San Jose Skate Shop

By Staff (Feb 12, 2009 )

San Jose Skate Shop
1969 Tully Road,
San Jose; 408.375.6704

Devin Huff had all kinds of ideas for a skate shop, but like a lot of people, that didn’t mean he was actually going to find a way to make his dream happen. However, he got some encouragement while working at the skatepark in Campbell. One of the skaters’ father told Huff he thought he had the right stuff to open his own shop. Huff took it to heart and began plotting. Within a year, he had made it happen: San Jose Skate Shop opened in January.

Location was extremely important, and Huff was happy to find a spot on Tully Road.

“It’s in the middle of the whole skate scene,” he says.

Inside the shop is a graffiti art wall that faces another wall full of different skateboard decks. The focus is not just on boards, accessories and clothing but also atmosphere and hang time: In the back is a large-screen TV surrounded by comfy couches where kids can play video games or watch skate videos. The floors are bare concrete—initially that was a mistake on the part of the landlord, but Huff decided to keep it that way since people will be riding their skateboards inside anyway.

With San Jose Skate Shop, Huff’s goal is to support the local professional skateboarding community. He wants his shop to be a hub for all things skater, as well as hold local events and be the first place people think of when they need supplies. He’s proud that the shop is skater owned and operated, with everything they sell personally tested by him and his staff.

“We know the product, and we’ve ridden the product,” he says. Every morning, Huff skates and then comes in to the shop. This is a lot more than a job. “It’s more like a lifestyle,” he says. “You shape your life around it.”