Longboard Haven is a destination shop for longboarders to get quality gear and information they need in order to get themselves started with the essentials to attempt things like downhill bombs after understanding which specific wheels and trucks make the most sense in certain situations.

The shop on Queen East near Moss Park is involved with a lot of community events, particularly The Board Meeting - the annual event where a massive group of longboarders shut down Yonge Street and parts of Queen on their way to Trinity Bellwoods Park.

The majority of the boards here sell for around $160 to $300 - in the same range as most boarding shops. They offer complete setups for beginners and intermediate levels - just under $500 including safety gear like helmets, gloves and pads).

The store was originally started in 2006 by World Champion Downhill longboarder Patrick Switzer before closing and re-opened in 2012 by current owners Rob Sydia and Mike McGown.

Photos by the author .