My Favorite Skateboarding Companies Right Now Are...

Hopps: Jahmal Williams heads things up at Hopps, inspired by skateboarding and underground street culture of which there is no shortage of in NYC. Fellow Floridian Joel Meinholz recently joined the pro ranks there, too.

Scumco and Sons: Pennswood Manufacturing located in Oil City, Pennsylvania is owned and run by skateboarders using the finest Canadian and American Maple wood to make all Scumco and Sons boards. You'll find skateboarders owning and running even the print shop that does their shirts. It's amazing to see a brand keeping the full entrepreneurial spirit of skateboarding alive as many of us skating for more than 20+ years have seen skateboarding evolve like that. Scumco's team currently includes Brian Downey, Stan Karbine, Drew Windon, Dan Peindl, Zach Funk, Zach Dykes, and Josh Narvaez. We're hyped to have them in The Boardr Store now!

Magenta: Soy Panday, Vivien and Jean Feil started Magenta in Paris a few years ago. The three of them handle everything in this company from top to bottom when they're not out there ripping. Their focus is on the creative and meaningful side of skateboarding. That should be every side of skateboarding, but these days as big as skateboarding is, we've got to get back to appreciating the good parts like that. Our long time Florida homie and king of the skyscraper stylish snaps, Jimmy Lannon, is one of their pros.

adidas: adidas has been in skateboarding for a lot longer than you might realize. Gonz has been down with the three stripe since the late 90's, skateboarding's golden era. These days, with him on the team along with top pros like Dennis Busenitz, adidas remains one of our favorite shoe brands at The Boardr. We also have the pleasure of working closely with adidas on other things in skateboarding like adidas Skate Copa, a national shop team vs shop team contest we're helping them organize and run.

The Friend Ship: Friend and many times co-worker of The Boardr, Paul Zitzer and his homie Tim have finally gotten around to doing something with The Friend Ship Skateboarding Company they started in their heads 25 years ago. I like to think it was immediately after Paul's 540 on Nickelodeon's Skate TV born on the decks of that sketchy ramp at Astro Skate. The team includes Jason Park, Bern Iseli, and Milwaukee local Nick Sommer. Back it. One of my personal long term goals here at The Boardr is to get this little skateboard company we started to grow enough to be able to employ Paul full time. He's one of my favorite industry dudes both on and off the skateboard.

Hard Luck Mfg.: Hard Luck Mfg is Jason Jessee's company. Just by his stuff being in The Boardr Store, we feel that much more legit. Recognize the artwork in the logo? Mark Gonzales drew it for Jason and said he should start a company with it. If Gonz drew me anything, I'd start a company with it even if he said not to!

Anti Hero: Anti Hero has had some of the best ads in skateboarding, since it was started out of Deluxe back in 1995, and still does to this day. Their team is raw as a cuss word and now Grant Taylor rides for them. Back it. We do.

PASS~PORT: Trent Evans started PASS~PORT in 2008. His company's inspiration comes from travel, friends, and his Australian heritage. The team is a tight crew of Australians that we hope to see one day sooner than later on our travels doing events with The Boardr. Josh Pall, Billy McFeely, Callum Paul, Geoff Campbell, Glenn Wignall, and Bernie Foo, see you down under one day and thanks for having PASS~PORT in The Boardr Store.

Lowcard Magazine: Lowcard started 10 years ago with a ream of office paper and a sketchy photocopier. Their first issue made it into Thrasher's Zine thing questioning whether a second issue would print. A decade later they're still documenting skateboarding raw like that, sans photocopier, but with the same look and feel that started it all. Flip through their 10 year anniversary issue that they returned to Kinko's to print in the original photocopier style. Stay in your roots like that. Thanks for being down for being in The Boardr Store, Lowcard.

Krooked: Mark Gonzales started Krooked Skateboards inside the Deluxe family and has done most of the amazing graphics work for the company since. Mark also recently signed on with Excel Management, The Boardr's sister company that helps pros manage their careers. It's pretty amazing being the biggest fans of Mark Gonazles all our lives and now getting to work with him. Now it comes full circle where we're carrying his company in The Boardr Store.

Grizzly Griptape: The Boardr has close ties with Torey Pudwill and his Grizzly Griptape company he started when he was a pre-teen. Our sister company, Excel Management, helps manage Torey's finances and Grizzly Grip's accounting stuff. So, we're biased when we tell you Grizzly rules, but that's okay because even people who aren't biased think Grizzly rules.

Welcome: There are many unwritten rules in skateboarding, with harsh penalties from the cool table upon breakage. Some can break these rules and come out unscathed, but you better tread carefully. Welcome Skateboards takes all the rules and focuses them right down the middle, all without being whatsoever careful. We all like skateboarding, but theirs seems to be a true love affair with all the things that make skateboarding fun that brought us to it in the first place. Be yourself, do what you want, ride whatever fun shape you want, pleasure before business, and no trick off limits. We're hyped to have Welcome Skateboards in The Boardr store and back these dudes and their approach at running their skateboard company.

Levi's: Can you sum up quality in denim any better than just saying Levi's? We're hyped to have them in The Boardr Store and working with them on all kinds of skateboarding projects that support local shops and scenes across the country. Watch for some announcements coming soon.

Transportation Unit: Skateboarder and artist Russ Pope has been getting it done on both fronts for 25+ years. His board brand, Transportation Unit, of course has some amazing graphics of Russ' work, but combine that with fun shapes, and it's something we're all hyped on here at The Boardr Store. Thanks for having TU in our store, Russ!

Evisen: Japanese skateboarder Katsumi Minami started Evisen in Tokyo to support his local skate community and their different view on the world and skateboarding. Japanese as well as English culture influences the brand and its direction. The boards are made in America at South Central Manufacturing. The team includes MARU, Shinpei Ueno, Akira Imamura, Seimi Miyahara, and Katsumi Minami. Hopefully it won't be long before we're skating together in Japan at an event that The Boardr is assisting with. Thank you Katsumi for having Evisen in The Boardr Store.

Preservation Board Company: Preservation Board Co is out of New Orleans with boards that have been 100% American made since they started in 2010. Their mix of passion for skateboarding and New Orleans' unique culture come through in their designs. We've been friends with most of the crew there for as long as we've all been working in skateboarding. Welcome Preservation Board Co to The Boardr Store. Their crew is Charlie Thomas, Justin Higgins, Sean 'Squee' Guillory, Mikey Chim, Christian Dufrene, and Duane Pitre. On our crew, Bob Freeman here was born in New Orleans. Well, let's have a crawdaddy boil, ya'll.

Skate Mental: Skate Mental is the brain child of Brad Staba, and by brain I mean the way rappers use it in slang lingo when referring to their ratchet groupies. I don't know Brad all that well other than a few brief hangouts at random skateboard shindigs. The last time I saw him at a bar in NYC, he cupped my balls so hard I think his middle finger passed the taint and went to the sphincter zone. He laughed, I got over it, and now I'm ready for the next encounter with tightly clamped legs and a firm handshake to intercept the sexual boundaries he's not afraid to cross. You should back a character who spices up life like that.

Asphalt Yacht Club: Comfort. Quality. Individuality. Success. This is Asphalt Yacht Club. From the mind of skateboarding legend Stevie Williams comes a clothing line that celebrates the individual and their will to succeed. No matter what your destination, AYC's collections offer the top-shelf quality and fresh design you need to get you there. We recently welcomed AYC to The Boardr Store and are excited about working with them not just in retail, but in other events we do like the Grind for Life Series in Florida. The team features professional skateboarders Stevie Williams, Stefan Janoski, Nyjah Huston, and Justin "Figgy" Figueroa as well as ams Riley Hawk, Ben Nordberg, Derrick Wilson, and Blake Carpenter. Jaws was the most recent addtion in April 2014. We recently had a chat with Stevie Williams about AYC in The Boardr Store, too.

Vol 4: Vol 4 is Sammy Baca's new company he describes as: a sleeping bag tied to the sissy-bar, old records, faded denim, home-made tattoos, barely making your flight, slappies, sludge, and raising a glass to doing it all again tomorrow. We're down with just about all those things here at The Boardr, except we are generally on time for our flights.

Kennedy Denim Co.: Stitched up right here on American soil in Los Angeles, we are excited about Kennedy Denim's products now in stock in The Boardr Store.

Cliche: Cliche was started in 1997 by Jeremie Daclin in France. From veteran pro Lucas Puig to their newest pro Sammy Winter, it's been a pleasure to watch our Euro friends grow this company and to now have their stuff in The Boardr Store.

Volcom: We've been working with Volcom on events in skateboarding for as long as we've been working in skateboarding, which is approaching two decades. Volcom has backed all things skateboarding on all levels since they became the first company in the early 90's to combine all the boarding we're fans of: on the streets, on the water, and on the snow. Thanks Volcom for being in The Boardr Store and continuing to back skateboarding with fun events, a ripping team, and a damn good music label as icing on the cake.

Blind: Blind started in the early days of my skateboarding history back in the early 90's where I first saw how the entrepreneurial spirit of skateboarders took over the industry. Vision ruled it at the time and Blind was started as a thumb flick under the nose to them. Vision instantly became uncool and Blind quickly became one of the best and most legit brands in skateboarding. It's 20 years later and they're still running it. And Vision still sucks.

Paradise Wheel Co: When our long time friend Nick Matlin wanted to start a wheel company in 2010 with a fresh and positive vibe, Paradise Wheels was started. He runs the company with the help of Westside Skate Shop's John Montesi who handles the paper pushing while Nick runs with the team and inventory duties out in San Francisco. Paradise Wheels wheels represents the true nature and spirit of DIY in skateboarding. We don't just build our own spots, we build our own companies, too. Welcome Paradise Wheels to The Boardr store.

etnies: etnies started in 1986, the year I started skateboarding. What a long time ago! If I remember my skateboard history correctly, they had the first skate shoe, a Natas Kaupas model. We're stoked to have a shoe brand with this history in skateboarding in The Boardr Store. When we welcomed etnies to our store, we filmed one of our fun little skits about the industry. Thanks etnies for being down with The Boardr Store.

Broadcast: Kelly Williams started Broadcast wheels in 2009 making premium urethane wheels with custom shapes and a unique aesthetic made in America. The team includes Ethan Fowler, Paul Shier, Gareth Stehr, Kevin Coakley, Brian Lotti, Jeremy Holmes, Zach Lyons, Lucas Erlebach, and Danny Falla. Welcome Broadcast to The Boardr Store. Thanks for being down with us, Kelly.

DC Shoes: DC was started in skateboarding's golden era, the early 90's. I've heard two stories on what the initials stand for. At the time, Droors Clothing, associated with Danny Way and Colin McKay, was super hot. They started a shoe company and called it DC, for Droors Clothing. Or was it for Danny and Colin? I don't know, but when I see Danny Way at events we do, I'm always too intimidated to ask him. It's been amazing to watch DC's roots start over 20 years ago in skateboarding through what it is today, still supporting skateboarding first with one of the best teams out there including Nyjah Huston, Evan Smith, Felipe Gustavo, Mike Mo Capaldi, Wes Kremer, Matt Miller, and more. Our young friends skate for them and our old friends work for them, and they work with us doing some great skateboarding events around the world. We're proud to have DC as the first shoe brand in The Boardr Store!

Pig: Pig is the wheel company born out of the doors of Tum Yeto. You'll be rollin' faster than the cops on these for sure.

Enjoi: Anytime you get upset at something and find skateboarding getting too serious, stop and tell yourself to Enjoi. Loosen up, maybe even get a Louie Barletta bowl cut, then stop an gather your thoughts. Do you see Jimmy Carlin in his underwear? Good, your thoughts are pure. Skateboarding is still real to you. This is why The Boardr loves Enjoi.

Girl: Girl Skateboards started in 1993, at the height of a period in skateboarding when the industry was changing hands into "skater owned" companies. Girl started with Mike Carroll and several other top pros at the time who remain top pros still to this day. Girl and their sister company, Chocolate, have produced some of skateboarding's most memorable videos over the last 20 years.

Dakine: We've been working with Dakine on all these am contests we've been running for more than a decade now. From being in most of the prize packs to being on our backs while we travel, Dakine has been with us all around. It's a pleasure to have them in stock as our first bag company in The Boardr Store. All Dakine bags come with a limited lifetime warranty against manufacturer defects. For claims, you're sending the bag to Dakine, but we can help you get your receipt or proof of purchase anytime. Email us at Help@TheBoardr.com with any questions.

Polar: Polar is based in Malmo, Sweden headed up by Pontus Alv, with one of their newest pros being NYC's Aaron Herrington. I gotta admin, I had to Google the word Zawisza and still couldn't figure out what it is. I do know Pontus, Aaron, and the rest of their squad are killing it on the wood, though. They're also some of the best graphics on our deck wall right now.

3D: Brian Anderson recently started 3D Skateboards with Austyn Gillette. Skateboarding's entrepreneurial spirit lives on. Thanks for having 3D in The Boardr Store, Brian!

Stereo: Stereo was started in 1992 by Chris Pastras aka Dune and Jason Lee in the the golden era of skateboarding every verteran loves, the early 90's. We've known Chris since then and have spent most of our recent years working with him at various am and pro contests. We're proud to represent Stereo in The Boardr Store as we've been both friends and fans of Jason and Chris since we started skateboarding.

Mob Grip Tape: What if a bangin' grip tape company like Mob made a video? It would only need to be one trick per rider to be full length and it would be off the charts. Your favorite pros from Kenny Anderson to Daewon Song to Jamie Thomas rep Mob as you can find on the back cover every month in your favorite magazines. Keep your feet on board with some of the best sticky sandpaper out there.

Ricta Wheels: I remember Ricta being one of the first wheel companies in skateboarding to get super tech with their urethane formula. Their cores are a different hardness than the rest of the wheel. Once you try them, you'll notice the difference. Brandon Westgate pushes these things through the streets of New York City so that right there is statement enough for you to get rolling on a set.

Primitive: Thanks Paul Rodriguez for having Primitive in The Boardr Store. Good luck on the new venture. It's always nice to see skateboarders starting their own thing, from small time local stuff to big time things like Paul's projects.

Bones Wheels: Bones is the wheels and accessories arm of parent company Powell Peralta, also associated with Bones Bearings. These brands have been around making top quality skateboarding stuff for longer than all of us have been skating here at The Boardr.

Creature: I remember when I first met David Gravette back when he was random flow and still wearing pads skating am contests we were running at the time. All he wanted to do was ride for Creature. He was a perfect fit. When I think of Creature, I automatically hear death metal and picture myself waking up at the skate spot in a tent with beer cans everywhere.

Heroin: Chet Childress, Deer Man of Dark Woods, and Daniel Shimizu are on the crew at Heroin Skateboards. Rolilng with a pack like that, you don't even need drugs.

Emerica: Emerica team since it started has always been one of the most raw and real street crews in skateboarding. Today it's Andrew Reynolds, Ed Templeton, Brandon Westgate, Bryan Herman, Colin Provost, Jeremy Leabres, Jerry Hsu, Figgy, Spanky, and Leo Romero, many them with Emerica since the beginning like Andrew. When we welcomed Emerica to our store, we filmed one of our fun little skits about the industry. Thanks Emerica for being down with The Boardr Store.

Spitfire Wheels: Some of the best skateboarders in the world push on Spitfire Wheels. That first backside noseblunt on Hubba Hideout? That frontside flip AND backside flip down Wallenberg? That was Koston and Andrew Reynolds on Spitfires. Today the new generation, like Nassim and Kyle Walker, keep it burning and make Spitfire Wheels one of the best selling wheels, not just in The Boardr Store, but in all of skateboarding.

Toy Machine: Toy Machine is the brainchild of pro skateboarder and artist Ed Templeton. Ed has done just about all the graphics for Toy Machine since it started in 1994. The Toy Machine monster is one of the most iconic graphics in skateboarding culture. We need more people like Ed and more companies like Toy Machine in skateboarding.

OJ III Wheels: I rode OJ's when I first started skating in the late 80's. Things changed, skateboarding changed, wheels changed, everything changed. All those years gone by and all that change been done seems to have created some nostalgia in both old and young skateboarders today. That could explain why OJ III's are doing so well today. If you're setting up a "grocery getter" aka cruiser board, OJ's are the way to go for the smoothest roll to store or local watering hole.

Chocolate: Chocolate is the sister company of Girl Skateboards, founded shortly after the Girl team started to grow too big. Chocolate has been a top selling board company since it started with some of the best skateboarders in the world representing.

Almost: Rodney Mullen and Daewon Song are the fancy footwork behind Almost. I'm Asian and a nerd so I like to imagine myself as somewhat of a combination of these two, almost.

Elephant: Mike V has been one of the hardest working dudes in skateboarding since he started skateboarding. I remember as a kid seeing him in the early Powell days at Cheap Skates in PA doing these half cab method airs to fakie on the mini-ramp and just having to pick my jaw up off the ground. Then there was the recent year he came back to Tampa and stole the show where it ended in the crowd carrying him around at the awards. Elephant Brand is his new project that includes Jason Adams and two close friends of The Boardr, Kyle Berard and Neal Hendrix. Mike's also the new frontman in Black Flag. It's all good all around with Elephant and Mike V's crew. We're hyped to have his gear in at The Boardr Store.

Paradox: Paradox is an interesting cast of characters from their team to the founder. Science and technology is the foundation for much of their product development. Stand up on some and you'll see.

Bones Bearings: From Bones Reds on up to Bones Swiss Ceramics, they're known for being some of the best things you can wrap your wheels around in skateboarding. Bones Bearings has been a top seller and performer for decades.

Baker: Andrew Reynolds started Baker over a decade ago with one of the most raw and real teams in skateboarding. It remains that way to this day with the crew recently growing enough to break off on their own related company, Deathwish. Andrew Reynolds aka The Boss grew up skateboarding in Lakeland, Florida, just a few miles away from The Boardr Headquarters.

Bright Futures: Former Tampa local and long time friend of The Boardr, Chapin, started Bright Futures and manages the company and brand. Thanks for having these ripping sun specs in The Boardr Store, Chapin.

Flip: Flip's first video, Sorry, dropped in 2002 and dropped our jaws with parts from Bastien, Arto, Tom Penny, that opener from Mark, and more. On through Really Sorry, Extremely Sorry and through today, the team has changed a bit but remains a crew of some of the most ripping pros and ams in skateboarding. David Gonzalez was recently Thrasher's Skater of the Year and new pros Curren Caples and Louie Lopez are killing it, too. We've watched them all grow up at all these am contests we've done over the years. Thanks Flip for backing everything we've done in skateboarding. It's a pleasure to return the favor by stocking Flip boards in The Boardr Store.

Independent: One of skateboarding's best selling and widely known brands since day one is Independent Trucks. People go their whole skateboarding lives riding nothing but Indy's. Their team includes some of the best skateboarders in history.

Isle: Isle is Paul Shier's new project. He's rolling with Nick Jenson, Sylvain Tognelli, and a crew of other stylish rippers bred by those amazing spots they have over the pond there along with the good brew. Thanks Paul for having Isle in The Boardr Store. We'll be on your land there soon.

Traffic: Tampa native Yonnie Cruz needs to just go pro for Traffic right after this Static IV video part drops to join Ricky Oyola and the rest of the tight crew over there.

Real: Real was started in skateboarding's golden era, at a time when many pros from the big skateboard companies were flying the coop to start their own deals. Jim Thiebaud and Tommy Gurrero kicked it off after leaving the Bones Brigade and Real has been legit 'since day one', specifically, since day 1991. We're hyped to have Real in The Boardr Store.

Shake Junt: Shake Junt is affiliated with one of the tightest crews in skateboarding, the Baker and Deathwish squad, and makes some of the best accessories, hardware, and grip tape that your favorite pros rep, even if they aren't riding for Shake Junt.

RIPNDIP: RIPNDIP is a clothing company started right in our backyard, next city over, Orlando, Florida. I remember years ago how their crew would show up super-deep at local Florida contests we were running. Next thing you know, the quality of their gear became top of the line and you started seeing them everywhere from The Berrics, to all over the streets of California. Congrats to our homies from the neighboring city for building an apparel brand proper and thanks for letting us carry your stuff in The Boardr Store.

Jessup: Jessup has been making griptape since 1975. They've got it down and have been one of the most stepped on brands in skateboarding since we slithered out of the ocean and onto the sidewalks.

Modus: Brett Margaritis, and Australian pro, started Modus Bearings in 2003. Check this team out: Grant Taylor, John Rattray, Andrew Brophy, Dane Burman, Cale Nuske, Josh Pall, Sammy Winter, Nick Boserio, Chewy Cannon. Amazing! And now The Boardr Store is on the retail team. Thanks, Brett, for having Modus in our store.

Z-Flex: Started back in the Z-Boys days in 1976, the first generation of their team included Jay Adams, Tony Alva, Dave Hackett, and Jim Muir. Kids who know their skateboard history will recognize those names along with all of the dudes in the 50 and Up Division in the Grind for Life Series that Z-Flex backs with us. If you're going to push a cruiser or vintage board, you're going OG with Z-Flex.

Happy Hour Shades: With team a as diverse as Bryan Herman, Figgy, Dustin Dollin, Riley Hawk, Trevor Colden, and more, Happy Hour is protecting the pupils of some of your favorite pros with a great variety of colors and frames that won't smash your bank.

Santa Cruz: Santa Cruz and their parent company NHS recently celebrated their 40th Anniversary of making top quality skateboards. 40???!! Wow, skateboarding isn't even that much older than that. They've seen wheels, boards, and skateboard fashion trends go from big to tall to small to it all. Their recent collaboration with Star Wars got everyone hyped. Congrats on 40 years, NHS and thanks for being down to have Santa Cruz stuff in The Boardr Store.

Stance: Stance made socks the new way to dress up. I hope you're not still wearing the tightie whities of footwear lining.

HUF: Pro skateboarder Keith Hufnagel moved to San Francisco in 1992 after growing up in NYC. He's been the streets mayor of SF since. When Keith started HUF, it was just a shop in San Francisco's Tenderloin District. Now HUF makes some of the most bangin' gear in skateboarding. People who don't even smoke run those weed socks. The footwear division is killing it, too. Welcome HUF to The Boardr Store.

Theories: Theories is what keeps Josh Stewart up at night, conspiracy Theories, that is. We will never know the true story about that magic lugie that hit Kramer in the head, but it's going to be forever interesting discussion on government motivations behind it. Josh is a Tampa native now living in Brooklyn distributing some of our favorite brands like Polar, Isle, Magenta, and Traffic. In 2014, we're excited to finally see the last installment in Josh's Static video series drop, with the premiere being right here in Tampa at our historic Tampa Theater. Thanks Josh for having Theories and your other brands in The Boardr Store and for putting Tampa on the map along with the entire east coast through your video documentation of skateboarding.

Sml Small Wheels: Friend of The Boardr that can be found on our judging staff at events we do, James Craig, started sml with some friends that just wanted quality skateboarding wheels that their crew could rep. He's got Austyn Gillette, Youness, and a full crew of other rippers with #bigdreamssmallwheels.

Penny: Penny is the OG in cruiser boards and with more and more people skateboarding for transportation, they're on top of the cruiser world right now. We ride these to lunch!

Foundation: We're all Foundation for life here at The Boardr, but Porpe has it inked to show dedication. Foundation has been around as long as we've been skateboarding and we're proud to be backing them from their older pros like Corey Duffel to newer ones like Sierra Fellers.

Thunder Trucks: Thunder is officially our favorite truck here at The Boardr Headquarters. That turn? You notice after the first push when you try them out. Get on Thunders and it's going to be the last truck decision you ever make.