A skate shop is not just a place to buy gear. It is also a community hub; a place for skateboarders and those interested in skating to meet and hang out, learn more about skateboarding and get connected to other skaters. Noping: The Shop, the only independent skater-owned and operated shop in Olympia, provides just that. It can be found inside the business space shared with Dumpster Values and Funk Fuzz on 4th street in downtown Olympia.
Owners Blen Davidson and Sam Garr started Noping: The Shop a little more than a year ago and celebrated the shop’s one year anniversary in May. After a popular skating and snowboarding shop, Northwest Snowboards (commonly known as NWS) on the Westside closed, the owners felt a void in the skating community in Olympia. They knew that having a local skate shop helps create a hub for the community and gives better opportunities for locals to get high-quality skating gear.
Sam began skateboarding roughly 23 years ago and Blen has been skating for 12 years on-and-off. They noted that independent skate shops are a dying breed and wanted to keep this model of skate shop alive. As skateboarding aficionados and members of a community that lacked an appropriate hub for skate culture, they decided to rise to the occasion and start Noping: The Shop.
Both owners have more experience skateboarding than in business, and they used their passion for skating to help overcome the challenges of starting an independent business. Their lack of formal training did not stop them from going forward with their vision, starting with gathering books about business and entrepreneurship. They say that support for the shop by the local community has greatly impacted their success in the first year.
Prior to opening the shop, the owners published a series of zines titled Noping. A zine is typically a homemade publication, either paper or online, and is usually devoted to a niche subject, sold for a low price with the intention of wide distribution to the community. Noping zines, which are available for sale in the shop, include writing, photos and art submissions from people involved in the skate scene. Blen and Sam make their zines by cutting and pasting the material by hand, then making copies to distribute.
Photo credit: Gannon Walsh
The shop sells skate gear and apparel with an emphasis on classic, well-liked brands alongside small local brands to provide the community with a variety of options. They try to support local artists and skate companies as much as possible and even sell their own brand of skate decks with work from local artists. Noping also hosts fundraisers to help finance backyard skate ramps.
When asked what they like about the skate scene in Olympia, the owners responded it was tight-knit, open and friendly. Olympia is a relatively small town with a strong sense of community, and that can be seen in the skate scene. Aside from the skate park on Cooper Point, Sam said he goes to the Oly Bowl on the Eastside to skate every Sunday. Blen says he likes to mix up where he skates, and that variety is key in not getting bored with where you skate. He recommends getting in the car with a group of friends and deciding to head in one direction until you find a good place to skate.
While the park on Harrison is a fun place to skate, Blen and Sam think that a new, improved park, designed by people who skate, could provide better opportunities to the skate culture of Olympia. Skate parks are important as they provide a variety of terrain features, a place for people to meet others with similar interests and a safer venue than the street. The majority of skating-related injuries occur outside of skate parks, where cars and uneven terrains pose a risk.
For many young skaters, a lack of organized instruction and safe, reliable facilities can be a barrier to progressing in the sport. And, maybe more importantly, it’s important to recognize that for many kids, skateboarding is their sport of choice over more traditional team sports.
“It’s well known that sports are good for kids. Playing a sport encourages them to get exercise, connect with peers, and be involved in their community,” shares Maureen Chase, a local parent and social worker engaged with youth. “However, the sport doesn’t necessarily need to be as traditional as baseball or football. Skateboarding fills the same role as other sports, and is more accessible and affordable for some families to introduce their children to. It’s non-competitive, and may be more appealing to some kids than traditional sports. Skateboarding is also good for the environment- skating as a means of transportation reduces the need to drive places.”
There has been movement in the community towards building a new skatepark in Olympia. Since Olympia is the capitol, with a strong skating community and both kids and adults who would benefit, it makes sense for our town to have a top-notch skate park. The owners of Noping also noted that skaters often go on trips together visiting several skate parks. Having a new park here could encourage people to visit Olympia.
Mark Rentfrow, Downtown Liaison for the City of Olympia, has been involved in the potential plans for getting a new skate park and has assisted in setting up skate ramps at the Artesian Well in the meantime. Sam and Blen say that community members interested in having a new skate park in Olympia can voice their enthusiasm for the movement at city hall meetings.
Since opening the shop, the owners have hoped that it will strengthen the skating community, create friendships among skateboarders and help more people get interested in skateboarding. Skating is still a good solo activity, but having a community to skate with is what brings the fun.
Whether you are a seasoned skateboarder or simply interested in getting started, swing by Noping: The Shop at 302 4th Ave E. The shop is open from 11:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, and from 12:00 – 5:00 p.m. on Sundays.
