On Saturday, April 24, 2010, Shane Wallace invited a few people to Rancho Cucamonga, California for the soft-launch opening of OK Skate’s first retail showroom. It was a chance to show everyone what he and the OK Skate crew have been working on for the past six months.
Located on a frontage street near Interstate 15 just North of Interstate 10, the warehouse/ office/ showroom combo is in that strange zone between the Eastern edge of Los Angeles sprawl and the Western front of the Inland Empire. The business park that houses OK Skate is a few blocks from the nearest retail center, but signs on the upstairs windows are visible from the southbound lanes of the freeway. Commuters who continue further south can’t help but notice the large Active Ride Shop warehouse on the opposite side of the 15. The location is likely no accident, though Shane says it was chosen based on “area demographics.”
OK Skate marks Wallace’s return to retail after the Active Ride Shop bankruptcy and subsequent sale pulled the rug out from under much of the industry last March. Between greeting friends at the door, putting final tweaks on the POS system, and watching kids skate the showroom’s mini ramp, Shane had time to sneak upstairs to his office above the shop for a short interview to discuss what OK Skate is, how it came about, and what they have planned for the future.
Follow the jump for photos and the entire interview.
[Editors’ Note April 30, 2010: After reading the interview for the first time online, Shane had a few things to add. We have placed those comments at the end of the interview.] [click to continue…]
Shane Wallace appears to have been busy these past few months. We’re not spilling all the details, but if you want to keep a little closer tabs on everything going down at OK Skate in Rancho Cucamonga, California it might not be a bad idea to follow them at @okskatecom and on facebook.
Ok Skate’s grand opening is May 8, 2010, but we’ll keep you posted.
The “Our Park” video was posted to Youtube by Hybebeast TV and explains how Nike’s plans to build a skate plaza in Tokyo’s Miyashita Park aren’t sitting well with the artists who frequent the park, nor the homeless people who live there. Check it out.
This silly contraption is the G-Wheel Speedgo. From the looks of it you stand on it like a skateboard and then control the speed with a hand cable. Two things are certain: it is made in China and if you buy 51 of them they’re only $134 a piece. Still not sure that’s any kind of a deal. . .
A 33-year-old father of two 13-year-old boys and an 11-year-old girl took his kids to the Denver Skatepark on Wednesday night (April 14, 2010) and ended up getting beaten by a crowd of skateboarders, according to a story on CBS4Denver.
Police say more than two dozen skateboarders joined in the melee, striking the father with skateboards. The victim received a head injury, a fractured back vertebrae and a broken elbow.
The Denver Post has more of the story of a man known only as Dave:
After about 30 minutes Dave watched as a group chased an individual across the park. As a pursuer ran by, Dave asked: “What’s going on?” . . The man turned to Dave, cursed at him, and told him to leave. . . The words had just passed from the man’s mouth when Dave was slammed with a skateboard from behind, he said. . . “I guess just me asking was enough for them to clock me,” Dave said. . . Immediately, others joined in and started beating Dave with skateboards. A friend of Dave’s who was there tried to help him, and he also was attacked. . . The friend’s injuries were not as serious.
Dave, who told The Post he’s been “going to the skatepark for years” drove his kids home and then drove himself to Lutheran Medical Center where he was treated for his injuries.
Skateboarder Magazine’s inaugural Make-A-Wish Foundation Benefit Skate Jam presented by DC Shoes goes down this this Saturday, April 17, from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the Hollenbeck Skate Plaza in Los Angeles, California.
On site there will also be raffles, giveaways, music, autographs and street-fair style booths hosted by industry-leading skate brands including, but not limited to DC Shoes, Volcom, Analog, DVS, Nike SB and Adio, raising money for the Make-A-Wish Foundation and giving back to the children of Los Angeles County. There will also be an after party at Royal Claytons English Pub beginning at 8:00 p.m. where everyone can gather for some grub after a long day at the Plaza.
As Skate & Annoy’s Kilwag pointed out today, Justin Bieber the “prepubescent pop star” can ollie higher than he can. We agree. But what he failed to point out is that Bieber also has impeccable taste in footwear. . .
\Tomorrow night (April 15, 2010) Shaun White will unveil his new footwear line for Target Stores at a Midtown Manhattan shindig, according to a story in the New York Times.
The shoes, scheduled to arrive at Target on July 11, will accompany the 2010 version of the Shaun White clothing line that Target sells. The apparel is scheduled to arrive at Target in early August.
Tax day is likely the perfect time to unleash $34.99 shoes on the American public. Wonder how all the skate shoe companies feel about this?
