Frank and Margaret-Anne Molina have made their dream 1970’s themed skate shop a reality. The Molinas started their skateshop business back in 2003. Everything was online at the start but progressed with lots of time and effort towards their end goal: getting skaters the right equipment when and where they needed it. In doing that, they have been able to meet and sell merchandise to people from all over the world.
“Yeah, people ship worldwide, but we’ve had one guy that used to come down from Canada,” said Mr. Molina. “[They] drive down to buy stuff, but yeah, from all over the place, friends that come down from Pennsylvania, to South Carolina.”
The Molinas took inspiration for the interior design of their skateshop from a California traditional-style skate shop. Numerous colorful boards have been seen hung on the walls and displayed throughout the store. The Molinas strived to make a real skate shop, overflowing with boards and gear.
“I wanted to make this more of a skate shop from the 70’s, where you have more skateboards, less soft goods, t-shirts, shoes and things like that,” Mrs. Molina said. “I wanted it to be like a skater comes in and goes, ‘Oh my God. I’m in heaven.’”
Before starting the shop, Mr. Molina would let go of the old boards he didn’t want to hold onto, but now he’s found a new purpose for them. Now he collects them and puts them in his own private collection for decor. Mr. Molina collects boards and mounts them on the back wall of his shop, which is “less than a third” of the boards he has collected over the years. Many of the decks in his collection are worth thousands of dollars.
“We’ve turned down $3,000 for some of the boards that are up there because he has let go of some of them,” said Mrs. Molina. “And I go, ‘Are you sure?’ And then about, you know, two days later, he’s regretting it, because it’s not the money that he wants. It’s a sentimentality behind the board.”
While the Molinas run a unique skate shop, they also provide advice to new entrepreneurs and new skaters. They know the struggles of being an entrepreneur and skating, so their advice may stick out and help many people going down either path.
“Follow your passion, yes, and know what you’re doing, but also be financially smart,” said Mr. Molina. “You have to know what you’re working with too. You have to understand the whole background behind it and everything,” Mrs. Molina added.
