LONG’S BOARD SHOP
209 B Western Avenue
South Portland, ME 04106
207-899-0376
longsboardshop.com
SHOP VIDEO: “SAFETY SECOND”
OWNERS: Tom and Sarah Long
OPENED: April 2012
PARTICIPATING WITH I RIDE I RECYCLE SINCE: April 2012
WHAT YOU’LL FIND HERE: Even though we are a small shop we work hard to offer a very deep and diverse selection because us skateboarders are notoriously opinionated about our setups. Decks by Real, Creature, and Primative are some of our strongest sellers but we’ve always got you covered whether you prefer Crailtap, Dwindle, Kayo wood and more. We keep it local as well with our Maine made shop decks, and Maine’s own Weird Wood – as well as smaller companies like Welcome and Anchor Hardware. Independent, Venture, and Thunder, to top your Bones, Spitfire, and OJ wheels with a grip selection to meet even the most eccentric skater’s OCD needs. No athletic shoe brands on our wall, we’re supporting companies like Vans, Emerica, Lakia, and Fallen who support the skate culture.
WHAT GOT YOU INTO SKATEBOARDING? In 4th grade (around 1984 – ish) my friend’s older brother came back from college with a skateboard and a music collection, both changed my life from that moment on. 30 years later and i still feel most at home when i’m on a board listening to music.
BIGGEST CHALLENGE RUNNING A SKATE SHOP: It can be difficult when trying to help customers understand that you get what you pay for. You can order a $20 deck online but then if you don’t land bolts you’ll be left with nothing but splinters. That and the self control necessary when a new order comes in and i want to just take it all home for myself.
BEST SELLING HARDGOOD IN YOUR SHOP: Can’t keep Spitfire’s Formula Fours in stock. They fly out no matter how many we get in.
BEST SELLING SOFTGOOD? Long’s Board Shop hoodies… we were SO picky about choosing an uber-comfortable yet durable hoodie that you can live in.
BEST SELLING SKATE SHOE? Anything vulc with a one piece toe is doing well now. And black, any color is good as long as it’s black.
MOST UNIQUE PRODUCT YOU CARRY? Well, it’s not “technically” for sale (but really everything is for the right price) but a friend brought in an object i can only describe as a ceramic vase made out fingers. He felt it needed to be in the shop so it currently holds our rail selection upright.
MOST UNIQUE THING ABOUT YOUR SHOP: Besides being run by two scientists? We are a family owned skate shop for the skate family. All boarders are welcome and are at home here. Also, since Sarah’s a meteorologist you can get personalized forecasts as to when’s going to be the best time to get out there.
YOUR THOUGHTS ON SKATEBOARDING TODAY? What sucks in skateboarding today is how now that we’ve reached a critical mass as skaters, big corporations are trying to figure out how they can try to make money off of this culture that we’ve all had a part in making. What’s great about skateboarding right now is how style-wise, truly, anything goes. Having lived through eras where if you didn’t have the right sized wheels, or the right style of clothing you could be seen by others as being less than, it is great to see how almost anything goes right now. Any width or shaped board, any size wheel, shoes can be cup or vulc – mid or low, vert, tech, street, transition, boneless, whatever you’re into its all good. i absolutely love how open it is right now, i love the diversity.
THOUGHTS ON I RIDE I RECYCLE? Everything we do has an impact on the environment. There are now over 7 billion people on this planet. With everything we do, from what we eat, to how we get around, we need to be aware of the impact we have and do everything we can to minimize our personal footprints on this planet. As skateboarders, we probably go through decks faster than anything else. We need to be responsible in regards to where that all ends up and need to reduce our contributions to landfills and incinerators. Skateboarding is an art, so what is more fitting than our beloved boards finding a second life in an artistic reincarnation. The backsplash of our home kitchen is now decorated by boards given to IRIR and we have built a light soffit for our shoe wall using the IRIR tiles as well. All those stories, all that board art, now brings a smile to my face at home and at the shop.
ANYTHING YOU’D LIKE TO PROMOTE? Stay in the loop at longsboardshop.com for all the latest on events like our Maine premiere of the new Transworld Video, our Annual Halloween Jam, and our first shop video “Safety Second.”
#SUPPORTYOURLOCALSKATESHOP
