Main Street Business

Since I’m not a skateboarder, I can only imagine the sheer feeling of freedom people get when hopping on their boards and navigating the streets or neighborhood ramps with nothing but the rush of adrenaline pumping through their bodies and the cool wind racing through their hair. 

I still recall that scene in The Secret Life of Walter Mitty when Walter, played by Ben Stiller, whizzes through the streets of Iceland on a longboard with dramatic landscape scenes behind him. 

Skateboarding has become more popular in recent years, and with that, it is finally being recognized as a legitimate sport. According to Smithsonian magazine “From its origins – roller-skate wheels attached to a wooden board – the skateboard has given rise to a vibrant culture of art, music, and sport. Used by surfers when there were no waves to ride, the skateboard was first manufactured in California. Its board, or deck, owes its heritage to the papa he‘e malu (surfboards) and papahōlua (land sleds) of Native Hawaiians.”

A history

The sport, which was already popular among Hawaiians, grew on the US mainland during the 1960s. A drought in southern California in the mid-1970s also helped fuel the skate culture.

That drought led to a ban on filling backyard swimming pools. Soon, the empty pools in the backyards of California homes became playgrounds for freestyle skateboarders in the greater Los Angeles area. By the time the 1980s rolled around, skateboarding was a prominent part of youth culture. 

A personal reflection

Skating has been a part of Chris Hoffman’s life for several decades. “I grew up skating in the Red Hook area during the ‘80s with a small crew of friends. Back then, it was tough being a skater around here,” said Chris. 

“When I was growing up, we were riding a lot of BMX until we saw Back to the Future in 1985. We had to have that skateboard. Little did we know it was a James Way board, like the boards sold at Target today. It sparked an interest either way,” said Chris. 

Mainstream movies like Thrashin’ in 1986 and Gleaming The Cube in 1989 were also part of the Hoffmans’ inspiration. “Once my brother and I were given ‘real’ skateboards one Christmas, the drive to learn really began.”

Chris spent countless hours watching Powell Peralta videos such as The Search for Animal Chin and Santa Cruz videos such as Wheels Of Fire and Streets On Fire. Then he headed out to the streets to learn everything that the skaters were doing in those clips.

Between 2000 and 2010, interest in the sport continued. The pandemic sparked a resurgence since skateboarding enables participants to keep their distance even while doing it together. It is also a very individual sport where skaters are out there solo working on perfecting their tricks. 

In 2020, skateboarding really arrived when it became an Olympic sport and debuted at Tokyo’s Summer Games. The event marked a historic moment for skateboarding and its community.

Skating stateside

When we think about New York’s Hudson Valley, its farm-to-table food, topnotch restaurants, outdoor activities such as hiking and kayaking, and vibrant arts scene, often come to mind. Many of us are unfamiliar with the area’s skateboarding culture and history.

Although skating may be off the radar for lots of locals, it is the sport of choice for many thrill seekers in Rhinebeck, Red Hook, Hudson, Poughkeepsie, Newburgh, and beyond. Inclement weather aside, all these towns have strong skate communities.

“As long as it’s dry, people can skate. Only rain and snow will keep us away,” said Chris. 

Chris and his wife Zsanne Hoffman, opened The Board Room Skateshop in Red Hook, NY, in 2013. It specializes in skateboards, but also carries longboards; surf skates; skim boards; and safety gear, including helmets, pads, and wrist guards. The shop also sells cool apparel and shoes, and accessories such as trucks, wheels, bearings, grip, and hardware. 

The duo opened the shop because they wanted to create something long lasting to support and grow the skate scene in the region. Growing up in the area, the duo felt there was not much support for skaters. Back then, skateboarding wasn’t nearly as accepted, and it was tough being a skater in a small community. When shops popped up, they didn’t last long, so it was a challenge to get gear without ordering from magazines. 

About four years ago, the Hoffmans relocated their shop to Rhinebeck because they were looking to grow their business. At that point, Boarding School was born. Individual lessons are offered on weekends. During the week, Boarding School offers three-hour club sessions for more experienced skaters. 

The Board Room Skateshop is eager to support younger/newer skaters as well as adults. “We teach six days a week, and our students range in age from 5 to 65,” said Zsanne. There’s always something in store for kids as well as their parents. A lot of parents bring their kids in. “It takes them back to their younger skating days.”

Brand watch

Top brands at the shop include Baker, Deathwish, Creature, Real, Traffic, Hopps, NB Numeric Skate Shoes, Dickies, and Santa Cruz. Some of the Hoffmans’ faves include Nimbus, Devil Street Decks, Natural Koncept, Thumbs NYC, and Dais. Board prices range from $160 to $250.

According to market.us, which specializes in in-depth market research and analysis, the global skateboard market is expected to soar to $4.2 billion by 2033. That’s good news for The Board Room Skateshop.

Skate culture

When it comes to skate culture, Chris and Zsanne admire a lineup of talent. That list includes Mike Vallely, Natas Kaupas, Frankie Hill, Jason Lee, Lance Mountain, Tony Alva, Tony Hawk, Steve Caballero, Tommy Guerrero, and Jeff Grosso.

“There’s also a huge female skateboarding scene. Professionals such as Leticia Bufoni, Lizzie Armanto, Alexis Sablone, Elissa Steamer, Nora Vasconcellos, and Sky Brown are a few who have inspired girls to move into the sport,” said Chris. 

 “The list goes on. These were all pros that we watched and looked up to when we were young. Most of these guys are now in their 50s and still support skateboarding in big ways,” added Zsanne. “A lot of them own their own brands that we carry at Board Room Skate Shop. Tony builds skateparks in low-income areas, so that he can support the skate scene and provide skaters with an outlet.” 

Community

June 21st marked Go Skateboarding Day – a global event created by Don Brown and Per Welinder. Brown and Welinder created this day to enable the skate community to ride together and elevate the energy of the sport worldwide. The time was apropos for Chris and Zsanne to host their first event at Starr Park in Rhinebeck. 

At press time, the duo had already proposed dates to town decision makers for potential events in September and October. These skate jam events offer prizes for best tricks as well as music and giveaways.

Other popular parks in the area include Red Hook Recreation Park and Waryas Park Promenade in Poughkeepsie as well as indoor spots such as SHRED Foundation in Albany and 2nd Nature Skate Park in Peekskill.

What would they say to someone who never skated? “It’s just like any other sport. It takes work and practice, but it’s totally worth it,” said Chris. “The shop is very much a labor of love, but we are happy to be here to support the skate community and see a little growth since moving to Rhinebeck.” •