01.16.2008
Skate shop open for business
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Jason Martin has heard the call of Statesville’s skateboard fanatics and openend a “Haven,” just for them, in Downtown Statesville. photo |
After months of excitement and young faces pressing against the plate glass windows of their new Center Street storefront, business partners Jason Martin and Ryan Dillard revealed the skateboarding shop Haven on Tuesday.
Martin and Dillard, owners of the Computer Shop on Cen-ter Street, wanted the skaters to set the mood of Statesville’s only skate-related shop.
“It’s their skate shop, we just run it,” Martin said.
Not only did a group of skaters who hang out downtown pick out the decks (the “board” in skateboard), wheels and clothing sold in the store, they also helped remodel and design the layout of the storefront, which used to be a part of The Shoppe Antiques.
The group of teenagers teamed up to break tile, pull up carpet, tear down a wall and paint baseboards.
“These walls are inches back from where they were,” said Jonah Bogeart, 14.
In the process of setting up the store, the group learned how to set up retail and merchandising.
Last Wednesday, Jacob Johnston was trying to explain retail positioning of the skateboard decks to some of the people in the unfinished shop. The 12-year-old was putting up the chains that hold the skateboard decks.
“Every day, we have a checklist of things that have to get done,” Martin said. “(But) there is something they can’t help with because they still have to go home to their moms.”
Martin said they wanted to create a place where the skaters could hang out after school so they weren’t getting into trouble.
He said they recently had a talk with some of the skaters about how they conducted themselves downtown. Martin said if they wanted the city to build a skate park, they needed to rebuild some bridges knocked down by grinding steps or jumping walls.
“All of them I have talked to are very positive,” Martin said.
The idea for a skate shop was hatched about a year ago when the Downhillbillies asked Martin and Dillard to set up the timing tent for the 2006 Dixie Cup. After the World Championship of Slalom Skating in Statesville last year, the duo decided to move forward with the idea.
They walked up the street to La Dolce Vita and asked some of the skaters hanging out after school what they wanted in a skate shop.
A few days later, Jonah showed up with a small report suggesting what they should sell.
Martin and Dillard took their lead from the skaters and started to order inventory.
The response to the shop was overwhelming, Martin said. Parents and grandparents would come into the Computer Shop before Christmas and pre-order lists of merchandise.
Martin said some stores focus on just a few brands. They took the lists prepared by skaters like Jonah and Jacob to stock their inventory with a wide variety of products.
Haven will also sell “Funhouse” skating products by Statesville-native artist J.J. Rudisill.