Skateboarding
Skateboarding
7 best skate shops in NYC
So which skate shops are must-visits in NYC? We’ve got a list of seven worthy of some love.
Sakura Yosozumi is a Japanese skater who represents the new and diverse skaters around the world. It’s increasingly common to see young girls and women showcasing the same flare and skill as male skateboarders.
This is especially true in New York City, home to female skate collectives like Bronx Girls Skate and Brujas, as well as skate shops like KCDC promoting inclusivity and diversity in the sport. NYC skate shops support the local community by providing workshops and events, and of course all the gear and apparel you need to ride.
So which skate shops are must-visits in the Big Apple? We’ve got a list of seven worthy of some love.
The 7 Best Skate Shops in NYC
01
Tenant
Tenant, founded in 2019, is one of the newest skate shops in NYC , but it has already made a big impact on the culture. The store caught on quickly because they host a ton of community events, and they do collaborations with mainstays of the NYC skateboarding scene like Alltimers. Tenant carries skateboard decks and hardware, as well as apparel from a curated collection of skateboarding brands. They also have their own line of Tenant brand merchandise that sells out fast after each release!
Location and hours: 1096 DeKalb Avenue, Brooklyn, NY. Open 12 to 8 seven days a week.
02
Skate Brooklyn
Skate Brooklyn is a NYC skateboarding shop that has been open since 2012. They are best known for their two mini ramps in the back of the shop that come in handy during the harsh winter months. Until recently, there were no indoor skate shops in NYC despite the harsh winters, so Skate Brooklyn became the default gathering place. They also run skate lessons for kids to learn how to ride. They carry skateboards, hard goods, and apparel.
Location and hours: 78 St. Marks Place, Brooklyn, NY. Open 12 to 7 seven days a week.
03
KCDC Skate Shop
KCDC has been in business since 2001 in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. A rare woman-founded skate shop in the city, KCDC takes its community-driven approach to running a skate shop seriously. The founder, Amy Ellington, has long been a champion of inclusivity as well as the mental health benefits of skateboarding. They have hosted 20 years of progressive events ranging from skate clinics to panel discussions to art shows with some of the most prominent artists and tastemakers within skateboarding. They see skate shops as a cultural hub as well as a store. They carry skateboards, hard goods, men’s and women’s apparel, and footwear.
Location and hours: 80 N 3rd Street, Brooklyn, NY. Open 12 to 6 on Mondays, 12 to 7 on Tuesday through Sunday.
04
Labor Skateboard Shop
Labor Skateboard Shop was founded in 2012 and quickly became a center of the downtown Manhattan skateboarding scene. They sell boards and gear from a variety of brands - including Glue, the queer skateboarding brand founded by Leo Baker. But the most important aspect of the skateboard shop is the community it has grown over the years. They know that growing up in the city isn’t always easy and want to act as a resource and provide the kids with a safe place to hang out and stay out of trouble. The next generation knows they can always find mentorship and community support at Labor.
Location and hours: 282 Scholes Street, Brooklyn, NY & 46 Canal Street, New York, NY. Open 12 to 7 Monday through Saturday, 12 to 6 on Sunday.
05
Terminal Skate Shop
Terminal Skate Shop takes the concept of “making a store feel like home” literally! It’s located in the founder’s living room. Founded in 2006, Eugene Kang opened this skateboard shop out of his apartment in Washington Heights when he realized how much bike stores were charging for skateboards. He’s so committed to serving skateboarders that he once refused to sell a board to a customer who said he was just going to use it for decoration. While unconventional, the skateboard store is listed as open 24 hours a day. Just call ahead to make sure Kang is home and awake! They carry whatever he has in stock at the moment, which changes regularly, but generally includes standard skateboards, trucks, wheels, and bearings.
Location and hours: 235 Wadsworth Ave. Apt 5A New York, NY. Open 24 hours, seven days a week, but call ahead before visiting.
06
Homage
Homage, founded in 2007, is another Brooklyn institution known for its store as well as what they do for the community. They run the Homage Skateboard Academy where kids can learn to skateboard or spend the summer improving their skills during their summer camps. The store carries all skateboard hard goods and apparel, as well as footwear. To celebrate the store’s 15th anniversary, they collaborated with Olympian and Red Bull Solus winner Alexis Sablone to design a collection of decks. The proceeds benefit several nonprofits, like the Harold Hunter Foundation, which provides support and advocacy for NYC skateboarders.
Location and hours: 83 3rd Avenue, Brooklyn, NY. Open 12 to 9 on Monday- Friday, 9 to 5:30 on Saturday and Sunday.
07
Belief NYC
Eight blocks from the Astoria Skate Park, Belief is one of the few skate shops with a location in Queens. They carry all skateboard hard goods, their own line of Belief-branded clothing and accessories, as well as hard-to-find products from other streetwear and skate brands. They lean hard into their neighborhood with lots of Queens merch and through collaborations with local organizations like the Variety Boys & Girls Club of Queens.
Location and hours: 2401 29th Street, Astoria, NY & 76 Nassau Avenue, Brooklyn, NY. Open Monday to Saturday 12 to 7 and Sunday from 12 to 6.
Conclusion
The NYC skateboarding scene is unique because of its close ties to fashion and culture, and because women are changing the landscape. Skateboard shop owners understand their privileged position as both tastemakers within the culture, as well as advocates and a resource for the city’s youth.
Whether kids want to skate the streets or hit a skatepark, there is something for everyone within the New York City skate community.