One not insignificant benefit of operating a hard goods business out of California is the abundance of space. You can just find a warehouse, or gentrify one into existence, and use that as the base for all your operations (shipping/receiving, offices, private skatepark, futon, mini fridge).
Which is why the setup for 5Boro skateboards in New York is so impressive. For the past ten years, Mark Nardelli has been running 5Boro out of a one bedroom apartment in Chinatown.
He uses part of the basement for storage, but his apartment regularly gets filled with boxes and taken over with packing product to send out, spray painting test graphics, and shooting catalogs. It’s also a defacto skate house for out of town riders, so Mark rarely has the place all to himself.
We met up with Mark to get a look at the 5Boro apartment and meet one of their up-and-comers, Amir Denis. If you ever thought of running your own board brand, Mark is a good example of the kind of dedication and flexibility you have to have to succeed.
Check back tomorrow for a new vid from 5Boro on the site.
Related Posts
-
SHOP TALK AT NJ SKATE SHOP IN JERSEY CITY
We took a trip to the foreign land of Jersey City to hear from some locals.
-
PREMIERE: RUBIANDA’S “YOUTH MANIFESTO” PART OUT OF INDONESIA
Despite the brutal humidity and the foot and car traffic of Jakarta, this 17 year old was able to produce a beautifully crafted part.
-
WE RESURRECTED THE L.A. HIGH RAIL WITH KEEN RAMPS
Revisit a classic L.A. spot that got taken from us 15 years ago.
-
PREMIERE: MYLES WILLARD IN “MYLES AND THE MACHINE”
Includes a trick from everyone on Toy Machine and a weird drum track that sounds like you're high AF in a long hallway.
-
“DATE A SK8ER” – IAN & RAVEN
We brought back the only reality TV show that helps skaters find true love and/or get laid.
-
PREMIERE: “MANIMAL” A SHORT FILM ON COREY DUFFEL
Revisiting skating's premier big-gap-slammer.
-
PREMIERE: SHAUN PAUL FOR HODDLE
Big fits, big emotions, and one very dipped smith grind.
-
WATCH “POSSIBLY MAYBE” – A VHS REMIX OF CONS BRAZIL RIDERS
Highlights include: one guy doing a blunt on a rooftop mini, tasteful special effects, and more than one good-ass kickflip.
Comments
Popular
-
A CHAT WITH LUDVIG HAKANSSON, THE OLDEST SOUL IN SKATEBOARDING
The man loves to read Nietzche, skates in some expensive vintage gear, and paints in his own neoclassical-meets-abstract-expressionist style.
-
WE TOOK PROFESSIONAL POGO STICKERS TO FAMOUS NYC SKATE SPOTS
Enjoy, write a scathing review, laugh, cry, feel something!
-
JENKEM PRESENTS: THE 8TH ANNUAL SKATEBOARDING SUPERLATIVES
To properly highlight the good and bad of 2024 we sat down for like 30 minutes and decided to come up with this list.
-
LOUIE BARLETTA ON LEAVING ENJOI AND WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDS
"When I quit last week, my thought was that I was gonna just chill and not do anything."
-
PREMIERE: STEVEN CUSTOZZO AND MICHAEL FALLER IN “HEIRLOOM”
Unconventional tricks at classic NYC spots.
February 5, 2020 5:55 pm
This is sick! It’s so interesting to see how small some of the operations are of companies that I would have bet were much larger. That VHS graphic is so cool!
February 5, 2020 7:41 pm
This may sound like a joke or something, but i honestly have never ridden better skateboard decks than the 2 5boro boards i owned maybe 10 yrs ago. This video reminded me of how crispy, and pefrectly shaped that wood was. I will now try buy one for my next board. Don’t really see them around as often as others but fingers crossed!
February 6, 2020 4:06 am
i miss willy akers
February 6, 2020 7:47 am
Sk8 or Die for life!