Welcome back to another week of Comacan Questions, were stoked as always to share another set of questions and a story from a skateboarder working within skateboarding. Today’s interview is extra special, we are joined by a guest we’ve previously spoke with, just over a year ago when he opened his doors as a Skateshop right in his very own house. Fast forward one year and 50 interviews later and were ready to check in with our guest again to see how things have changed over his first year in business. We hope everyone enjoys this week’s interview with a unique twist, A Year Later with Ride Skateshop.
How has being in a brick-and-mortar storefront helped you?
Being in a store front has helped in many ways! Being able to have more product in the shop, actually giving people a place to come, being able to be more public and has overall been a huge step up!
What is the address of your storefront?
6104 Main St, Niagara Falls L2G5Z9
How has the storefront been different from your online only business out of your house?
There’s the obvious business stuff like rent and stuff. But having a physical shop that can allow people to actually come in and look around and talk to them face to face is so much easier and makes for a better experience. Also, just the fact that this is my job now rather than a side thing, it’s a nice feeling. Been a lot of differences but in the best ways!
How has over a year of serving the Niagara skateboard community (and beyond) felt?
Sometimes it still doesn’t feel real! Being able to be involved with getting my hometown a skatepark was awesome. But being able to open something that the can provide people will the gear needed to skate and being able to fill something that’s been missing for years feels amazing! It’s an honour to be able to be involved in skating as much as I have been!
Has the past year changed or shaped your goals differently for the future?
Both yes and no. What hasn’t changed is wanting to be able to provide as much as I can in the best ways. But being a licensed business definitely has changed how things operate, how things work and what I have to do to make ends meet! But they’re changes and goals that will only help improve the shop!
What do the next 5 years look like for you?
This is always a question that’s hard to answer because we’ve accomplished things in a year that I never thought would be able to happen within that time. I’m not usually someone who likes to think too far ahead but all that we can do so far is set future goals on what we’d like to do and do what we can to make those kinds of things happen!
What makes ride Skateshop special?
The large variety, the friendly and fast customer service, sharing our experiences with social media by live unboxings and trying to benefit the customers as much as possible!
Any projects you’re looking forward to?
Nothing is set and stone but hopefully more collabs, more fun events and giveaways and with warm weather coming, hopefully being able to host some contests and demos!
What does skateboarding mean to you?
Skateboarding is my escape from everything. It allows me to be as creative as I can be, it allows me to push my own limits and teaches you a lot about getting back up when something goes wrong. I can’t imagine my life without skateboarding.
Anyone you’d like to thank?
Every single person who has shown support into the shop from checking us out and buying some gear, thank you to our distributions and brands we go through for the product, the Niagara Icedogs for being our first collaboration, my parents for letting me start the shop in their basement, everybody who had helped get us to where we are today!
