Storefront: Push X-Change
Storefront: Push X-Change
Words: Rob Brink
The Skateboard Mag, February 2009
On August 15, 2009, Craig Glover decided to put his livelihood in fate’s hands and open up a skateboard shop in Santa Clarita, California… smack dab in the middle of the sketchiest economic climate of our lifetime thus far. Of course, having a brand new 40,000 square foot skatepark less than five miles from the shop helps out a bit… but still. As if that’s not enough of a feat… the shop’s construction… to opening day, complete with ordering inventory, took less than 30 days.
Interestingly enough, Push is a reincarnation of a now-defunct Chicago skate shop that closed in 2002. Glover met Push owner, Reggie Destin, in 2001 on a trip to Chicago and the pair have been tight ever since.
“I asked Reggie if it was cool if I could carry on his legacy with Push,” says Glover. “He was super hyped about it and now Push is alive and representing true skateboarding. I have noticed a few other shops named Push in the US, but I got the rights from the OG!”
Located 20 minutes north of Los Angeles and five minutes east of Magic Mountain, Push does things slightly differently… one of the more noteworthy being a thrift store-style business model.
“I kind of modeled it like Buffalo Exchange,” says Glover. “We let kids trade in used stuff for store credit and we sell the used stuff for cheap. But that part of the shop is small and we limit it to a certain amount a month. I mean, where else can you find a Girl zip-up hoodie from 1996? We also have a lot of historical items in the store… like Kennan Milton’s first DVS pro model.”
Glover is choosy about the brands he carries at Push. “We back pro decks and companies that are giving back to skateboarding. We carry stuff the other stores in the area don’t… like Roger, Cliché, Black Label, Sk8mafia and Traffic. We will never carry blanks and mall stores that sell kids overpriced shit can eat a dick. I will never sell a pro’s board who I don’t believe deserves to be pro. I will never censor a skateboard graphic by taking it off the wall ‘cause someone finds it offensive… not even for my own grandmother.”
Apart from the obvious economic climate, Glover sites not getting opened by certain shoe brands as a bit of an obstacle. “Just because we don’t want to carry four skus from each of their lines. Step up shoe brands!” Glover says, “Help those small core retailers who want to support you in any way possible.”
According to Glover, the goals of Push will always be providing good product and customer service. “I’d like to thank Val Surf for teaching me that when I worked for them,” he says. “We just want to keep our doors open, stay happy, keep skating and promote real skateboarding to the kids in this town! Making kids psyched seeing them smile is awesome. The local skate community has been pretty supportive and I am forever grateful! If you’re not in an area with a great park and a supportive community, then you better think twice about opening a shop these days.”
Push X-Change Skateshop
26557 Golden valley rd
Santa Clarita Ca, 91350
(661)-254-7874
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