Change of Subject
Submitted by Anonymous on October 12, 2008 - 7:22pm
I have a question for anyone out there that remembers anything about skateboarding.
Where in the world are the best skateboarding shops?
When I was growing up you could go and buy real skateboards, now they are made out of plywood. My daughter is a skateboarder and she wants her own skateboard, but the shop I went to is no longer around so please inform me where I can go now. I want to get this for her for christmas and time is running out so help! She already has everything else including the shoes, clothes and hairstyle all she needs is the board.
Comments
My daughter and I rode our bikes up to the Skateboard Shop next to the Hi Boy at River and 24 Hwy.
Granted that was in July but they were just getting set up. Is it gone already?
I was hoping then that they would have some wheels for my roller blades but they said skateboards only.
They had clothes and equipment and some really nice boards.
PS My dad invented the snowboard. I think so anyway. Maybe it was just because I came from a small Midwestern town but, skateboards were really hard to find in the sixties. Too bad I wasn't more popular, we could have made a fortune fifty years ago.
That there was a shop up there next to Hi Boy on 24hwy! There is NO rollerblade shops in the area. You'd have to either go to Dicks Sporting Goods and hope they have wheels there or order some off the internet. I've been ordering all of my parts off the net for the past decade because no one carries the stuff I need to keep rolling.
"The only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing." - Edmund Burke
But in about 1964 I built a skate board in a shop class at Chrisman Jr. high.
It was a 1 x 6 and pointed and had two orange stripes on it… I cut a Roller skate in half and bolted it to the board… I rode it feel off etc was never any good…
But one afternoon in early 65 I took an old wooden Ironing board and put 4 sets of Roller skates on it ,
and at about three in the afternoon on Pleasant @ 42 st. four of us got on it at the top of the hill and we rode it across 43rd. street until we cashed…
it was only one ride but it was memorable….
So did I and I am basically right next door to them, huh! Shows you how long I have been out of the skating.
Funny you should ask....as a sk8r Mom myself, I can give you some places. Chris always got his boards at Escapist. There's also a shop in Westport, but they don't have much of a selection. Since you need a board for your daughter, you will need a wider board, since boys and girls have different centers of gravity.
Also, the website ccs.com has a great variety of boards, clothes, trucks and wheels, all the supplies you need.
I wish you could see Chris's room. All his broken boards are mounted on the walls. I couldn't even tell you how many he had over the years. Skating was his absolute passion, and he was very gifted.
I would advise you to go to Escapist, let her look around, and then either get one there or go online to get it. If you get it online, you can build your own board.
Hope this helps.
Hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and nothing good ever dies
I dont board but I know all about it. Theres a new skateboard shop right here out off of woods chapel and I-70. Just get off at Woods Chapel and go north and right on the other side of the bridge next to the gas station on your right side there is a shop called MidWest Grind Skate Shop. I'm pretty sure they have a good selection. Either that or go to the mall to the stand called Loma Vista I think its called now. The stand is over on the PacSun and Hot Topic side of the mall. You have to suuport the local shops if you got them here and we do! I've known a bunch of the Escapist guys too through they years and most of them are arrogant schmucks. I always wished they wouldve opened a rollerblade shop here in the area because I've been having to order my aggressive skates off the net for the last decade! It sucks with the shipping costs and all. Aggressive inlining just isnt the popular/trendy thing here and thats perfectly fine with me!..
heres their address....
MidWest Grind Shop
1924 NW Woods Chapel Rd
Blue Springs, MO 64015
(816) 228-2970
"The only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing." - Edmund Burke
Hey you scum, I love inline skating. I've just about worn the wheels off my skates. Does MidWest have wheels?
I will call them. Thanks for the post. I just thought you should know.
I prefer figure skating to all out racing but I had a chance to put on some speed skates when I was in Holland, I was fantastic. I just don't like the idea of getting in the way of trees and cars for aggressive stuff and I don't like wearing a helmet while I am goofing around with the music.
MidWest is going to have wheels for inlines. They might even chuckle a little bit for calling a skateboard shop and asking for rollerblade parts!
"The only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing." - Edmund Burke
Thank you! I use to go to DECO's is what we called it and the old man passed away so his shop shut down. If we bought them from him he would fix them free, my grandpa was friends with him, he would also fix our mountain bikes for free too. Now, I have no clue where to go since well that was 12 years ago, this helps thanks.
Yeah, she doesn't need the clothes, hair, pads none of that she already has them she just needs a good board. That is what I liked about DECO's they were all hand made out of oak, maple or cedar none of this plywood crapola. LOL...
Thats why I'm glad I didn't get into skateboarding. I would be going through boards left and right because I'm such a bigger guy. I'd rather spend 200-300$ on a good pair of aggressive skates than a piece of cheap wood that can snap on your first trick if you land wrong. I've seen guys do that too. It sucks for them! Although I know some very very talented local guys that can tear it up on a board! You are right though, boards are more cheaply made now days...
"The only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing." - Edmund Burke
Yeah I remember the skinned limbs and jammed bones, etc. My dad went and bought me a hellation board that was a large amount of money and it lasted me until I sold it for $200 7 years ago. That was an awesome board it was made to my specs. I didn't want the K-mart and Wal-mart brand since it is made out of 9 ply and that is particle board or cork board.
thanks for adding the MidWest Grind Shop. I met those guys at Santa Cali Gon, and had forgotten about them. Since now I don't have to buy boards anymore. Chris and I always went and bought boards at Escapist, we had a good experience there. We started going there when the shop on the square moved over to Sterling, and then he closed down. And the shop at the mall is small, but they have some good stuff there as well.
I'm excited about my indoor skate park that I still hope to open.. I am planning on selling equipment and clothing there, as well as having a juice and snack bar for the skaters.
Hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and nothing good ever dies
I'm sure Cheye and her cuz would love to come there. Cheye's cuz got her into skateboarding and then Cheye found out from her dad that I use to skateboard so then she thought it was really neat. She came up to me and told me she was into skateboarding and I was pretty cool with it, so I went and bought her the Airwalks, the long baggy shorts with the shirts and everything. She asked me how long the Airwalks had been around so I explained to her at least since I was a kiddo and her cuz didn't think so, she thought they were only 3 years old until her mom said no they were around when she was a kiddo. So they thought that was neat that both of their mom's were into boarding. Then, Cheye came up to me the other day and said she wanted her own board and she wanted me to pick it out since the last two her dad bought broke. So I want the old structured and sound ones, ya know what I mean!
Where will this possible and hopeful park be located at? Here in the Indep. area? I'm 25 years old and have been aggressive inlining for 11 years now so getting to enjoy an indoor park before my career is over would be great! That Skate Valley one out in G.V. that just shut down recently was wayyyyy too small and the Indep outdoor park has gone to pot. I've built my own rails and big grind boxes and just skate those in the comfort of my own driveway out here in B.S. Let me know if you need any help with starting up the indoor park project! That would be awesome!
heres a link to my goodies I built a few months back..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FLQ1ldrWvys
"The only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing." - Edmund Burke
My family and I have plans to open an indoor park in Independence. Sometime next year, if all goes well. We want to make it an all purpose skate park, kind of one stop. We would like to hold amateur exhibitions, maybe even lessons down the line, lock ins, special nights for the younger skaters, and nights for more advanced. It will be in this town. We will name it after my son. Coop's Alley. I have the location in mind, but don't want to say where it is right now. Just suffice to say it is the ideal location.
And I will need A LOT of help!
Hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and nothing good ever dies
That skating has always been my passion and would definitely love to be involved with a project like this. Yeah depending on how big it is, you will definitely want different nights for different sports, like bikers have their own night or own separate session time at least. It can get messy with a bunch of bikers in the way. Boarders and bladers usually don't have a problem skating at the same time. And yes definitely have separate "beginner" sessions because when I'm skating, I'm trying to focus on doing/landing tricks and not dodging little kids the whole time. I'm right at 6ft tall and weigh 250 so I can't always stop on a dime and not run into people. I know I have way more control and experience then someone 15 years younger than me and just starting out so it just gets frustrating having them be "in my way" ya know? So yeah little kids only sessions = very good idea. Thats one of the main problems at Indep. outdoor park, little kids always getting in the way. Thats one reason why I dont hardly skater there anymore. Whenever you start to get this underway, hoping that we aren't in a total depression by this time next year, let me know what I can do to help out! I have a full time day job but could help out in the evenings and on the weekends! Shoot maybe even my wife would be willing to do a logo for you and build a website? Thats what she does for a living, and I do electrical for a living and some basic carpentry so that could come in handy right?
"The only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing." - Edmund Burke
What's your opinion on surfaces? Wood, metal, or concrete? Or a combination? I am leaning toward wood. But I've been told concrete is the best for skaters. I have a lot to learn. But I'm doing this for my Chris. He was always depressed in the winter when he couldn't skate.
We are also considering making it members only, so we have more control on who comes in. Offer guest memberships in the beginning with the objective being toward something like a gym membership.
Just throwing ideas out there, not set yet.
Hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and nothing good ever dies
Definitely NOT metal. You can get cut on that stuff and I would know! Concrete is nice IF it like the concrete job up at Indep Park which is freakishly smooth wear it doesnt wear your wheels down as fast as a textured concrete. But if its going to be just a indoor park then I would just go with all wood ramps with a masonite top on everything. Yeah the members only thing sounds like a good idea but not everyone that skates in eastern jackson county here is going to want to pay for a membership. Even I don't think I'd pay for one because I know I won't be there every single day skating the park so I'd rather just pay for individual sessions but thats just me. Whenever this project starts up though just remember us rollerbladers by putting some round rails in the park. Like nothing over 1.5" round coping. We got screwed at Indep Park. Our one "round rail" is 4" in circumference. I was pretty pissed when I saw that that was all we were getting rail wise. So no FAT rails if you please! I'm pretty good at designing and coming up with ideas for parks too. Like different skate objects are my specialty. Just let me know if you need any help!
"The only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing." - Edmund Burke
Yes definitely concrete as long as it is really smooth. Metal tears clothes and so does wood, but wood you also have to worry about were you put the wood together at and splinters. Concrete can hurt you, but mainly all you have to worry about with concrete is broken bones, with metal you have to worry about open wounds that require stitches. That has been my experience as a skateboarder, I always loved the smooth concrete. Definitely rails, boards love rails and pikes and so does bladers. Make then turn in like a track those are fun too! Me and my buddies use to use the stairs with rails too!
I would say go for wood though if its indoors. You can put a masonite top finish over the plywood once the ramps are done. Trust me, masonite is better to fall on because its not quite as hard as concrete and when you fall you actually slide a little instead of dragging across the concrete...
"The only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing." - Edmund Burke