CULTURE

How the Thrasher Store Is Revitalizing Sixth Street in San Francisco

Published

5 years ago

December 29, 2018

Skate Newswire

The San Francisco Chronicle just published an article on Thrasher’s retail store located at 66 Sixth Street. It’s one of the few parts of the city that still remains rough around the edges after the tech boom. But that could be changing due in part to Thrasher, and the upcoming 10,000 square foot Supreme store that is slated to open around the corner.

Thrasher has had offers to open stores in fancier shopping districts in Las Vegas and Los Angeles, but Vitello always turned them down. He wanted to locate in a part of the city that hasn’t been transformed by tech money. Sixth Street — with its collection of residential hotels, social service agencies and underground economy — fit the bill.

“I always go back to being a kid skating in the old Union Square — before it was fixed up,” he said. “It was gritty and gnarly, and I thought it was the coolest place on the face of the earth.”

Sixth Street has been attracting other new businesses lately — the bar Rumpus Room, Pentacle Coffee, a Greek deli called the Argentum Project and the kosher deli Frena Bakery and Cafe. The trendy clothing store Supreme recently was granted city planning permission to open a 10,000-square-foot store right around the corner from Sixth on Market Street.

And Vitello has been talking to city officials about creating a skating feature — it could be as simple as a Jersey barrier — those modular barriers used to separate lanes of traffic — on Minna Street next to his store so that skateboarders will have another reason to go to Sixth Street.

The street still needs to evolve enough for a teenager to feel comfortable rolling down the block. Right now that’s not always the case — there are opiate addicts with needles in their arms, fencers selling stolen goods, overturned shopping carts next to heaps of trash dumped on the sidewalk.

The article also mentions that Corey Duffel, Chico Brenes, and Al Davis all work at the store, which is another reason to stop by if you’re in town. Head over to the Chronicle’s website to learn more about Thrasher’s flagship location.

Images Via Lea Suzuki / The San Francisco Chronicle

CONTESTS

Get Behind the Scenes of the Red Bull Bowl Rippers

Published

4 months ago

December 6, 2023

Skate Newswire

In September, Red Bull Bowl Rippers brought pro skateboarding action back to Marseille’s famous beachside Bowl Du Prado after a two-year hiatus.

As thousands of enthusiastic French spectators witnessed the action-packed event, Marc Churchill and Corbin Harris interviewed the participating skaters, as well as industry veterans such as Greg Poissonnier, Chris Gregson, and Bryce Kanights. They also spoke with the event organizer, Jeremie Grynblat, and local hero Vincent Matheron to understand what makes this unique proving ground so special and why people keep coming back to it for decades.

The first Bowl Rippers was held in 2016 at the iconic park to celebrate its 25th year. Now on its sixth edition, The Red Bull Bowl Rippers continued the Bowl Du Prado’s legacy of enshrining legends into a new era.

The Bowl Du Prado, designed by Jean-Pierre Collinet, has been visited by every great skateboarder to leave their mark on the sport. Along with famous names like Cardiel, Speyer, Trujillo, and Petersen, there are also local legends like Molinier, Benoliel, Salah, and the Matheron clan who have all contributed to the skatepark’s worldwide notoriety.

CULTURE

Atita Verghese: India’s Top Female Skater in ‘Skate Tales’

Published

4 months ago

December 5, 2023

Skate Newswire

In this episode of Skate Tales, Madars Apse visited Bangalore to meet Atita Verghese, India’s leading female skater.

Atita was introduced to skateboard culture by the Holystoked crew, who constructed India’s first DIY skatepark in Bangalore. Her life was transformed when she stepped onto a skateboard, and she has never looked back.

In 2014, Atita established Girl Skate India, a non-profit organization that encourages young women to pursue skateboarding. Atita is a source of inspiration for women worldwide, particularly in India, where skateboarding is still in its early stages.

She has been involved in the construction of the majority of skateparks in her home country to this day, having learned how to mix concrete and shape transitions with the Holystoked collective.

Skateboarding has led her to appear in numerous advertisements, a TED talk, movie roles, and even a cameo in the Netflix series Skater Girl.

Atita has created a one-woman movement beyond providing boards, pads, or lessons. In a society where opportunities for girls to be free of social constraints and have fun are limited, Atita’s work is definitely worth checking out.

CULTURE

Andrew Arthur: From Sponsored Skateboarder to Fashion Photographer

Published

5 months ago

December 2, 2023

Skate Newswire

The Transworld Skateboarding crew catches up with Andrew Arthur in this episode of “Brain Floss.”

Andrew Arthur was raised in Oceanside, California, surrounded by some of the best skaters who eventually became pros. Although he once pursued skateboarding and even reached the amateur level, his career took a different path when he found his niche in fashion photography.

Fast forward ten years and Andrew now resides in New York City, where he continues to skate and stay connected with the local scene. His latest photo project, which will be compiled into a book, is a unique take on the sun bounce setup popularized by Peter Lindbergh.