Skateboarding is about more than a deck, two trucks and four wheels: there's also a wealth of creativity found within the skate community, not to mention a do-it-yourself sensibility. Not happy with how the big brands are running their programs? Just take matters into your own hands, like many Canadian skateboarders have already done, and start your own gig. It could be as small as Xerox-ing a crew name onto some stickers, or as big as a product line sold around the globe. You may end up never making a single dollar, but if done right the community will support you and you'll get to flex some creative muscle and maybe even learn something in the process.
After just releasing their first video, the provocatively-titled Sex Tape, the Waterloo, Ontario-based Love Skateboards has a story to tell. Brand founder Isaac Watamaniuk gives us the goods on what's been good with Love. No marketing dollars, no big name pro skateboarders, no overseas production: All Love. Long live D.I.Y. skateboarding.
So first up, why create another small skateboard brand? What's the motivation?
We just wanted to have something that us, and the kids here and all over Ontario, could be proud of and be a part of.
What are the benefits of owning you're a skateboard brand? A few of the owners also skate for the brand, right?
I think it's awesome, because I'm a pretty picky person. There are a small handful of companies I'm actually stoked on. I always think, man, it would be sick if a company did a deck like this, or hooked up so and so. The world is our oyster and its fun.
What are the disadvantages?
It literally is a labor of love. You work a lot and make very little return... if money is the return you're looking for. I spend a lot of time doing stuff for Love after working a full-time job that actually pays and before finding time to skate. So it makes you a lot busier.
How did you guys start it up? What were the main difficulties you faced?
Jeremy Eby started it years ago. He assembled the first team -- guys like Bryan Wherry, JD Robinson, Ben Locke and Damien Peters -- and placed the first orders. Eventually my brother, Matt Smith, and myself came on board financially. We divided up duties and collaborated on ideas. Some time after, we decided to break it up; we were all at different stages in our lives and couldn't dedicate the same amount of time so we closed the doors. I then talked to Jeremy and the others, told them my idea and vision, and picked it back up and have been working at keeping it going with a few changes here and there.
It's hard to get shops to take you seriously sometimes, because we don't have the ad budgets and the big name a lot of kids look for. I think our sales are mostly based on people just liking the brand because it's different and local. They buy it because one of their friends runs it or rides for it, or a friend of a friend, that sort of thing.
Where do you see the company in a few years?
Right now we're in shops mostly in Southern Ontario. We had a shop in the States selling it, and I think another one or two this year will pick it up, but our overhead is a bit high for the American market right now. We got a great response from Switzerland. I want to make our way to the West Coast this year, into the States more for sure, and more of Europe as well. In a few years I would be very glad to only work one job... that would be a good feeling.
How does Love differentiate itself from the other small Canadian brands like Studio, Change, and Kitsch?
Kitsch and Studio are two of the main companies that made me want to do something within the Canadian industry. I am super hyped on both those companies. They both have very strong local roots and teams of dudes I'm hyped on. I think the main way we have differentiated ourselves is our markets. Kitsch is hugely west coast and Studio, although coming out of London, is largely Montreal-based. We have our roots in Ontario. All of our riders and most of our stockists are Ontario based, which is something that is important to us. Small-town Ontario is our scene. We have riders from Waterloo, Owen Sound and Kingston. We are kind of the underdog.
Any words of wisdom for young skaters who want to follow their dreams and start up a skate company?
Do it! If you have a goal in mind, even if you just want to have something small for your friends, or want to try and be in the skate industry for years to come, it's all do-able, it just takes someone to actually do it.
Let's talk about your video, Sex Tape. How long was it in the making? What was the idea behind it?
Sex Tape just sort of happened. We have all been filming for years together. We've made a lot of friends in the last couple years whom we've been filming with as well. We never did anything with the footage, and decided now would be a good time and that a sort of team video/Love production would be a good excuse. My brother came up with the name, and we all loved it.
[You can see the whole movie at Kingshitmag.com. -ed]
Who was behind it?
Drew Williams filmed and edited most of it. Joel and I do a lot of filming and did some editing as well. Everyone in the video gave ideas for songs and editing ideas as well. We also had footage supplied by people such as Oliver Orrell, Ryan Alexander and Mihn Tran; guys who have been filming around this area for a long time. As for the line-up, main parts include a whole Love crew consisting of myself, Joel Watamaniuk, Drew Williams, Ben Locke, Damien Peters, Matt Smith, and then a bunch of homies like Kuba Rygal, Aaron Wynia, Justin Czank, Jesse Landen, and a London section. It was a real group effort. Real fun.
Do you have any other videos on the horizon?
We've been filming a bit in Melbourne, Australia. Two of us are coming home tomorrow actually, and will probably just start skating and filming. We just added Josh Bos to the team, and I would love to at least put out a small promo video with clips from everyone, because Josh has great style and trick/spot selection, and a lot more people should see his skating. It's not like most people you'll see these days.
What's good about skateboarding in general right now?
There is a lot good about skating right now... it's super fun. Spots get capped every day but that just forces you to search more and be more creative. Creativity is key. There are also a lot of really talented kids on the come-up... I've been blown away by kids here in Australia, putting down man-sized tricks and they are still in high school. It's intense. Kids back home are real impressive, too, even in the Waterloo area. It's rad to see a kid start skating and watch him get better and adopt his own style and take on spots. I just get stoked seeing the kids here finding all the spots for the first time, and being so excited about them and seeing them skate them. There has been a lot of talent in the Kitchener Waterloo region for a long time, and it seems like the current era of skaters here are continuing that.
What isn't Love stoked on?
Hate. People being closed-minded. I was once told by a store manager they wouldn't do an order because we aren't big like World Industries and he thought it wouldn't sell because of that... that's something we don't care for.
Do you notice shop decks and blanks have a big effect on smaller brands like Love?
Totally. Our whole idea is to make quality skateboards that support local skaters at an affordable price. So we have an MSRP that is often below pro deck cost and above blank cost. Lots of people ask me, "Why shouldn't I just buy a blank, it's cheaper?" And they already have their answer: it's cheaper. And they aren't supporting anything worthwhile when they buy blank skateboards. It's basically a pointless purchase.
Where can Love boards be purchased?
Sanction and True Love in Waterloo, Legacy in London, Aila Galleri in Sudbury, The Ward in Guelph, Blue Tile Lounge... the list goes on. Basically all the finer shops in Ontario.
Preview of some Love decks, coming soon.
-------------------------
Related:
New Brand: artschool Skateboards
Retail Therapy: Sanction
Open House: Kitsch Skateboards