Since the opening of the Bordz shop in Somers Point it has always been an uphill struggle to bring in new lines of product, or make the bills, or even just to open everydaywitha fresh new idea. Thanks to the power of the man upstairs I have been blessed with abilities to change peoples ideas of what is right, also what people think of themselves in general. For example, I decided to begin a Christian Skateboarders Sunday group meeting to help energize the youth skaters of the areas inner spirit as God wants us to. First day, only two guys showed up to study then skate together on our in store ramp. After two weeks we now have four members to our group and I pray it continues to grow as they will grow in faith based group meetings and skate sessions. I know, this is weird right? Well, I own the Bordz shop and God has it very clear to me that I am here to do things like this to reach the troubled kids in my area and hope to turn them back into their faith. Besides, I am the only store I know of that would even do a thing like this, “Its Free” So where is the return you might ask? In my heart and personal growth have to answer you with.

Changes in the economy have produced difficult retail patterns of consumer confidence. Most everyone who comes in spent the stimulus check on a bill, not to accelerate the retail growth. Marshalls, Ross, Kohls, Forman Mills all now rule to sector at the moment due to low pricing and “b or c” quality product. Overstock discount chains are also not so effected by the economy due to their price point purchasing power, let’s face it, where do you think all the gear goes we as specialty shops don’t sell? That’s right the “third” market, Discount Chains usually after a year in circulation or so on the style.

We are changing our focus to the skateteam we have. The kids are young, some very young and show great promise, however, youth growing pains always make me feel like a babysitter with some of them. I have recently promoted a long-time team rider ”Dolan Ott” to team Manager. His abilities are far beyond those of his peers and his work ethic is second to none I have ever seen. This Change looks to re-ignite the fire lost by the team riders and make them better people not just team riders for years to come. Dolan brings to the table years of competitive experience, along with a personality that is both marketable and enlightening.

While the Pro ranks reel from the damage of changes, we as specialty shops begin to search out new forms of revenue and services to offer the consumer. The kids who frequent the Mall stores are missing out on a seriously under rated act of business, Customer service. Hey guys, just cause they carry every brand, just a bit though, certainly does not make their staff knowledgeable at all, but then again, your at a mall buying skate gear, I’m certain you couyld care less. WAKE UP! You are just another “number” in the system. I have enclosed an article that was written so long ago I hardly remember it but I found it the other day.

Till later:

JUST SHUT UP AND SKATE!

 

    POSER or SKATER??

 How many of you skaters out there go to Zumiez, Pac Sun or any other corporate chain store location to buy your skate gear? So how many of you also get the wrong gear handed to you by some kid who hasn’t been alive as long as some of the specialty shop owners have spent on the toilet? Good question eh? Do you really think that these kids know what’s best for you? 

 

If you are a true skater I mean eat sleep and breathe skating than you would never be caught dead in a mall shop that sells sporting goods gear or ghetto wear next to it’s skateboards. What are you really thinking by doing that?

 

I’m sure you have taken a good look around at just how many new mall shops are opening to grab your money, that’s right I said grab your money. Once you leave the shop you’re a profit margin not a skater who is loyal to his or her shop. When was the last time you saw ANY mall shop do anything for the local skaters?

 

Mall shops are just that, Mall shops who now carry corporate branded brand name Skate /

Surf / and Snowboard products at an outrageous price to you the consumer. In the past at one point companies took pride in their ability to be a “Core” product line, and denied access of their products to the Mall shops and mail order companies.

 

Now it seems all that has changed? And the lure of profit margins and good old boy get rich quick schemes rule the industry. It’s a shame when you find high quality lines like certain shoe lines (who I can not name due to fallout) in the local mall? Once a “Core” product line, $#@! has taken its profits to a record high by selling its brand name out to the Mall market and EVERY POSER ON THE STREET!

 

Where do we go from here? My guess would be Acme with World Industry completes or how about Liquor Stores selling skate and surf wax? Oh and how about the best one yet, 711 Corner food marts with racks of Volcom and Element apparel for sale? Where does it end? You can get Element, and Roxy at Marshall’s and Ross for less than retailers pay at a Wholesale cost? I think that is imperative that our industry needs to look deep within it and see where the industry started from and just how they plan to keep the core skater from having to do mail order or visit their local mall to get their products.

Not to mention, how do they differ from the kid who just wears the gear and can’t even skate?

 

Companies need to drive the skaters back to the shops that support them the specialty stores located in YOUR “hood”.  

 

Most every specialty shop owner has been boarding at a high level of expertise for almost their entire lives, which gives them an edge over the mall shops with adolescent salespeople.

 

One of the biggest changes over the past twenty years is that the attitudes of the younger athletes themselves that have taken a nosedive. It seems that almost every kid that does our sports belongs to the (WIIFM) school of skating. For those that do not know what that means it’s the (What’s in it for me) train of thought that destroys almost every person who gets it. As I told a group of 65 students at a past years Career day speech I gave, only one person on several thousand are even given the chance to live the dream of making a living at what they do as a professional.

 

Ever wonder why Pro athletes make so much these days?

Think it has to do with having such short careers?

Again WIIFM, what happened to the soul of our lifestyle?

 

Not to long ago we had Wildcats, Boozy the Clown, among others who were Professional

Snowboarders and they put out some truly Funny videos, but never had the youth riders live what they where doing, in fact they put a disclaimer saying just that; “We don’t condone this behavior”. But the video was very entertaining, and also helped to launch several careers from the exposure. Now we have every brand name company following the trends and no one to actually lead the youth of our sport in a positive, clean, and driven direction for the future. Where do we go from here?

 

I have a shop directly across from a skate park where I teach skateboard lessons, have contests, and just plain keep our kids busy and out of trouble. My biggest rant is that due to the influence of Mall shops, certain brand Name companies marketing plans, and media advertisements, these kids are almost all carbon copies of the next kid on a board. In AJ Kohn’s article (one skateboards) about freestyle approach to skateboarding he even said he has seen a major lack of creativity among the up and comers. Of course there are a few exceptions but really, when was the last “REAL” standout skater like Tony Hawk, or Rodney Mullen been around your shop? These guys defined skateboarding among others, so where do we go from here?

 

The influences of the Media, marketing and company Sales Reps, and even the Pro skaters themselves have created a great void in the way we can reach these kids before they become a problem and get hurt. Hey guys, put the fun back in the industry, enough megabucks events, help us who reach the skaters everyday face to face and support our efforts to bring back the soul of the industry

 

“I know it hurts your sales goals but take back the industry get it out of the wrong hands at the mall and give it back to the experts!”