4 minute read
Let Arson Skate Shop Teach You Things
BURN IT DOWN,
Build it Up
WRITTEN BY MEGIN POTTER | PHOTOS PROVIDED
Get some air
AND LEARN WHAT YOU’RE MADE OF.
To be a skateboarder, you must be aware of your surroundings and use what’s behind you to propel you forward. Pop an Ollie or flip a kickflip and you’ve only got a second to decide: bail, or stick the landing to pull off a sick trick.
Skating in a Walking Town
Manchester, a charming, historic, shopping town in the Green Mountains of Vermont, is known for its natural beauty as much as it is for being a place where you can embrace your quirks – including a variety of healthy recreational activities. People visit the area to trek around the outlet shops, to ski and snowboard on the mountains, hike the nearby trails, and now, they are coming to skate.
Kyle Burroughs at the Manchester Skatepark
Bill Strecker
It was years in the making, but the Manchester Skate Park renovation has earned the Tony Hawk Foundation’s seal of approval. Integral to its fruition was long-time skater Bill Strecker, who also opened Arson Skate Shop in the fall of 2019. “Opening a retail shop in this day and age seems like not the best thing or a little bit risky, and Manchester is a walking and shopping town, but there was a need here that wasn’t being filled,” he said.
Riding the Gap
His dedication has allowed Arson to ride the waves of two winters, the pandemic, and skateboarding’s rise in popularity. “It’s not just a bunch of kids and graffiti. Skateboarding has a stigma. It took years of tireless effort and meetings to make these things happen. It took that devotion to make it so we’re not the black sheep of the shops in town,” said Strecker. No easy feat, given skateboarding’s rebellious reputation. “Skateboarding is counter-culture by nature and that’s part of its appeal, but that’s a part of experiencing skateboarding history. That’s why the shop is important – it’s a hub of skateboarding culture. You’re fending for yourself online. Here, you’re not just learning skateboarding, you’re learning the social side of it, too.”
Rebuilding Skateboarding’s Reputation
This year, skateboarding will make its debut appearance at the Summer Olympics in Tokyo, moving it from its home in street culture into the realm of being a recognized athletic endeavor. “It keeps kids out of trouble and keeps kids creative outside of the traditional sports channels,” said Strecker. Skateboarding is also proving that it can straddle age and gender lines. “I’m excited to say we get all kinds of people in here. We have 30 to 45-year-olds who did it in the ‘90s and are doing it again. We also have a lot of girls these days, which is great to see,” he said.
Redesigning the Skate Experience
Arson is located within a structure that was built in 1921 and once served as a firehouse. By giving it the name Arson, Strecker was honoring the building’s history while torching the misconceptions that skateboarding often faces. As an illustrator, product, and graphic designer, Strecker knows that appearance and branding is an essential part of skateboarding’s identity. The t-shirts, hoodies, hats, shoes and utilitarian clothing at Arson tell a story that’s inextricable from the collaboration that defines what skateboarding is all about.
Start Now with Online Lessons
Strecker is revolutionizing the way we train with online skateboarding lessons for everyone from the total amateur to the raddest ripper. While skateboarding video games abound, online lessons aren’t something we’ve seen a lot of outside the realm of the Wii Fit universe. “I love empowering youth and making sure they have stuff to do. Skating inside is so helpful to get your bearings and to get you started on a board. The intermediate skater definitely has a bag of tricks and we just push that so they get better as we go. Even the expert has some fine-tuning that can be done,” said Strecker. All you need is a board and an (indoor or outdoor) area the size of a doormat to practice in. The 90-minute online sessions, open to ages 5+, teach skate terms, equipment IQ, stretching, skating tips, tricks, and games. When you sign-up, you’ll receive rubber stoppers so your wheels don’t slip while you practice in place. Arson Skate Shop will also be hosting summer skate camps and clinics again this year. To find out more, stop in at 345 Center Hill Road, Manchester, VT and follow them on Instagram at arson_shop. SF
