arbitrate this discussion in a public forum.

Here's some of the responses that came back in my e-mail in-box. The rest, hopefully, I'll get around to tomorrow:







What would skateboarding look like, if the independent, brick-and-mortar skateboard retailer ceases to exist...?

It would look a lot like most other industries. It would be corporate in mindset and attitude. The fact remains that the indy skate shop is the incubator of many new ideas. Volcom didn't just wind up at Pac Sun or Zumiez by chance. Distribution is very much a part of the marketing of action sports products. The indy shop is where new ideas and products thrive. You cut them off, you've got corporations pretty much dictating what is cool 100% of the time. I can handle that when it comes to things like pickles and laundry detergent… but I'd like to think that skateboarding can offer something a little different.


In your estimation, how is the average independent skate shop doing these days...?

Some are doing great… some are doing okay, and some are doing poorly. The ones that are doing great have embraced the notion that the most important thing a business can create is a customer. There are a number creative ways you can make money in retail. It's never been an easy road, and recessions/depressions have a way of really illuminating who are the strongest and smartest. There are things beyond people's control. But in the final analysis, if you're not moving things forward and continuously striving, you run the risk of resting on your laurels. This is a major I concern have for shops that never embraced the new trends in skateboarding. They just felt it would always be the same. Nothing is ever the same.


How important is price when it comes to choosing where to shop?

It depends. People are multi dimensional when it comes to rewarding themselves They'll cut corners on food, in order to have beer…they'll cut out certain things in order to splurge. As a retailer, you need to figure out the correct balance. Get me in there, get me hooked and I'll move up the food chain. Just look at photography. Cheap cameras work great…but once you've been bitten by the photography bug, you move your focus from price to performance. Same goes with the bike industry. Cultivate enthusiasts and combine it with great customer service and price begins to matter less and less. Fashion understands this brilliantly.


What's the best skate shop that you walked in to in the last year, and what made it so good...?

Brooklyn's "Longboard Loft". Jammed to the ceiling with the coolest product they could find. A wall of wheels. Friendly service. The sense you weren't just shopping, you were entering a whole new world. It's not just shopping, it's an experience. And it's not just an experience, it's longboard heaven. And it's not just longboard heaven, it's an opportunity to share it with a community. Whoa!


Describe the worst skateshop experience that you've suffered in the last few years:

I went up a flight of stairs, in anticipation... and I asked if the shop carried longboards. I might as well have been asking for child porn. They were absolutely pathetic. Not interested in me or anything I wanted. I felt like I had somehow stepped onto their "holy ground" and was a waste of space. I left wondering how they expect to last the next 5 years. Brutal.


Lastly: What is the "secret for success" for the independent retailer...?

There are many ways to be successful… and this applies to everyone in business... not just indy retailers: "Focus". Know that you can't be everything to everyone. Work as many different opportunities as you can – get creative. Model what the bike industry does. Sell online… create a community… cut your space in half, and double your revenues… hire smart. And remember, it's vital that you balance the hedgehog principle correctly. "What was I put on this planet to do? What is it that I can be the best in the world at? What can I build/create that is truly remarkable? What is the economic engine that drives this?" Smart and successful businesses continuously ensure that these four elements are balanced and working in unison. Jim Collins created this principle, and it can be found in his book, "Good To Great".







What would skateboarding look like, if the independent, brick-and-mortar skateboard retailer ceases to exist...?

Probably very similar to the 70's, when you could only by skateboards from either a department or a toy store with the addition to the online shops. It would be a marketing blitz until it lost popularity (sales), then they would bury it in the back of the circular while they promote scooters, or some other lame knock-off. Popularity would be controlled primarily by these big shops who are all about numbers, plain and simple. The core shop is where skaters used to gather and network in a real way, which is a bit different then this information superhighway that has penetrated most of our lives. If you lose that part of the culture, the exchange goes with it. I don't think they will cease to exist, though. The well-managed, well-stocked, and adaptable shops will do fine. However, they are far and few between, and most likely will revert to more or less what we had growing up in the early-to-mid 90's.


In your estimation, how is the average independent skate shop doing these days...?

Most are hurting, no doubt about it. Skateboarding took a little dip in popularity, as well as the economy not being the best it's been. But the chain stores are reporting monthly gains... so it tells you that it is still viable, but more competitive. The problem for them is repeat / consistent business, and with so many options and places to buy, the market is more competitive then ever. Most shops try to compete directly with the major chains, which is a losing battle. Core shops need to offer more: product differentiation, better communication with their customers (Facebook should not be your only means), local events/promotions, sales. Basically, keeping a buzz going, and giving customers a reason to come back and shop.


How important is price when it comes to choosing where to shop?

Competitively priced with what other shops and online retailers are offering, but not too low as they do have bills to pay. As a customer, I don't mind paying a couple extra bucks for a product if the shopping experience/atmosphere is nice, and the people there actually seem to care enough to get me on the right stuff.


What's the best skate shop that you walked in to in the last year, and what made it so good...?

Vertical Urge in Raleigh, NC. They have a huge selection, friendly and knowledgeable staff, and are attached to Project 58 Skate Park... and a cafe, so you can start shredding right away as well as getting a snack, or a drink without ever leaving the park. Plus, there is always something going on at this shop... ie, events/promotions, visiting teams, changing their park around, great sales, etc.


Describe the worst skateshop experience that you've suffered in the last few years:

When you go into a shop, and you feel like you don't belong. There have been several shops that I have been in that you could "feel" a vibe whenever the person behind the counter actually looked up from the magazine, or stop whatever they were doing to see who was in the shop, and then uttered a guttural "w'sup" as they start judging you right from the start. What's funny is that most of these types don't really skate much... and if they do, they tend to be very negative, sarcastic, and bitter for some reason. Granted, working in a shop has it's low points at times (especially when its slow)... but when you have a new face in the shop, or a kid getting his first "real" skateboard, all that drama and cliquish-ness should be left behind. You never know who will walk through that door, and you want them to come back through that door with friends and family again. It is your job to help customers and to sell product, so you might as well make the best of it...!


Lastly: What is the "secret for success" for the independent retailer...?

Customer service, and giving them reasons to shop at your store. Knowledgeable and approachable staff, store promotions, events, rearranging/re-merchandising the store and windows in a different way, community outreach, etc. Keeping people interested and talking, because the average attention span these days is next to nil. And the array of choices, and the accessibility to product is right at a touch of a button. Too many times these days, these little details are lost. However, they make all the difference in the world.








What would skateboarding look like, if the independent, brick-and-mortar skateboard retailer ceases to exist...?

Skateboarding would just look tacky without core shops. The problem is, Zumiez and mall shops are actually really good at selling skateboarding stuff. They've got big stores, deals and big bright lights lighting up their big, dumb stores. But they're not so good at the skateboarding part, as in they don't know jack about skateboarding even if they know how to sell skate goods to the ignorant masses. When's the last time a Zumiez employee could tell you a few good spots in the area? Skateboarding might look pretty glamorous without core shops. Walk into a Zumiez and see its massive wall of shoes and even more gigantic wall of decks and in the background is a huge TV showing last year's X-games. But where's the substance and authenticity behind that?


In your estimation, how is the average independent skate shop doing these days...?

Well, if you're not a Wall Street firm these days, things probably aren't looking so hot. But at the same time, I think you're average indy shop with a decent enough backing of loyal skaters isn't doing so bad. Even in boon times, shops aren't rolling in dough, that is unless they're ripping off customers and just in it for the money. But then they're a pseudo-shop anyway. People start brewing their own coffee instead of taking daily Starbucks trips in a bad economy. But no one says, "Hey, the economy is tough right now and money's tight. I think I'll quit skateboarding." Of course they might then be more inclined to buy from some crappy online distributor because its deals are good, but I guess that's where shops with a more established backing of skaters will find it easier. For someone who's just getting into skating, he's more likely to buy from Zumiez or some website. But someone who's been going to a shop for a couple years probably won't abandon them even if they have to pay an extra $5 or $10.


How important is price when it comes to choosing where to shop?

Basically, like I said before, most good core shops probably won't be all that different as far as price. They're charging enough to make some profit, and that's it. If they're charging way too much, well, they need to reconsider why they're in the business. I think the fact is you can find the best deals buying from big online distributors, and core shops know this too, obviously. So you go to a core shop expecting to pay a little more, but you support it anyway because it actually cares about skateboarding and the skateboarding in your city. In this sense price doesn't really matter because you know you're paying a little more sometimes, but you pay it.



What's the best skate shop that you walked in to in the last year, and what made it so good...?

I went a few times to a really cool shop in Barcelona called Rufus when I studied abroad. I was checking out some shoes using my broken Spanish when the guy working there told me he spoke English. So that was a plus. In seriousness, though, it was the little things that made me like the shop. In Barcelona, and a lot of cities, there are a lot of shops, and they all carry boards, shoes etc. So it's the little things sometime that'll make you choose one shop over another. There's a weird sort of relationship between skaters and skate shop employees. You've already got a deeper connection than say a grocery store customer and grocery store employee simply because you're all skateboarders. But the guy I spoke with at Rufus didn't forget to do simple things like smile and just be friendly. And like I said before, you can get your board and shoes from Skateshop A or Skateshop B, and the price probably won't come out super drastically different. So you walk into Skateshop A, the guys seem cool and friendly, and you're sold. I actually did a little multimedia project for a journalism class when I was there and I interviewed Juan, the guy I spoke with originally, for it. When I told him about the project and asked if he could help me out, he was super willing. So that was appreciated. Here's the link if you want to see part of it:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8RtX30j9GGo



Describe the worst skateshop experience that you've suffered in the last few years:

A few years ago I walked into a Zumiez with some friends at a mall. One of the guys I was with looked at some product, told one of the employees he was going to buy it from another skate shop—a real shop—and we walked out. I heard the Zumiez employee mumble "fuckers" under his breath.



Lastly: What is the "secret for success" for the independent retailer...?

I walked into a shop a way long time ago when I just started skating. Everything about me screamed noob, and I'm pretty sure Tony Hawk was my favorite skater at the time. Well, I think the guys in the shop could clearly tell I was a noob. They didn't treat me like a total idiot, but I felt like a nerd trying to sit at the cool-kids table at lunch, and they weren't helping. I'm pretty sure I'm not the only one who was like this when he first started skating. The point is, you could be some noob or a guy who's skated 20+ years and you shouldn't be treated differently. I don't know if that's the big secret, but it's a deficiency that should be fixed.

"Meet The Staff" (Sorta...)

There are certain times in my life when events come together in a rush of serendipitous circumstances to let me know, in no uncertain terms, that I'm actually on to something here. And today just happened to be one of those days. My dedicated (and talented) staff was the cause of today's positive bemusement. So much so, that I decided to share it with our just-as-dedicated readers.

It all started about a week or so ago, when I made the seemingly simple and straightforward request for everybody to send in pictures of themselves (or, a representative image of some kind) for our "Meet The Staff" segment. Now, I'm not sure if my staff conspired to pull a practical joke of some sort on my ass, or if it's just a sheer coincidence (I suspect the former, because Lord knows that I'm overdue for one right about now)... but either way, I ended up getting positive proof, right in my e-mail in-box, that our editorial staff is the bossest group of guys in the world.

To prove just how dedicated we all are to being as disorganized as possible, about half the staff forgot to actually send their pics (probably because they were out either skating, or causing trouble.... both of which we whole-heartedly support here at the office). Below are the rest that actually did, along with excerpts from a friendly e-mail exchange between Gesmer and myself:





Dan was a little worried, at first, that "one" of us... he never specified which one of us, exactly, he was worried about... would "get into trouble" because of the abundance of legs, thighs, and lips in this "all in fun", self-portrait he sent over. "Actually, that one would probably go best, given what the other guys sent in... I'm voting for the girls. It's very apropos, given the classy club you're suddenly involved with these days..."







"In his photo, it looks like Mike's at some sort of PETA rally, with a giant f-bomb on a banner behind him (I don't think he noticed it, though... Mike almost never swears, even privately amongst friends). I'm guessing that Brooke's gonna shit a goddamned brick, when he finally notices that giant 'fuck' right behind his head..."







"AJ's got two hotties on his arms. I'm pretty sure he noticed, though, because at least one of them is his fiancee..."







"I don't think he drinks or anything, but that didn't stop Gillogly from looking like he's hammered at a frat party or something (just like any typical college kid, I guess)...."







"... and I don't even wanna get into Fatboy's getup (and trust me on this one, Dan, neither do you)..."





Hans, I owe you an apology, buddy. The only crime that you committed, was sending a .jpg image that was too small to use. Readers: Hans' image was a simple (and practical) picture of Hans, skateboarding. Which clearly makes him the most sensible of us, by far.

To acknowledge Hans' immense dedication to the freestyle community, I decided to temporarily use this icon (of freestyle legend Russ Howell), until we get a bigger picture of Hans, himself. Hans does a lot for freestyle. So putting him in such good company, I thought, would be a really nice "thank you" for his hard work.





"As for the asshat that runs this place, that goof drew a self-portrait. What a moron that guy is..."



Intentional or not, my excellent staff of contributors is probably the coolest group of guys in the whole world. If nothing else, they're at least always down for a laugh (or two). All in all, I had a pretty rough day today. And I'm at least a solid two weeks (or more) behind on everything. But the guys reminded me today- as always- that skateboarding's all about having fun, and not taking things too seriously.


Thanks, guys. You're the best.

The Editor Speaks: The Ethics of "Content Generation"

In the mainstream media, "content generation" is something of a dirty term. It's usually defined as: Advertisers generating content for the magazines (or other media) that they're advertising in. It's generally not widely recognized by the readers of the magazines for what it is. So, it's also generally not recognized as the conflict-of-interest that it ultimately ends up being.

Let's say that I owned a skateboard company called Big Bubba Boards. And I regularly pay my big bubba bucks to take out six-page-spreads in a skateboard magazine called "Blubber Barney Monthly". In this scenario, I suppose that I could use my immense buying power, as a mega-advertiser, to dictate to the magazine that I want "x" amount of tour articles, "y" amount of (naturally favorable) product spotlights, and "z" amount of my riders' photographs run every year. As a money-hungry business enterprise, the magazine might even yield do my incredulous demands, in order to maintain the (naturally favorable) status quo of my company, filling up their bank-account coffers. And this might even happen a lot in the skate and snow industries. Maybe even more than we'd all like to admit, or even acknowledge.

Of course, there are many ethical questions and concerns that are raised when we take off the blinders, and realize the dirty truth that exists in the reality of today's media. The truth is that the Big Bubba Boards scenario actually happens. The truth is that money might sometimes equal corruption, and that the readers are sometimes the ultimate losers in the equation. The truth is that there is a traditional quid-pro-quo that exists between advertisers, and the media that effectively exchanges advertising dollars for apt and ample favorable coverage. It's like the old saying goes, "Where money talks, bullshit walks". And, that's generally seen in our industries as a universal truth. To the point that many of us "on the inside" see it as the only game in town. Where the rules are the rules, and the rules just aren't changing anytime soon.

We here at Everything Skateboarding love nothing else, more than we love breaking the fucking rules. Here, though, it seems like we're actually playing along quite nicely with "the rules". At least it does, on the surface of it. We do have, after all, a whole bunch of advertisers that are not only engouraged, but damn near mandated, to kick down some "content" every once in a while, for the priviledge of being allowed to advertise here. If you scroll down a bit, you'll see that some bloke named Fatboy writes a slalom column, while some freestyler with a suave british accent named AJ used to write the freestyle column... and both of these guys own businesses with clear and vested interests in these things, that advertise on this site. So, what gives...? Is that the undisputed proof that we've sold our souls, and laughed all the way to the bank...? Or have we just sold out in the name of keeping up with the joneses, and their established "rules"...?

Well, not so fast there, dudemeyer. First of all, those ads you see are still free ads. Which means that nobody's paying for those. And as much as people would looove for me to change that policy (probably because it's a mildly threatening concept to "the establishment" of rules-makers and cool-enforcers), it's just not gonna change anytime soon. In fact, the more that dudes push for me to change it... the more that I'm inclined to dig in my heels, stand up on perfectly plausible principles, and tell everybody to just accept the policy as it currently stands, and deal with it. Which is exactly what I ended up doing this week. The policy, as it stands, is hereby set into stone for as long as I'm running the show around here. So consider the question now officially off the table. Ads are free, that's the way it's gonna be, so suck it up already.

You know, you'd think that "free ads" would be a far easier sell then they've been recently. On the other hand: This is the skateboard industry, so I guess I've definitely seen weirder.

The truth of the matter is that freedom, in my world, is far more important than money is. I already have money. I certainly don't need more of it. What I could buy with it is far less valuable than what I'd have to give up to get more of it, so it's just not that good of a deal to me. Editorial freedom... that is, the freedom to call it exactly how I see it... is everything around here. And it's just not for sale. Thankfully, the staffers largely agree with me on this. Which means that Everything Skateboarding is no longer just one pirate in the shipping lanes, but something much closer to like, a dozen of us. Which means that the pirates are winning. So lock up your daughters and guard your Cokes 'N Smokes, 'cuz sooner or later, we'll be coming for all three.

As far as "content generation" is concerned, we still have two huge advantages over everybody else. The free ads are obvious. Not so obvious, is the dickheaded asshat that we call "the editor". Which, of course, is me. Ask anyone that knows me, and knows me well, and you'll quickly find out that I'm pretty fair and easygoing... but only some of the time. The rest of the time, I'm probably a pretty challenging handful to everyone around me. And that, my friends, is the role of a good editor: To constantly challenge the advertisers' (and contributors') perceptions, and their principles. The role of the staff... naturally enough... is to challenge me, and mine, in return. It's really a pretty adversarial atmosphere that we have around here. But at the end of the day, it serves the readers well when we're constantly calling "bullshit" on each other until finally, the bold and righteous truth of the argument at hand finally emerges from the fog of battle. And that bold and righteous truth is usually that I'm a jerk. It's my job, and I do it better than most. But at least I'm not somebody's bitch. And neither is anybody on our staff.

The other wonderful by-product of our version of "content generation", is a huge increase in transparency throughout our industry. Let's face it: Whenever we get our industry heads on the record... and wearing thier minds, hearts, wisdom, and biases on thier sleeves... we all get a much clearer picture of who, and what, we're ultimately supporting with our buying dollars. Which is exactly the point of letting our advertisers talk a lot, and "generate content" for us. Take Fatboy, for example- our newest staffer. Fatboy is from Jersey, really likes Junior's mom, knows a good kegger when he crashes one, wears a kilt to the doughnut shop (and the slalom race), and skates all kinds of stuff, all kinds of shitty. Things that you might not have considered before buying yourself a custom slalom or longboard, until we came along and enlightened you to the hidden reality that's been buried there, just under the surface, all this time. But now that you know these things, you can feel a hell of a lot more [un]comfortable buying a "Longboard by Fatboy". Obviously, I'm joking around (as always). The truth-translation is: We're lucky to have him. And, so are our readers. Even if he gives himself a shameless plug once in a while. The fact-of-the-matter is, he also plugged virtually every one of his competitors as well. So we let him get away with it, 'cuz at least he's fair, balanced, impartial, and generous.

Skateboarding needs more of that kind of stuff. Not less. And Fats delivered. So, there ya go. But it doesn't begin or end with just Fats and AJ. Everybody involved with Everything Skateboarding is a one-hundred-percent, stand-up joe. So if and when you ever buy a Fatboy, One, Fickle, Factory 13, Big Mess, Legion, Real, Concrete Wave or Skateboarder's Journal Magazine, a set of 3dms or Seismics, a 5150 Snowboard, a blob of Hertel wax, or anything else that's represented here... we're gonna make sure that you know exactly who, and what, you're supporting. Because those guys are all over this blog, talking about things that truly matter to skateboarders (and snowboarders). Or at the very least: Supporting us, as we talk about 'em.

The most important part of that last paragraph, was that "the guy is real" quip. Generally speaking, this industry is currently run by mysteries, wrapped in enigmas, boxed in disinformation, shrouded in heresey, contorted by status, and enabled by silence. When's the last time we heard Steve Lake talking about longboarding, on the record? Or Per Welinder, Rodney Mullen, Don Brown, or Pierre Andre... you know, "freestylers"... talking about the importance of supporting freestyle in a 2012 world...? Or anybody at all talking about supporting women in skateboarding, the current plight of the independent retailer, the importance of being a contributing part of your local skate scene, or the pivotal role of a truly independent and uncorrupted skateboard media...? Where are our "industry leaders" when the time comes to finally move, shake, get things done, and actually lead....?

Yet here at Everything Skateboarding, we have a healthy roster of companies big and small, from every discipline of skateboarding, and from every corner of the skateboard world... all making a contribution, doing their part to pitch in and help, and getting behind the finished product with their support. That's a very real accomplishment. That said, I simply can't thank the advertisers enough for their presence here.

Everything Skateboarding is not a mega-corporate-giant of skateboard media. We're not gonna change the world overnight. If ever. But still, I'd say that a step in the right direction... even if it's an imperceptibly small and insignificant step... is still, a step in the right direction. And these days, any step in the right direction can make a difference.