Here is an up-date on everything SK8-BRD-BUS. As my title implies, we are starting to PUSH hard on "BIG BRANDS" hopefully driving home a clear point. You will no longer own EVERYTHING skateboard! Although this is my first business, I'm no business rookie. I know all too well how competitive markets tend to behave. I did however underestimate the sheer level of growing greed and the insurmountable gate keeping that infests and operates among us in the skateboard industry.
I learned early in this adventure that I would face not only major adversity from "BIG BRANDS" protecting their profits by pretending to support the little guys while behind the scenes knowingly acting as major contributors to the demise of the small business they pretend to support. Businesses like mine. When the majority if not all of your inventory is allocated to a small number of on-line giants and mall shops, you are a direct reason for the demise of your brand and its legacy. These "BIG BRANDS" are deliberately attempting to eliminate the very small businesses they claim to support while simultaneously killing their own skate legacy. What a shame! SHAME ON YOU! I hope they change their minds and realize that it doesn't matter how your customer chooses to procure your goods as long as you are allowing everyone to play on a level field. Unfortunately, that isn't the case and we have learned to adapt to this circumstance.
Still, we have managed to overcome this adversity and find some of the most amazing skate companies and products available in any skate shop regardless of special connections to industry insiders! We are extremely proud to have partnered with Pointe Distribution and IF Skate Co. for our shop decks, Skate Shred, Mesa Distribution, Concrete Visionary, SOP Distribution, Jessup, Gullwing, ACE, UMA Land Sleds, COLOURS COLLECTIVE, FP Insoles, Bus Stop Curb Wax, CRUPIE, ATM, ACID Chemical Co, Speed Lab Wheels, Churo, Liquid Death, Parkland Skateboards, Local Paradise Skates and Pepper just to name a few. Thank you to these brands who in my humble opinion are truly legends of our industry!
I would also like to thank all of the people that have helped me along this journey and of course apologize in advance for anyone I may miss here. Please know that I truly appreciate you and your energy. Of course thank you to our creator and my entire family. Specially, I want to thank my beautiful wife and children for always understanding me and for being there for me no matter what!
Mi Amigo/My friend Ruben Banuelos, gracias por tu ayuda en realizar mi sueño de construir una tienda de patinetas adentro de una gua gua. Thank you for your help in realizing my dream of building a store inside of a bus.
Jonny Manak, thank you for being a really cool dude and for being our first official vendor. The passion that you have and give to hand crafting epic skateboards and teaching others how to work in this craft is inspiring and admirable. Hats off to you for being an inspiration to me and many others on this journey.
Mia Almaguer, thank you for helping with our logo and bus wrap design. You knocked them both out of the park and I couldn't be happier with the finished product. Our customers also love the design and compliment it often. Thanks for working with me on getting everything just right!
My brother Eric Cespedes. bro.. Thank you for always having my back even though we are so far apart. Not only did you inspire me by successfully opening and operating your own business, you have always inspired me with the passion and drive you possess for life and the pursuit of happiness and accomplishing big things! Thank you for your inspiration and love.
Angel Gonzalez, primo. You reminded me about the importance of Faith, honesty, kindness and giving. Your courage and tenacity gives me strength to fight the good fight!
Jose Montenegro, dude you really helped me when I needed it most. Thank you for thinking outside the box and finding a way to make our bus wrap design work within our budget. You really exceeded expectations. Your business story and perseverance also greatly inspired me on this journey.
We are also super stoked to start working with Local Paradise Skate out of Colorado on their amazing laser etched "Giant Squid" deck coming onboard the bus this spring in various sizes, stains and natural.
We also recently started working with Encore Distribution & Concrete Visionary who distribute FP Insoles as well as COLOURS COLLECTIV by Paul Hart. We now stock "Pain Killer" socks which use a proprietary formula in their sewn in shin and ankle inserts offering extreme levels of shock absorption using proprietary Newtonian Fluid in the pads construction to eliminate "shinners" and "ankle biters" while skating. We also started carrying FP insoles, FP elbow & knee pads as well as FP helmet liners all using this same proprietary fluid technology to help keep you skating longer. We also couldn't resist the COLOURS decks and COLOURS completes including the Old Dirty Bastard collab decks & completes as well as the O.D.B. grip tape line. Lastly we added Crupie wheels to help round out the collection from our new friends at the Concrete Visionary and the LA Skate Club. We hope to start making weekly field trips to LA Skate Club for private skate club seshes!
SOP Distribution ATM Click, Chris Weissmann "Crusty", Wrex Cook, Acid Chemical Co., Permanent Vacation, Silver Tools and Shoe Goo also jumped on board this year adding fantastic decks showcasing art from Kris Marcovich who has agreed to bless the interior of our shop with his amazing art work. We are super stoked about this collab and cant wait to learn more on when this may be happening with details TBD. My friend, you have carte blanche!
Weismmann/Marcovich deck below available on the bus
We are also now working with Highline Industries and are proudly carrying Gullwing Trucks in various colors and sizes. We look forward to also bringing the Gullwing Pro III on board once they are back in stock which should be right around the corner. Thanks again to Devon Beck for helping to make this possible.
We also started working with Brian Brown and the team at Mesa Distribution to carry the iconic UMA Landsleds who Amidst the height of the pandemic in 2020, one of the continually wildest rides most of us have taken in our lives, Uma Landsleds was created. Evan Smith brought his spontaneous, creative energy to Mesa Distribution where the brand was born and nurtured. Exuding this same feral energy, Maité and Cody Chapman joined the adventure, completing the introductory team. Thomas Campbell took reigns on art direction and curated the initial offering, enlisting the art of Nathaniel Russell whom has become the epicentre of the Uma artist universe.
Uma cemented its place as a brand that is here-to-stay with the 'Punch a Hole In the Sky' video. Masterfully crafted by Jon Miner, the video is an immersion of high level skating, brilliant art and cosmic spirit. Surprise inclusion went to the newest Uma rider Roman Pabich, whose rise in fame quickly earned him pro status.
The beloved and talented Andy Jenkins now guides the creative efforts while Evan continues to lead the expanding team on a global jaunt, spreading the Uma vibes of inclusivity and positivity, welcoming all to join in along the way.
We also started carrying ACE trucks both Classics and AF1's along with hardware, bushings, patches, shock pads, re-threaders and re-threading T-Tool. Pepper grip tape was also onboarded to help round out the available offerings from Mesa.
We have also onboarded Jessup Original, Colors, Ultra Grip and NBD Brand Griptape. Jessup is included with all deck or custom complete purchases. Thank you to Sonia Gebhardt and Jennifer Heiman. You Rock!
Lastly, I want to thank everyone who has supported the bus with their business, kind acts/words and general positive vibes and energy. You are the reason for our existence and you are why I love what I do everyday.
Daniel
Comments