Skateboarding began in the mid-20th century as a past time to help surfers practice on dry land, but has since grown into a full-fledged way of life. Most Virginian cities have at least one skate park, but skaters make due with any piece of concrete and asphalt available. For when you need a new board or to get plugged into skate boarding culture, the following 10 Virginian shops are the perfect respite.
Alpine Ski Shop has two locations, one in Fairfax and one in Sterling, Virginia. Both shops specialize in ski, snowboarding, skate, and tennis equipment. Skating gear includes long boards, skateboards, skate shoes, and all the latest and most popular accessories. Alpine holds regular community events, including demos and tournaments for the community. Check them out for a professional experience with a wide array of options.
Cardinal Skate Shop, temporarily located in Norfolk, Virginia, while a new location in Virginia Beach is constructed, provides the most current skateboarding equipment in the area. Cardinal is run by skaters, for skaters, and the love of the sport comes through in the atmosphere, brands on hand, and events thrown. Check out their shoes, apparel, and boards.
Coastal Edge is a Virginia Beach skateboarding behemoth not to be reckoned with. Seven locations strong, Coastal Edge provides the Virginia Beach skateboarding community with the latest equipment and apparel. Build your own skateboard on their website and have it custom made for you. No matter where you go in Virginia Beach, you’re likely to see a Coastal Edge t-shirt or board. Check their website for more information about their teams, camps, and events.
Buhi World Skate Shop was founded in 2014 to provide the Vienna area with the largest available selection of skateboarding brands. The staff are life-long skaters native to the area and are more than happy to help with any questions. Buhi is no frills, but has everything you could want in a skate shop.
Magic Bullet Skateboards is an all-around solid skateboard shop most suitable for those already in the hobby. While the staff will happily help newbies get started and are patient, their no-nonsense attitude shines through: they take skateboarding seriously. The owners take skateboarding as a way of life, not a hobby for casual passersby. If you see yourself skating years down the road, then you’ll find your place among the Magic Bullet crowd.
Venue Skateboards is all attitude. From setting their website logo on fire to using all sorts of adult language to describe themselves, Venue oozes cool. One of their staff, Ty Beall, recently went pro and released his own board, available onsite. Check out all of their custom attire, DVDs, and hardware on the website or in person. Gilbert Crockett, another pro, is one of their biggest enthusiasts.
Freestyle Ski and Board Shop has the feel of a larger operation than the mom and pop in Charlottesville that it is, and we mean that as a good thing. Freestyle offers all the best ski, skate, and snowboarding equipment at reasonable prices in a well-lit and fun shop. Stop by to pick up decks, trucks, and wheels from Yeti, Atomic, Patagonia, Spyder, Roxy, Vans, and more.
Hard Times Skate Shop has been Portsmouth, Virginia’s go-to shop since 2012. For wheels, decks, trucks, bearings, grips, and other hardware, you can’t go wrong by stopping into Hard Times. Stickers, film, DVDs, and magazines are also available for sale, along with apparel.
Skate Supply in Chesapeake, Virginia, supports the local skateboarding community with its team sponsorship and promoting customers on social media. Everything a skateboarding could want is available for sale, with new boards in stock regularly. Check out their ever-expanding supply of shoes, apparel, and hardware, too.
Scene 3 sells skateboards and bicycles in downtown Lynchburg. Since 2001, the guys at Scene 3 have supported the local community through recycling measures. According to their website, “Over one million skateboards are thrown away each year…to encourage recycling, we offer a $5 credit when you return a board you purchased from us.” They also accept unbroken and broken boards purchased elsewhere, which they use to create lambs, coasters, bottle openers, and more. The skateboard selection includes most of the top brands and a healthy amount of lesser-known quantities to make for a unique mix.