intro intro Andre Pinces: Image
Nick Brown: Text
Welcome to the second edition of KNOW?MAG. We are proud that this issue will be read coast to coast this season with the addition of our first eastern show in Montreal, QC. Now the best retailers across Canada will be in the KNOW.
individuals in Montreal who share our vision of a better market for Canada’s skate, snow and fashion retailers. Ideas were discussed, a plan was developed and shortly after locking down dates for our third show in Vancouver KNOWSHOW East in Montreal was launched.
Why you may ask? Well other than the fact we seem to work more than we sleep, we have realized that this is the next logical step in the continued growth of KNOWSHOW and its promise to be Canada’s Premiere Skate/Snow/Lifestyle Tradeshow.
Whether you are reading this in the city of Montreal or returning to Vancouver for another season of buying we hope you enjoy the show, take in what our beautiful cities have to offer and make the most of your visit.
Canada’s sheer geographic mass dictated to us that the easiest way to serve everyone would be to start up an Eastern show that could cater to the retailers the same way that we have out West. Fortunately we have partnered up with a group of hard working, dynamic
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On behalf of everyone involved, we thank you. -The KNOWSHOW team. WEST/ Nick Brown, Ben Couves, Perry Pugh EAST/ Oli Van Roost, Mer Van Roost, Jesse Bowden, Stefan Gauthier
Art Direction Paul Higgins Design / Layout Ellise Warkentin Contributing Photographers Ben Couves, Andre Pinces, Jill Orsten Ellise Warkentin Contributing Writers Nick Brown, Cian Browne, Ben Couves, Andrew Hardingham, Jesse Bowden, Mer Van Roost, Oli Van Roost, Nathan Matthews
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WHO/ 36 74 76 92
Matt Irving / Bob Kronbauer Agence Royal / rep profile Rob Williamson / rep profile Washed / industry shred
WHAT/ 44 80 82 86 98
Hot Toddies / fashion forecast Lifetime / brand profile Endeavor / brand profile Ifound / brand profile Omega / brand profile
WHERE/ 18 24 29 33 84 88
Oot & Aboot / vancouver Oot & Aboot / MTL Famous / shop Profile Creme / shop Profile Atlas / shop Profile Off the Hook / shop Profile
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mega-d ad
KNOW?SHOW east/ Tiger Dist/ booth# 102 KNOW?SHOW west/ OB1 Enterprises/ booth# 17
Cian Browne: Text
vancouver Local Shred/ Mount Seymour Distance: approx 25 min. drive from downtown Vancouver. Lift Ticket Price: $39 adult Note: Seymour was one of the first mountains to accept snowboard culture back when it was unheard of at most other resorts. Keeping with this, Seymour caters to snowboarders and continually strives to better it’s parks each year. A great place to get your jib on! Office Booyz Rating: 8/10 More Info: www.mountseymour.com Grouse Mountain Distance: approx 25 min. drive from downtown Vancouver. Lift Ticket Price: $45 adult Note: Grouse has a great park year round. It is the type of park where you can cruise through and hit 10 jump/ jibs in a row and then find your self at the bottom of the chair on your way back up to do it all again. They also have some great powder lines on the upper chair when
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the snow conditions are right. Office Booyz Rating: Being the home of Office Booyz “The Contest” I have no choice but to give them a 10! More Info: www.grousemountain.com Cypress Mountain Distance: approx 30 min drive from downtown Vancouver Lift Ticket Price: $47.17 adult Note: In my opinion the best of the 3 local mountains to ride powder when the conditions are right. The runs are slightly longer than the other 2 locals adding at least a couple of minutes of shred time to your run. Office Booyz Rating: 7/10. More Info: www.cypressmountain.com Also- Three of the best hills in North America are within a 2-hour drive from Vancouver! www.whistler-blackcomb.com (Whistler/Blackcomb) www.mtbaker.us (Mount Baker)
Stella’s/ 1191 Commercial Drive. If you like beer, really like beer, this is your spot. Boasting a huge beer menu and featuring a ton of imports, Stella’s is primarily about beer; the food comes second (but is also pretty good!). Grab a seat at the bar and knock back a few pints or sit down for a meal.
El Furniture Warehouse/ 989 Granville street. Another island of safety, for the most part, on Granville is El Furniture Warehouse aka “The Furny”. Plenty of shreds frequent this place and a great drinking game to play there is to have a chug every time you hear someone say “bro, dude, gnarly, epic” and so on. Dude it’s a bar. Go get some beers there. Also! They have free peanuts! Epic bro!
Republic/ 958 Granville. Going for drinks on Granville Street usually involves throngs of douchebags, suburbanites and other undesirables. Republic offers some shelter from the riffraff and is a good place to grab a bite early in the evening or have a late night with some friends and some cold ones. The interior is brand new and even includes an amazing balcony overlooking Granville (perfect for heckling if you’re brave).
The Morrissey Irish Bar/ 1227 Granville. An Irish bar named after everyone’s favorite crooner and Manchester-ite? On Granville? It doesn’t totally make sense, but it can be a good spot for some drinks with friends or a great venue for a party during a tradeshow (and an even greater place to get tossed out of during said party), remember last year? Little hint: be nice to the bouncers, especially the fat one, and keep your distance from anyone named “Pikey”.
Left/Down The Naam/ 2724 West 4th Ave. For most non-vegetarians, going to a vegetarian restaurant usually isn’t all that appealing. The Naam almost caters to non-veggies and the grub is quite good. It’s the cities oldest natural foods restaurant and is also open 24 hours, amazing for nachos at four in the morning after a hard night out on the town…or also for a good (and healthy) lunch or dinner. Lolita’s/ 1326 Davie St. A small mexican spot in the west end with a bit of a tricky name (don’t google it at work). The food is mexican fusion, which sounds scary but is really good, and it ain’t just tacos. The house drink concoctions are also highly recommended. Everyone loves Mexican! A Kettle of Fish/ 900 Pacific Street. What’s a visit to Vancouver without a meal at a seafood restaurant? “The Kettle”, as the locals call it, is a medium priced seafood spot with always changing specials and a great fixed menu. Everything is fresh. Everything is good. Below Clove/ 2054 Commercial Drive. Vancouver is often referred to as a cultural melting pot and this restaurant is a pretty accurate depiction of that. Often “fusion” restaurants can be a scary experience, but this place manages to pull it off properly. All kinds of food ranging from Asian to Indian can be found in the mix, there is always something new to try.
Habit/ 2610 Main St. Habit is one of those places that serve “share plates”, so if that isn’t your thing, or you failed the sharing portion of grade one, you may want to skip out on this spot. Otherwise, go with a crew, order a bunch of dishes and share away.
Below Minehardt Fine Foods/ 3002 Granville Street. Meinhardt’s roots can be traced back to its founder hustling cookies from her sailboat in Vancouver’s False Creek. Inside you’ll find a high-end grocery store, cappuccino bar, deli and some amazing lunch stuffs. Highly recommended if you are in the area and looking for a great sandwich...or if you want to pick up some $30 salt. Above Finch’s/ 353 West Pender St. Finch’s is one of the best places to grab a sandwich in the downtown core. They also have amazing home made soups and the best salad to be had for lunch in that neck of the woods. The place screams fresh and home made.
La Grotta del Formaggio/ 1791 Commercial Drive. La Grotta is an Italian deli with a sandwich counter inside. This place has one of, if not the, best sandwiches in Vancouver. They don’t even make them this good in Italy. There isn’t really anywhere to sit and it’s not the cheapest place, but if you order a large you’ll spend the whole day eating it.
Below Zulu Records/ 1972 West 4th ave. This might just be the store where coolguy music shop employee attitude was born. The staff can be lame, but the stock is, well, stocked. Plenty of good music for the people out there who still pay for the stuff, as well as tickets to local shows and a good selection of music mags/accessories.
Richard Kidd/ 65 Water St. Perhaps named for the kind of people who shop here, Richard Kidd is a very high end clothing boutique. Some very well known, as well as some very obscure, designer brands are sold here. The store is worth visiting to see the interior alone, which is absolutely stunning. And be prepared to pay. Jonathan and Olivia/ 2570 Main street. Named for the owner’s nephew and niece, this store carries men’s and women’s streetwear on the higher end of the spectrum. If you’re visiting from out of town it’s a great place to pick something up for the girl (or the dude) as well as grabbing something nice for yourself. Lots of small designer brands here combined with well thought out buying and a good location. Left Does Your Mother Know?/ 2139 West 4th ave. Great spot for magazines, although the name may be a little misleading as they aren’t all dirty ones, although you could probably find some if you looked hard enough. The place is wall-to-wall publications and they carry a lot of foreign or hard to find mags. Another hard place to leave without picking something up, be it for the plane or the bathroom.
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ie/ 227 Carral street. Ie is an amazing menswear/streetwear boutique in Gastown featuring some hard to find brands, a beautiful interior and great staff. No cool guy or holier than thou attitude here, just great gear and friendly crew. A good place to drop a paycheque, it is the brother store to sneaker boutique Livestock. A must see.
Goodfoot/Ransom 36 Powell Street. New additions to the ever-growing shopping area that is Gastown, Goodfoot/Ransom doesn’t really mess with the formula and sells sneakers and streetwear.
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Jesse Bowden: Text/Image
montreal WHEN THE decision was made for the expansion of KNOW?SHOW into eastern Canada, the city of Montreal was our first choice hands down! We may be a bit bias because we do in fact live here but when one steps back and looks at the city from an outsiders perspective, it’s a pretty great city to host KNOW?SHOW East! Due to its geographic location, Montreal has always served as the gateway city to central Canada and it is one of the largest ports of the east! It’s a huge cultural melting pot and unlike most Canadian cities, it’s rich European roots and flavor are still apparent in everyday life from the languages spoken, the overall city design, the dangerously youthful drinking age (18 means 16 folks…be warned!) and the generally laid back attitude the city portrays! In this “OOT & ABOOT”, we decided to highlight several of our favorite districts that truly portray Montreal and should help any visitor get a good feeling for what this city is all about! If you have time and it’s not -50c, grab your digi cam and go for a walk…it’s the only real way to experience a city and beside, nothing clears up a hang over like some fresh air!!
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The Plateau District I’m 100% sure that the plateau area has a vibrant scene during the daylight hours but I only ever seem to make it there at night. This area, which is spread between St. Laurent and ST Denis , from Sherbrooke to Mont Royal St, has the best nightlife the city offers. If you think it’s busy during the day, you should see this area at 3:00am on any given night!!! Every other door leads into a hip bar/club or watering hole worth checking out! This area is also home to the majority of the art community so expect to see a lot of art galleries scenesters , and beautiful woman! There are many swank restaurants, a lot of stylish boutiques pushing the latest euro trends and a rapidly growing furniture district packed full of hidden jems! No matter where you start out in Montreal, you’ll always end up in the Plateau before the night ends. These are some of our favorite bars, restaurants and boutiques. Boutiques Good foot/ 3830, Blvd. Saint-Laurent Space FB/ 3632 Blvd. St-Laurent U and I/ 832 Blvd. St-Laurent Lola and Emily/ 3475 Blvd. St-Laurent
Drinks Blizzarts/ 3956A, St-Laurent blvd, Le Pistol/ 3723 St Laurent blvd, Bifteck/ 3702 St Laurent blvd Tokyo/ 3709 St Laurent
Restaurants Chu Chai/ 4088 rue St-Denis Romados/ 115 rue Rachel E. Globe/ 3455 St Laurent Patati Patata/ 4177 St-Laurent blvd
Rippers Kamasutra Club/ 3580 rue St Dominique
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The Downtown District Depending on whom you ask, the downtown district generally spreads from Atwater to ST. Laurent Blvd, between Sherbrooke and René Lévesque. Not only is this district the heart of Montreal commerce, it is also home to hundreds of boutiques, restaurants, flagship retail stores, two universities, an underground city and many classy, ripper joints! The only way to truly experience this area is to park your car and stroll along St Cathrine street for an hour or so and take in the sites….. guaranteed you’ll fall in love about ten times! As the sun sets, this area only gets crazier so be warned and have fun! Along the way, make a point of dropping into some of our favorite boutiques, restaurants, watering holes and ballerinas. They are well worth checking out: Boutiques Off The Hook/ 1021, rue Sainte-Catherine Ouest Boutique Fly/ 1970, rue Sainte-Catherine Ouest Three Monkeys/ 1455, rue Peel Simons/ 977, rue Sainte-Catherine Ouest
Rippers Wanda’s/ 1310, blvd de Maisonneuve Chez Parée/ 258, rue Stanley Club Downtown/ 1196, rue Sainte-Catherine
Restaurants Souvenirs de Bangkok/ 925, rue Sainte-Catherine Ouest Mister Steer/ 1198, rue Sainte-Catherine Ouest La Queue de Cheval/ 1221 René Lévesque Ouest Reuben’s Delicatessen/ 888, rue Sainte-Catherine Ouest
Drinks Hurley’s Irish Pub/ 1225, rue Crescent Brutopia/ 1215, rue Crescent Cock’n Bull Pub/ 1944, rue Sainte-Catherine Ouest
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Old Montreal This is the site of the original city that was founded in 1642 and I’m no historian but it doesn’t look like it has changed much since then. The roads are made of up ancient cobblestone and the streets are hardly wide enough to fit a car! This maze of history is one of Montreal’s largest tourist attractions and hours can be spent creeping through the narrow streets! Old Montreal is a perfect example of city’s ties and influence from old Europe. In the past year or so, there has been a wave of new boutiques popping up in this area and it’s quickly becoming a hot shopping destination. Know?Show East will be based in the heart of the Old Montreal, so in between appointments or beers, cruise outside and go explore! Boutiques Rooney/ 395 rue Notre-Dame ouest Want Still/ 231 rue St-Paul W Empire/ 365 rue St-Antoine Est Restaurants Olive et Gourmando/ 351, rue Saint-Paul Ouest Cube/ 355 McGill Café Cobalt/ 312, rue Saint-Paul Ouest Garde-Manger/ 408, rue Saint-François-Xavier
Drinks W Hotel/ 901 Victoria Square Pub St.Paul/ 124, rue Saint-Paul Est Cube/ 355 McGill Lola Lounge/ 1023 rue Bleury
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famous shop profile
Many people believe a true skateshop is the cornerstone of its local scene. By providing products, knowledge and support a shop has the potential to nurture and inspire an entire local culture and this is exactly what Famous has done in Edmonton’s northern neighbor St. Albert, Alberta. After opening shop in February 1998 in a local strip mall’s cramped retail spot, Famous immediately began to breed a strong scene by putting out video after video featuring its team of riders which at the time included Wade Fyfe, Chris Kendall, Dwight Pineau, Devo Komarniski, as well as successfully gaining approval for St. Albert’s first skatepark. The shop slowly evolved and eventually outgrew 2 larger retail spaces before the brand new store opened in its own building in a high traffic spot downtown. Although many people have contributed to the huge success of the shop over the years there has been one man orchestrating the entire business and that’s owner/skateboarder Glenn Suggitt. As many in the industry are already aware when Glenn does something he does it on a large scale, which is very apparent if you’ve ever skated (or drank) with him. This Harley riding, beer shotgunning, Motley Crue loving owner has infused his rock and roll lifestyle into the shops identity contributing largely to its success. Famous is truly a skater owned skateboard shop focusing on only the finest skate and snowboard products from the industries top companies. You won’t find any wakeboards or emo band shirts here, but you certainly will happen upon real skate and snow products sold by real riders. During the summer of 2006 Famous took a big step and opened its new 5000 square foot retail location for business. This store definitely raises the bar for how a skate/snow retail space should look by incorporating custom oak woodworking, crystal chandeliers, 4 foot light boxes around the perimeter and a dj booth built right into the front counter. The space was designed with room to shop in mind and it’s expansive interior allows for easy viewing of all products and freedom of movement throughout the floor. This creates a relaxed boutique style shopping environment for customers that is both stylish and laid back. Gorgeous Girls, a local high end girls boutique also adjoins the Famous shop and caters to it’s female clientele. The evolution of the store has also prompted the expansion of its in-house line into Famous Skateboards, a skateboard company that is sold exclusively through Famous and it’s sister store Plush in Edmonton. Both stores possess a team of Canadian rippers including Nate Roline, Jamie Tanscowny, Kyle Robinson, Kellan Chilibeck, Jess Atmore, and many other talented skaters as well as a solid snowboard team. Famous continues to support the local scene in a big way and set the standard for what a skateshop should be. Without showing any signs of slowing down, Glenn and the crew are sure to keep stepping things up for a long time to come. Nathan Matthews: Text KNOW?MAG / 29
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“By providing products, knowledge and support a shop has the potential to nurture and inspire an entire local culture, and this is exactly what Famous has done.� KNOW?MAG / 31
crème
shop profile Crème is the newest addition to the Rude boys fleet, only this time, they started something that features the finer side of skate and snow fashion. Mineki Yamada is the brainchild behind Crème, who, with partner Shane Mooney, opened this boutique-clothing store with the more intellectual shopper in mind. Crème was designed to offer a collection of different and exclusive brands, less likely available in one storefront. “I like clothes, but they’re expensive. I thought opening a store would be a good way to get them for half price”. And just like that, Crème was born. Crème has an attractive appeal with its minimalist design. The store is utilized as a canvas to showcase the garments. The shop’s theme is based around the ‘Great White Canadian North’, white walls and wood furnishings house large game taxidermy, contributing to the store’s overall atmosphere. The shop also features custom ‘Lifetime’ artwork, a unique collection, showcased with the more ‘sophisticated’, ‘modern intellectual’ shopper in mind. Other brands include; Nike SB, Australian denim brand tsubi/ksubi, Nudie, WESC, Fornarina and 50-70’s designer sunglasses (Dior, Porsche). All this and more, (plus it’s friendly staff) make Crème is the premiere boutique store in the Canadian Rockies for someone who appreciates the finer things in life. Andrew Hardingham: Text
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“Crème is the premiere boutique store in the Canadian Rockies for someone who appreciates the finer things in life.”
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bob kronbauer matt irving artist profile
Bob Kronbauer and Matt Irving are, at times, complete opposites. Bob is a little guy, Matt is a large one. Bob lives in Canada, Matt lives in the U.S. of A. Bob has a dog, Matt‌uhh, well, I’m not sure what Matt has. On the other side of things, both are very talented designers, both are from some small towns in the interior of British Columbia, both are happily married, both of them drive station wagons (at last check) and both of them are all around really frickin’ nice guys. I had the chance to pick their brains about some important and not so important things. Have a read; you might learn something.
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How high can you ollie? BK: Not as high as Matt. MI: Thanks Bob, but you are kind of short. No offense. What are your guilty pleasures? MI: Naked yoga in my deer hide yurt. BK: I have so many. Right now my main one is checking out what nightclub Lindsay Lohan went to last night on x17online. com Do you have a celebrity doppelganger? Or better yet, who would play you in the twelve part mini-series based on your life? MI: I would ask Bruce Lee to play Bob and Steve McQueen to play myself. He drove lots of fancy sports cars and motorbikes and the ladies loved him too. So naturally… BK: Tim Robbins would play Matt and I’d be played by either Bruce Willis or Charlie Sheen. Inspirations? MI: Undeniably, Maestro Fresh Wes. BK: People who don’t give a fuck, like Maestro Fresh Wes. Favorite class in highschool? BK: The ones where the teachers didn’t notice that I was stoned. MI: I was really into Design & Technology class because it was like woodshop, metalshop and art mashed together with science as the backbone. I like problem solving and the class was always full of rowdy kids so it was fun and chaotic. Many ninja stars were made in that class. What’s your poison? Have you seen each other barf? BK: Just beer I guess. I’m usually a couple laps ahead of him so I don’t remember if I’ve ever seen Matt barf. MI: I’ve most definitely seen Bob barf. It’s been wine over beer lately for me. I save the mixed drinks for airports and holidays so they feel fancy. What’s your hangover cure? BK: The wagon. MI: Water, sleep and watching 80’s movies. If you were stuck on a desert island and could only take one item, what would it be? BK: Ativan. Lots and lots of Ativan. MI: I’d bring a diving mask and a snorkel. They come attached so it should count as one item. You ever been hunting? MI: Nope. Unless hunting with pellet guns counts. I’ve been fishing a bunch though. BK: When I was like 10 years old I used to go hunting with my dad a lot. I’d shoot grouse with a 22 while he pretended to be looking for a deer to kill. One season just out of the blue he bought a Canon SLR with a zoom lens and he said “Son, we’re only going to be shooting animals with cameras from now on.” and we never shot anything again. z BK: Any Steinbeck, Brautigan or Vonnegut. MI: I’m reading “Tipping Point” right now and pretending that I’m a businessman.
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How do you feel about hobos? Do you make eye contact with them? MI: Hobos are great, I’ve got plans to become one at some point. Not only would I make eye contact with them, I’d crack open a tin of sardines and get the party started. BK: There’s no such thing as real hobos anymore. When I think of a hobo I have this romantic image of Woody Guthrie riding the rails, sipping whiskey, strumming tunes about freedom while headed for the next town where there might be work in the fields for him… I don’t think of junked out zombies covered in scabs having sex with prostitutes in the alley before breaking into my car.
The Umbrella market, how was it conceived, tell us more about it. BK: Matt, want to take this one? MI: It’s a very long story that started with Bob and I coming up with the name but it didn’t come into fruition until Jeremy
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Fish and I drove from LA to SF and cultivated the idea for the 7-hour drive. We just realized that we should all be banding together to make an online store for our personal projects. We were all bombarded with the pressure of trying to get our shit out to people, it just made sense to have a central location dealing with the business end of things so we can stay focused on being creative. That’s the short version, it’s much more complicated than that. Are you trained/classically schooled or did you discover your talents on your own? How do you feel about school versus self-exploratory learning? MI: I went to a contemporary art school, which didn’t really teach me a heck of a lot but I am glad I experienced it. I certainly learned next to nothing to do with design, that stuff was on my own time, but I gained a lot from being focused on creativity without getting sidetracked. BK: I’m self-taught but I think that school can be good for some people.
Do you have any tricks when it comes to sparking creativity? MI: It’s the lack of time that’s the problem. Ideas are the easy part. BK: A lot of ideas come to me in my car for some reason. I don’t think it’s a trick though. Anyone ever jack your shit? Design wise? BK: Fuck yeah, dude. Check out UrbanCounterfeiters.com, they’ve posted some stuff about some ripoff artists who have fucked people over. MI: Just keep pushing forwards and on to the next… Favorite design you have worked on personally? BK: A lot of the time I get more out of a concept than an actual design, so I’d have to say the Eric Koston Ouija board that I did. So many people refused to ride it because they were superstitious, and that’s awesome. MI: Any project that I get to do as a Delphi collaboration with another brand is usually my favorite. If I wasn’t happy with it, then it wouldn’t have been a Delphi collaboration. I think the biggest endeavor has been a Delphi & Nike ACG collection, which will be coming out in the next year. I like that one a lot. Favorite design the other guy in this interview has done? MI: My favorite thing that Bob has ever done is just that he exists, he’s a piece of walking art that will completely rule nine days out of ten but on the tenth he’ll tear your head off. He’s hilarious and reminds me to be more devious. BK: Matt made me this mobile thing that’s my favorite. It looks like a bunch of flags and it’s amazing, it’s hanging up in my living room. In design there is always the question of money versus creativity…have you ever sacrificed money for creative freedom? Or vice versa? BK: There’ve been some instances with design jobs, yeah, but it doesn’t bother me; I look at a lot of my design work as commercial art anyway. However I find it really hard to take a financial approach to photography. I mean I sell my fine art photos through the Elliot Louis Gallery here in Vancouver but it’s quite a bit more organic than my design work... it’s hard for me to work on specific photo assignments. MI: If it feels wrong, then I won’t do it. My honest focus is the project first and foremost, that way I’m designing for the purpose of making it as best I possibly can because the client is paying me for my services. My personal artwork is completely removed from making a living, which is great because I can do anything that I want and really enjoy it. I’ve done a lot of design projects for free, which often allows you much more creative freedom. The first project I did for Nike was free and people always get pissed when they hear that. BUT, it did lead to a lot of great opportunities, as well as years of free shoes. So I have no complaints. I’m not struggling, which makes it easier to not worry about money, but I try not to care about it too much because then I’m focusing on the wrong thing. How do you feel about corporate forays into the world of skateboarding? BK: Whooee, that could be a day long conversation. I’ll say one thing though, and that’s that the one big corporation I
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can think of who are consciously doing their best to benefit skateboarding, to give more than they take from it and to aid it’s longevity, is Nike. I’m backing them hard. If outside companies would explore how they’re running SB just a little bit before they sink their marketing dollars into skateboarding we would all benefit a lot more from their involvement. MI: When you first start to work in skateboarding you quickly realize it’s really hard to get paid for your time and respected for all of your efforts and ability. The bigger companies that have come into skating and hire the right people for the job have definitely been doing very well. It’s not fair to hate on global corporations for wanting to partake, that’s what they do and we live in a world that encourages that type of competitiveness. It really boils down to the skateboarding division for that particular company and if they are in it for the right reasons.
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What was your first job, as a kid/in life and in the field you are currently employed in? BK: My first job ever was a paper route. Pretty normal. But in high school I ran a little skateshop out of the basement of my parents’ house. Some random middle-aged dude from Northern BC had an account with Ultimate and he had a bunch of kids lined up in different towns that didn’t have shops at the time. He’d send packages to us whenever we needed new stuff, then we’d sell that stuff to our friends and give him 75% or something like that. It was awesome because I never had to pay for boards or anything, it kept me skating and I always had the best stuff. Then one day the guy just disappeared. I had $800 of his money too. I think he probably got into some sort of shady business deal and had to break out, he wasn’t exactly on the level... like a lot of people in the industry.
MI: I first met Bob in the Safeway parking lot in Vernon when he was doing this. I swear he was selling everything out of his trunk though. It was a really top quality retail space, kind of like a Supreme on wheels. Everyone knew about this guy that could save you a trip to Kelowna if you needed a new board. I’m pretty sure that it truly sparked Bob’s entrepreneurial spirit. Favorite place you have ever traveled to? BK: Paris for sure. MI: Paris is definitely the best, but I couldn’t single out one place as a favorite. New York is amazing and I’m very content living in San Francisco. Single most important professional event in your life? BK: In 1999 I was flown down to Southern California to interview for one of those big extreme sports dot coms. I wound up being hired on as the editor of their skateboarding section and found friendships and secured business relationships with a lot of people who are still a big part of my life. MI: That very same flight that Bob took to Southern California put me on my work path as well. He’s the reason why I moved to California and started working in the skateboard industry. Once I was there I met Bod Boyle and later Johnny Schillereff, who are both very important people in my life and career. I owe all three of them more than they can imagine. Gino or Gonz? Dream skate session involves who? MI: Not to toot my own horn, but I did just have of a solo skate session in New York with Gonz about 2 weeks ago. We skated these benches on Allen Street and he had these two random setups with mismatched wheel sizes so they were like hotrods. My wife was sitting on a bench chatting away with Mark’s girlfriend and his assistant and he told her that I have a good ollie. It was kind of surreal now that I look back at it. He’s a really cool person that has a world of pressure on him at all times. If you think he’s a weird dude, just try to imagine yourself in his shoes. It would do your head in. BK: I’ve skated with both of those dudes but my dream session is with Matt at skate camp in Visalia. We’ve had some good times there. MI: Yup, most definitely. Favorite place on this planet to eat? BK: Wahoo’s Fish Taco in West LA! I got the honor of being customer of the month because I ate there twice a day for an entire month a couple years ago. They took my polaroid and put it on the wall and everything, it was my 15 minutes of taco fame. MI: You lucky bastard, I can’t believe that you got Customer of the Month! I would always get two blackened fish tacos with spicy white beans and rice. Then you dump salsa on top of the rice and beans and eat it with tortilla chips as a spoon. Bob and I have been talking for years about how a Wahoo’s in Whistler and one on Robson or Granville Street would kill it. Just give us free lunch for life if you’re reading this and want to run with the idea. Dream job…are you living it? What did you want to be when you were growing up? BK: My dream job is to have my own fishing show on PBS. What I’m doing right now is a close second though.
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MI: I really can’t complain in the slightest with my life. I love what I do for work, I get to travel a lot, and I’ve met a lot of amazing people that have become close friends. Every year I’m more shocked at the new opportunities that come up, so I’m happily on this path and eager to see where it goes. Future plans…? BK: I’m working on my next book of photography that’s coming out in 2008, and there’s lots of Crownfarmer goodness on the not-so-distant horizon. And I’m now a part owner and the art director of a new skateboard company with Mike York. It’s called Turf Skateboards. I definitely plan on going on tour with him and the Turf team. I’ve always wanted to experience that but never really had the chance.
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MI: Ha, that’s what you say now Bob. Once you’re on tour the most important thing you’ll be dying for is a decent night’s sleep. Future plans though… well, I just started to work for Adidas Skateboarding with my friend Brett Critchlow. That will keep me busy and I’m very excited about it. Delphi is going strong and will have co-ops coming out with Stacks, Crownfarmer, Element, Nike, Hessenmob, and a few. I’ll also be getting some Delphi/Adidas stuff going pretty soon I think. Cian Browne: Text
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hot toddies a fashion forecast
Hair by Shelly Couves Makeup by Josee Gordon-Davis Photo assistant Sarah Murray/ Cian Browne Styling by Benoit and Nicklaus K Models Jonathan Syme, Matt Obrien, Jewls Moore, Jennifer Irving Photography by Andre Pinces www.pincesphoto.com
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Above/ Jules: WESC jacket, RDS shirt, Lifetime denim.
Opposite/ Matt: C1rca jacket, WESC sweater, Lifetime denim, DVS shoes. John: Independent jacket, Lifetime t-shirt, C1rca denim, C1rca shoes.
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Above/ John: WESC jacket, Insight 51 cardigan, RDSt-shirt, Ambiguous denim. Jules: Lifetime jacket, adidas Originals t-shirt, DC denim, skates/ grousemountain.com
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Above/ Matt: adidas Originals jacket/hoody, C1rca Denim, skates/ model’s own. Jen: Lifetime jacket, denim/model’s own, WESC scarf & gloves, skates/ grousemountain.com
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Above/ Jules: WESC jacket, RDS shirt, Lifetime denim, Lifetime beanie, IS Design sunglasses. John: Lifetime beanie and scarf, Independent jacket, Lifetime t-shirt, C1rca denim and shoes. Opposite Right/ Matt: Vans shirt, Ambiguous denim, Vans shoes, L&K Ltd. bandana. John: DC Jacket, Lifetime denim, shoes/model’s own.
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Opposite/Above Matt: Vans shirt, Matix sweater, Ambiguous denim, L & K Ltd. bandana. Jen: Matix hoody, Lifetime shirt, headband/ model’s own. Jules: DC sweater, Lifetime shirt, WESC denim. John: DC sweater, Lifetime shirt, Ambigous denim.
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Jules: WESC sweater, Lifetime pants, shoes/ model’s own. John: RVCA sweater, Zoo York t-shirt, Lifetime denim, C1rca shoes. Jen: Lifetime sweater, RDS t-shirt, DC overalls, boots/model’s own. Matt: Insight51 hoody, adidas t-shirt, Matix denim, Vans shoes, Real hat. Background: IS Design & Dragon goggles, 32 boots, cameras-pincesphoto.com
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split
zoo york
agence royal rep profile
Over the past few years during the standard industry bro-down shuffle, I’ve had the opportunity and pleasure to get to know most of the cats at Agence Royal! Due to the nature of our industry, most of the people we cross paths with are generally pretty rad….(It goes with job I guess) and occasionally you meet a few that leave a lasting impression! It might be because they are a little more in tune with the scene, or maybe it’s cuz they are down with EVERYONE, or it might just be they work damn hard and you can’t help but respect them. Agence Royal is a good blend of all the above qualities and it’s always a pleasure when I get a chance to sit down and catch up with them...
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Who is Agence Royal and what brands do you represent in Quebec? Alex- Agence Royal is myself (Alex Sirois) and Matt (Boutin) plus our staff of four full time employees. We handle all sales for Time Bomb in Quebec which is: Sole Tech, RVCA, Dragon and starting this april, we’ll be handling LRG as well. How did you guys get your start in the Industry? Alex- I had been working with an agency for a few years that was handling Time Bomb’s sales in Quebec. Around the end of 2002, they started to break apart and in early 2003 I decided to start up my own sales agency to handle ES, Emerica, 32 and Dragon. Matt came on board a few months later and the rest is history. When we were first starting out, Andre Delaire (one of the most established industry leaders in the east) really helped us out and we owe him props for that for sure!!! What are some of the changes or shifts you’ve seen in the industry or the past few years? Alex & Matt - In general, the whole industry has become much more organized and professional on all levels for sure. This includes everyone from brands right down to retail stores. We’ve seen stores grow from small skate shops to multi-door massive retailers that are super successful. It seems that everyone is stepping it up HUGE. We’ve watch trends like the mega “hesher” style get introduced in 2003 and now it’s become the standard in almost every brand. We, as a company, have expanded a lot since 2003 as well which has been crazy! Also, the level of talent from the young up-and-coming generation is insane. Kids theses days are getting way better at a younger age! Concerning the new boutique type of retailer that’s been popping up lately, how much has that been a factor with your brands and sales? Alex & Matt - It’s been a fun factor and it’s pretty inspiring for sure! Most of these new boutiques have the same feeling as core skate shops had in the 80’s. They seem to be really in touch with what’s going on, they tend to be really open minded and every brand that’s in these stores fits really well together. Boutiques are key for a brand’s image, that’s for sure! Is there a difference between running an agency in Quebec versus another province in Canada? Alex & Matt – The biggest difference comes down to language! Unless a brand is based in Quebec, a Quebec sales rep tends
to handle all the customer services with their accounts. Even if a shop can speak English, they much prefer to bitch in French and that’s one of the reasons why we have such strong relationships with our shops! You end up dealing with them on all levels of business not just sales! Another thing is that the amount of independent retailers in Quebec at this time is crazy. Every shop in this province has been stepping up their game 100%. It might be a language thing but the Quebec industry really feeds of each other in a positive way! If someone does something good, it seems everyone gets inspired and wants to follow suit! What do you guys think is going to be the new hotness as far as future trends go? Alex & Matt – The big, fat hip hop style is out. The long tees are wack . The slim down, more fitted street wear, Hip-hop style is going to break out; Tech shoes are coming back, more of a focus towards elaborate textures and higher quality in clothing! Hiking boots like Bel, Biv, Devo used to rock are coming back for sure and slip-ons are dead unless you are rocking them on the plane The term and meaning of “underground” is coming back. Things are going to be come more low key and focus on quality, not volume! As far as “WORK” goes, having a job in the skate/snow industry is high on the list of killer jobs but besides that, what keeps you guys motivated? Alex & Matt - It’s things like getting to travel for work to crazy places that you might not have ever gone. Or all the passionate people you get to meet who are doing crazy things. That keeps the motivation high for sure. It’s also the things like being able to dress how you want and being able to be yourself, not just a suit and tie guy all day, everyday! It’s also pretty inspiring to work for a company like Sole Tech that is so cutting edge and always creating! The only real negative side is that for the most part, you don’t get to spend as much time doing the sports that brought you into the industry in the first place….. It’s kinda funny! Alright boys, last question. What would be your ultimate dream session? Alex - A heli shred mission with Chris Roach circa the “Critical Condition” era…… So we went back to Tahoooe.!!! Matt - To go to the middle of the desert and see KYUSS reunite and play one last show……I’d pay any amount of cash to see that! Jesse Bowden: Text
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rob williamson Rep profile
For those who don’t know Rob Williamson; well this man was selling strong brands in Canada when your mommy was whipping your ass and changing your diaper. Robs extensive resume includes working for some of the leading and most progressive brands in our industry such as Billabong, Burton and currently working with Volcom, Nixon, and Electric. And now ladies and gentleman I’d like to introduce you to Rob Williamson and his crew at Lifestyles Marketing group. Ben Couves: Text
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Where is Rob Williamson from? I was born in Alberta but I grew up throughout the prairies. My Dad worked for the bank so we got transferred a lot when I was a kid. My family finally settled down for the last part of grade school in Saskatoon and then on to Winnipeg for high school and post secondary. How did you get involved in skateboarding/snowboarding and working within the industry? Initially through participating in skiing and windsurfing. That got me working in retail shops and at resorts. How did Lifestyles Marketing come about? It came into existence 1991. I moved to Vancouver in 1989 to act as Sales Manager for Quiksilver. By ’91, I knew I needed to get back to working for myself. My friend Greg McMillan and I started LMG and we took advantage of NAFTA and immediately became the national reps for Billabong. Back in those days we did design and production as well. Besides selling the whole Billabong package into Canada and developing a non resident import program for them, we were also responsible for designing, producing and delivering Billabong snowboard outerwear for North America. After a while it became clear that the business had two faces and with the growing sales on both sides, focus was needed. I kept the name and sales portion of the agency while Greg went on to a successful design career. He’s been with Option for years now. How long have you been involved in the industry? So long that I had to refer to an old resume to get the timeline straight. Even in the late 1970’s I made a conscious decision to pursue my sports lifestyle as a career (I needed to subsidize my habits). In 1979, after a couple of years of travel and bartending in Banff in the winters, I moved back to Winnipeg to go to school for business administration. That year I started working at a ski shop part time selling skis, clothing and sailboards. A ski rep named Doug Wilson recommended looking at the wholesale side of the business. By 1984 I’d graduated from school and was already working as a rep selling Quiksilver, DaKine, K2 and The North Face. The “industry” was truly in its infancy back then and there wasn’t anyone focusing on surf/skate/snowboard at that time. I think Dave Halliwell and Peter Lefroy were thinking the same thing as me and it was about that time that they shifted their business from ski into a more surf/snow environment. Anyways, in 1988 K2 sent me a sample of the Gyrator snowboard and I got some 5 hole Burton bindings. Even with that archaic set up, I could tell snowboarding was going to be my preferred method on snow. I know you like your cars, what other things is Rob Williamson into? Twenty five years of board sports finally caught up to me about 7 years ago and I just can’t lock my legs into any kind of a binding anymore. I get bone fragments just thinking about it. I really miss the sensation of floating and carving at speed on my snowboard but I still like to go fast. I’m back to riding motorcycles and my jet boat gets me into some very interesting places when I go fly fishing. 45 miles an hour in 6 inches of water will get your adrenaline going. I know its hard to imagine for the uninitiated but fly fishing can be an exciting sport. I just have to find time to go more often.
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What do you like about working in the skateboard/snowboard industry? The passionate individuals this industry attracts. It keeps you young. Its allowed me to make a living and stay involved in the sports I love. I’ve also seen a lot of the world while working and I’ve gotten to make life long friends while doing it. Also, events like The Beaverfish. The grass roots stuff keeps it real for me. What do you dislike about working in the skateboard/snowboard industry? There is no downtime for anyone anymore. There seems to be a constant pressure to grow. Also, Arthritis and the various injuries over the years that come with the territory. Every industry has its specific health hazards and ours is a torn ACL. Oh yeah and the havoc my liver’s been through! After a while I got smart… Martino had a stint as my surrogate liver when I was finishing up the Burton days but now its Dirk’s turn. What direction do you see our industry going? Well, its not our little secret anymore is it? Back when I started, it was sketchy to consider raising a family on the fruits of our labour in a truly tiny grass roots environment. Today, the industry’s energy level is attracting big business and sometimes volume speaks louder that philosophy. I still think its full steam ahead but the industry, especially in Canada, needs stewardship. We all have to go at this with a conscience and a sense of balance to ensure a healthy future for all involved.
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Best trade show party? Probably the Vegas SIA show about 6 years ago where Volcom got kicked out on day 3 and they would not let any of us back into the show. We caused such a ruckus with all the promo we were tossing that it spilled out into a riot into the Burton booth. Boards, boots, and clothing went flying everywhere. Those guys were really chapped and not happy with us. We ran out of promo early that day so Wooly, the owner of Volcom, myself and Kent and Dave from Oronge started duct taping 2 cans of Redbull to full bottles of vodka and tossing them into the crowd. Not one of Wooly’s better ideas. After a couple of cases of vodka flying through the air, it was game over. The mosh madness was so bad that not only did they close our Volcom booth but I wasn’t even allowed to go back inside the show to work Nixon either. We were all banned that year. We had to fly home early. Amazing really, considering how lenient SIA was in those days. The only other booth to get kicked out that I can ever remember was Yellow Bus Snowboards but they were smoking tons of weed in the back of the bus in their booth. Next big purchase? I’m very satisfied in my personal life right now so the next big thing will probably come from the business side. LMG will probably need a new showroom sometime in the not too distant future.
office boooyz “The Contest” Friday, April 6th: Office Booyz “The Contest” is giving you permission and the perfect excuse to blow off a day of work to go shredding!! That’s right, on Friday April 6th Office Booyz and Grouse Mountain will host the second annual Office Booyz event. A jam style contest with free coffee, all you can eat donuts, office style jibs and a chance for bragging rights for the entire year. This is the contest that gives us wash ups and industry insiders a reason to go snowboarding at least once this year and YOU are invited. All that is required is that your company or shop puts together a team and that you show up to compete. Entry is subject to capacity. Details will be available on www.knowshow.ca early March 07.
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lifetime brand profile
collective
Straight out of Vancouver, by way of Calgary, The Lifetime Collective has been steadily providing quality garments to the skate and snow community for the past four years. The two founders, Trevor Fleming and Reid Stewart, were sick of the logo-based offerings of most brands and keenly recognized this as a void in the market that they could fill. After pooling their resources, and with the help of some friends, the Collective was born and initially began producing t-shirts and hoodys designed by Collective members. Four years later and Lifetime is now producing its own custom knits, fleeces, wovens, and denim while still relying upon members of the Collective for its graphic based offerings. And the crew definitely rolls thick; an actual listing of every single artist involved would take up all the space allotted for this article. One of the most anticipated pieces for the upcoming holiday season is the Sketchbook Series featuring artwork by Julie Morstad and, soon to be Canadian heavyweights, the fine dudes at Fighting. There will also be a large Lifetime Collective group show at the Receiver Gallery in San Francisco, stay tuned for more details on that. The brand is now widely available across North America, Japan, and Korea and is gaining popularity throughout Europe. With so much happening, the Fall ’07 collection is shaping up to be the Collective’s strongest to date. Nick Brown: Text 80 / KNOW?MAG
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endeavor brand profile
It’s time to face facts, snowboard technology hasn’t –really- changed since 1996; at the end of the day aesthetics is what really moves product. Endeavor is a company that completely understands that crispy graphics will have boards flying out retailer’s doors and their offering for 2008 includes some amazing imagery and designs. At the heart of this are collaborations involving some heavy-hitters in the contemporary art world. Marok, of Lodown magazine fame, has signed on to design the “Live” boards series under the theme of “The King of Hard Times”. Another popular collaboration from the ’07 season will continue in ’08 with the Addict x Endeavor “Next” series, featuring artwork by famed graffiti artist She-One. Other feature products include the “Colour” series, a board with a white top sheet that comes with 4 coloured markers so as to be completely customizable, and a signature model for new team rider Kale Stephens, The Kale Stephens Board of Directors. Professional skateboarder Corey Sheppard also offered his services and created graphics for the “Roots” series. Not to be overlooked is the apparel side of things and in order to better service retailers Endeavor is offering a separate catalogue for its soft goods program. Key pieces include the ever famous full-zip hoody, complete with eyeholes in the hood and attention grabbing appearance, which consistently sells out year after year. Some big, and more importantly smart, moves for Endeavor in the 2008 season definitely make it a brand to watch as well as to support. Cian Browne: Text
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shop profile In 2000 Dave Souliere an avid snowboarder and surfer and his cousin and long time friend, Steve Deleemans decided to open Atlas in the suburb of Terrebone. Steve had experience in running an office and managing employees and Dave had a vast knowledge of the “action sports” industry and some retail experience. Both where not happy in their current professional careers and after enrolling in a “starting your own business course” they quickly decided that a retail store would suit them both very well. They have never looked back, taking the store from 2000 square feet and 4 employees (including them) to their recently new very well designed location with 5000 square feet and 11 employees who all have their strength and play an important part in keeping the shop running smoothly. The store is divided in a women’s and men’s section and is really well laid out and easy to shop through. Being in the suburbs they cater to a wide variety of customers from the most core rider to the weekend warrior and they carry a wide variety of lines from the uber trendy brands, core skate/snow brands and a selection of mainstream brands. Dave fell in love with snowboarding when he first strapped in 18 years ago in Val St. Comb, “I don’t have the natural talent of a DCP or Max Legend but I think I’m a good plumber who got his skills to a decent level by putting in a lot of days on my board”. He is also an avid reggae fan and a dedicated surfer who will drive 10 hours to Hamton beach, in hopes of good waves…now that is dedication. The shop is very friendly; they have a high-end Snow team (including the likes of Andrew Hardingham and Prescilla Levac) and an equally strong skate team. When I asked Dave what kind of riders he looks for, this is what he had to say “here is my criteria: style, charisma and the skills that make you want to say- I wish I could do that”.They are involved in the community throwing events such as the Banked slalom (a charity event that is more of a get together than pressure comp) and the Atlas open where local skaters can come out and jam and be handed cash for best tricks etc. Their events are for everybody and are not just catered to the higher echelon, letting anyone get involved with out pressure to be the best etc. Mer Van Roost: Text KNOW?MAG / 85
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brand profile Ifound is “the result of a reflection and the beginning of an action” but it is also a co-op headwear comapnay based out of Quebec, Canada that born in Guillaume Brochu’s brain during the summer of 2004 and brought to life for the winter 06 season with the help of his brother JP, artist matt Laroche and longtime friend and industry veteran Ezekiel Leburn. Everyone involved with Ifound is a true rider, they’re team is a who’s who of Quebec’s elite snowboarders and they all back it hard. From Melancon’s hunting gear to Mike Page’s golf inspired collection, the signature product really reflect the individual riders. For sales hit up Brochu,gbrochu@ifound.ca to check the line and team stuff see/ ifound.ca Mer Van Roost: Text
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off the Located in Montreal since 2000, Off The Hook sits 1 floor up from street level right in the heart of the Downtown area. This is destination shopping at its best, the store Curator; Angelo keeps the brands tight and the beats even tighter. From clothing, to shoes, they also specialize in accessories, toys, books, music and international art. Off The Hook carries brands such as Lifetime, WESC, Stussy, LRG, Freshjive, Nike, 10 deep, Etnies plus, Addict, DC, Upper Playground‌ plus many more exclusives. The Off The Hook staff greets the customers with friendly services and best of all, the bi-lingual staff knows and lives the lifestyle and they are happy to share their knowledge. Rotating two girls and two guys, there is always plenty of staff on the floor ready to help you. The store itself is an impressive mixture of dark stained wood and glass, understated design at its best. Beats are always playing inside and outside the store to lure customers in. Once inside Off The Hook comes correct with a comfortable lounge area filled with plenty of books and DVD’s to ensure a pleasant shopping experience. Oli Van Roost: Text 88 / KNOW?MAG
hook
shop profile
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When and how did Off the Hook start off? The idea came up during our break, at a restaurant we used to work at, in the summer of 1999. It was a 15 minute process where you swallow your food, umm, no time to chew it, really. Both Harry and me are from the restaurant business, our fathers owned a spot together late 70’s, near the Olympic stadium. There’s two things with crazy greeks… we know service, and are definitely not afraid to put in the hours… even if it’s 100 a week!!! Off The Hook has gone through some pretty drastic transformation since it’s beginning. Describe what off the hook represents today? It’s all about timing. We really try to stay ahead of the curve, feel the market out and follow a direction. When competitors start copying, we just shift again and get them confused. We took the ugly duckling story and flipped it. We represent progress. We change as people, so what comes from the inside, reflects on the outside. It’s in us, it’s what we live and breath everyday. With the advantage of the Internet, you have access to many new promising brands from all over the world, most are very young, and most will not make it past a few seasons. How do you choose the brands you bring in? The Internet is amazing. I remember when I first started, I use to write out my orders on paper, add up the totals and fax it to my suppliers. It was long and complicated… things are a lot more easy and faster nowadays. Instead of having wholesalers tell me what’s hot, I now have the choice to be like, yo, this guy doesn’t know what he’s talking about… he’s trying to hook up one of his boys. I know what’s good for my shop; I know what my customers like. So yes, I think the Internet is a whole new universe, and you always find what you’re looking for. Choosing brands has to do with knowledge and instinct. You saw the film Gengarry GlenRoss? There’s a banner in the office that says, “Salesmen are born, not made”… it has to be in you homie!!! Many of the small brands you carry, don’t advertise and don’t have any local representation. Describe the process a new brand will go through at Off The Hook for your customer to take note. The process is simple. The artistic side of the brand is what we look at, based on its originality. Name, logo, and graphics are very important to us. That’s how we define the longevity and success of a brand. Once we come in contact in the providers, we analyze the state of mind and mentality of the company. Real recognize real, it’s the way things are done in street culture, so you can’t go wrong… never. Final step is production, it has to be tight. I’ve seen many mistakes, cuts and fits are off… and that’s when it all comes down to one thing, believing. You grow with the people you work and do business with. Your word is your balls, you have to be confident in your endeavors and make things happen. Your store is located in the heart of Downtown Montreal. How does this affect your marketing? How do people learn about Off The Hook? 90 / KNOW?MAG
We’re a destination shop, we carry exclusive and unique products… so the word eventually gets around and the true heads make their way up. Again, the Internet is an incredible tool for us. We are launching a great campaign next month, with a brand new concept. We’re really excited and I think it will help us reach the right people, once again. I want our customers to feel like they’re coming up the stairs for the first time, all the time… know what I mean! What influences your customer the most? What drives them to OTH? Street cred… most important. Whether it’s blogs, magazines, a certain artist wearing the piece, it has to be official. I’ve seen ad campaigns where the company chose the wrong dude to be in the photo, no matter how famous he was, and it didn’t catch. It’s a whole process of chemistry… trends, design, timing, music, art… it all has to fuse together. I think it’s in the people’s hands, they indirectly make the final decision, and we supply the demand… Off The Hook promotes many artists through art shows and different events inside the store. Describe how important these shows are for you and your customer. While educating others, we educate ourselves. And vice versa… the art shows and parties we threw at the shop were the best things we’ve ever done. It feels good to thank a customer that’s been supporting you for so many years, why not have a drink together? Anything to promote longevity. Rome wasn’t built in one day you know… we’re so busy with the store, keeping up with the industry, making things happenen… so it’s cool to let go sometimes and have a little fun with your peeps. It brings us a great sense of accomplishment. With such a loyal customer base, how do you plan on staying current with with their maturing tastes? The exchange of loyalty is the idea of it all. At the same time, it’s the thirst in us that keeps us going. Like I said before, we all grow together. We have different age groups that come around the shop, including our staff and ourselves. So we adapt and adjust. As long as the kid inside of you is creative, you’ll be fine… fine like wine. It’s if you get old and bitter that you start facing problems, ha ha!!! What are your plans for the future? Good things coming, that I can promise! You recently partnered with Montreal Creative Agency Bleu Blanc Rouge, setting up shop right inside the store on the main floor, can you shed some light on how this partnership came about and how both parties will benefit from the partnership? We finally found somebody that shares the same vision as us, as far as Quebec and its market. We’re currently working on a couple of projects, events and promotions… stay tuned. On another note, let me say that the KNOW? SHOW is definitely great for our city, best thing to ever happen in years!!!
Off the Hook is Harry Drakopoulos, Angelo Destounis, and Kelly St. Pierre along with the best supporting cast in the business. 1021 rue sainte catherine ouest - montreal - québec H3B 1H1 telephone +1 514 4991021/ offthehook.ca
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Mer Van Roost
Mike Pragnel
Rene Gauthier
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Shaun Sweetnam rides over Shane Mooney
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Mike Precious
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Warren Currie
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brand profile
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