Fashion Stores
Hogtown Extreme Sports
Hogtown Extreme Sports is an institution in Toronto, if they have anything to say about it. And it's hard to argue with that. Having been around for 26 years - a.k.a. "hardcore since '84" - it's one of the city's, not to mention country's, oldest skate shops. And based off its solid variety of skateboards, longboards and pool decks, there's something for every type of skater. Problem is, between the bemoaning forums and murmurs on the street, Hogtown's holier-than-thou attitude turns some riders off.
When I first walk in I just quietly peruse in the background. A wallflower. Hogtown really does have a lot for so-called extreme sports. Snowboards. BMXs. Bike equipment. Skateboards. Apparel. Shoes. Safety pads. They have it. They also have a varied clientele that is ambling around like me. There's a young guy with a couple lady friends sheepishly checking out some longboards. There's a 13-year-old kid with his mom who are visiting from Israel getting a new deck set up. And there's three young skaters checking out some stickers. One of the kids, according to one of Hogtown's employees, looks like Justin Bieber, gently chiding him in front of his buddies. (The kid did have somewhat of a Bieber cut. Why are those things so bloody popular? Oh yeah, chicks.)
It takes about 20 minutes of meandering around the store until an employee asks if he can help me out, a little standoffish at first. Hogtown does wear its attitude on its sleeve it's clear. It's not harsh, it's more aloofness, trying to be cool or some shit. I let them know that I called earlier and that I wanted to chat with a manager about the shop. The aloofness dissipates. I wait around for Phil Wawrzynczak, one of the young skateboard employees, to finish putting together the deck for the kid and his mom. Phil has some swagger. He knows he has a cool job, even though he's only been there for seven months. "I just wanted to be where the old school stuff was happening," he explains of Hogtown. He notes the diverse set of riders that come to the shop, like longboarders, pool riders, and your everyday skater. "We cater to everyone pretty much."
With skateboarding clearly hitting peaks and valleys over the years in the city, longboarding has become the new thing. Everyone's on a longboard - young kids, hip middle-aged men, athletic types, stoners - you name it, they have a longboard in their hallway. And young kids that would have usually jumped into skateboarding are getting into longboarding first, says Phil. Hogtown now sells 10 longboards for every skateboard. That didn't happen five years ago. Hell, two years ago.
Hogtown, which was originally just a skate shop, has had to expand to other "extreme" products over the years. That would be where the snowboards, BMXs and wakeboards come in. "Unfortunately it's not enough to sustain a shop on just skateboards unless you're a tiny shop in a basement of a tattoo shop," says Pat, who's been with Hogtown for seven years and a customer there for over 20. He has stuck around for a couple reasons. Firstly, it was the main skate shop when he started to ride in the mid-'80s. Secondly, Hogtown stays loyal to skate history and carries a lot of the age-tested brands like Santa Cruz, Vans and Powell. And lastly, if you can't find something in the other shops in Toronto, you go to Hogtown, he says.
Having been around long enough to know, Pat throws out facts like pro skater Mark Appleyard bought his first skateboard at Hogtown. He doesn't, however, mention the band of disgruntled customers who have received the brush off in the past, but does note, "Everyone who skates pretty much has a Hogtown story."
Writing by Ryan Bolton. Photos by Jesse Milns
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I quit skating years ago but I still went to Hogtown for gear, shoes ect. I've been going to Hogtown since the day it opened at the Main and Gerrard location, and to the Main and V.P. location. My parents were kind enough to support my skate hobby.
The lady that was there when I went was mumbling when I asked her for help. I couldn't understand a word that she said. She did have a bit of an attitude.
Pete was great R.I.P.
I would not prefer this place to anyone but only as a last resort.