Free Grip #1 with Dustin from Vashon Boards

Hey Dustin! Thanks for taking the time to answer some questions and talk shop with us. Tell us a bit about yourself and where you grew up?

So I am 49 and grew up skating here in Washington. I’ve been skating since I was 13 years old. I feel like I was a military brat, but the funny thing is my dad was never in the services, we just moved all the time and I got pretty good at packing. I would say I grew up in Kent and Gig Harbor.

How did you get into skating?

I got into skating from my step brother who was living in California. I was 13 at the time and needed something I could do as an individual and not part of a team sport. I grew up playing soccer at age 4, so skateboarding was a nice change. Even at an early age I knew I was hooked.

Vashon Island is a pretty rad place. Give us some details on the island for people who aren’t from the area.

Vashon is a great place. We have trails all over the island and also some of the best mountain biking around.

What’s it like living there?

Living here is pretty nice even though you have to plan your life around the ferries. Other than that, it's chill and quiet.

And how about running a business on Vashon?

So running a business has been a challenge and I’m needing to work full time to keep my business going.

And how about just being a skater?

Being a skater at almost 50 is something I thought I would never say. It’s always hard to try and re-learn tricks that back in the day I could do. It becomes harder mentally than anything else. I give credit to those older pros that encourage me to keep doing it as well as the locals (that I grew up with) that are still doing it, like Marshall and Dave Waite, Tom Peha, plus many others.

Hell yeah! Dave is an inspiration for all of us around here. When and how did you decide to open up a skate shop?

I opened my shop in 2019 essentially because I needed a board and didn’t want to leave the island to get one. I asked people around town what they thought about a local skate shop and they were all for it, so I went for it. And with the help of other local shops and with the help of Bobby Dodd things have been doing ok. I also had a lot of help from my wife and family. My nephew has done a lot with my graphics and it's great to see his talent being shown for others.

Running a shop in the NW has a few challenges in itself, since half the year here is gray and wet. Running a shop on a small island probably adds a few more challenges. How have you dealt with the tough parts of owning a shop?

It is very challenging to run a shop here on the island, more so in the winter, but I try to do whatever I can to bring folks to our indoor park. Before COVID we would have shows at the indoor park, which was always a great time.

What’s been something you’ve enjoyed about the shop that you weren’t expecting when you started?

I really enjoy being part of the Vashon community. I like making my own shirts and (with the help of family and friends) wearing my shirts to get the name out there.

Besides your own of course, what are your favorite local shops?

I will always remember Fallout, PJs in Fed way, Bubble Gum Records in Kent. My local shop was Northwest Snowboards and they were my first sponsor. I can’t forget the masters: 35th Ave, Gravity, All-A-Board, and the newer shops: The Method, Location, Unity, Grit City, By and By, 35th North, and last but not least Blackmarket-- Kyle is a business man and a good ear when I have questions.

You guys have had the indoor park on Vashon forever, then there was the bowl, but now that new park has been built and that shit is fun! To be honest, you guys have a better park than anything we have in Tacoma, I’m a bit jealous haha. How much time have you been spending at the park these days?

I try to get to the park at least 2-3 days per week, but I love getting out there and trying other parks and meeting the locals.

Yeah, probably nice to get to the mainland for a change of scenery too! Who’s ripping on Vashon that we should know about? 

I would say there are a handful of kids killing it, Jason, Brogen, Matt, Kevin, Oliver, Dario. For the older folks Ricky Hansen, Bobby Dodd, Kevin Anderson, Caden, Mac, Simon.

Final thoughts? Anything we missed?

Thanks for thinking of the shop!

If you haven’t checked out Vashon Boards yet, hop on the ferry and make a day of it. Snag a coffee at The Vashon Island Coffee Roaster, hit the Vashon Island skatepark, get a little pastry at Snapdragon and go say Hey to Dustin at Vashon Boards. Oh yeah, if you tell him you read this interview he will give you a free shop shirt for the month of September!