Here’s where to pick up your gear in time for Go Skateboarding Day 2018
Finding boutiques that sell skateboards and accessories isn’t particularly difficult in a city like Manila. But tracking down stores that care more than selling out stocks? That proves to be a bigger challenge.
Gearing up for Go Skateboarding Day, an annual movement celebrating love for skating across the globe, we round up three local shops that bring both an impressive catalog and an inextinguishable passion for skate culture to the table. Whether you’re a skater just fresh on the streets or one with years of experience under their belt, these places are well worth your visit.
Calle
Location: #14 San Guillermo Ave, Brgy. Buting, Pasig 1601
Hours: Mondays to Saturdays, 11AM to 8PM
Contact: (02) 734 0675
Social Media: Facebook, Instagram
Skate shops cater to a niche market, so managing to stick around and stand their ground is a remarkable feat. Defying the odds, Calle, a homegrown boutique tucked away in Pasig’s Barangay Buting has been around since 2009. While the store is a hotspot for Vans fans and skate junkies, it goes over and beyond providing consumers their kicks and wheels. Calle pulls out all the stops when it comes to supporting Philippine skate culture, joining hands with fellow enthusiasts and promoting events both inside and outside the city. In celebration of their 8th anniversary last year, they collaborated with W ? H for a three-piece collection, which included their very own skateboard deck.
For skaters who live up north, Calle also has a second branch nestled in a building along Session Road.
Kick Engines Skate Shop
Location: Cubao Expo General Romulo Street, Araneta Center Quezon City, Philippines 1109
Hours: Mondays to Saturdays, 1PM to 9.30PM. Sundays, 1PM to 7PM
Contact: (02) 437 4521
Social Media: Facebook, Instagram
A single look at Kick Engines’ Instagram will tell you volumes about the store’s philosophy and how it isn’t just a run-of-the-mill skate shop. While product images of their admittedly striking inventory punctuate their feed, it’s primarily made up of young Filipinos out on the streets, conquering one mile of concrete at a time on their boards.
Kick Engines’ near-impeccable Facebook rating comes not only from the decks and wheels they stock. As one review so promptly puts it, the store earns its status with “great Finds, great support from people who actually live it and aren’t just selling it.” If finding your way to the shop’s home in Cubao Expo proves to be a challenge, you might want to check out their second branch on the 3rd floor of Taft Avenue’s University Mall.
Quilla Skate Shop
Location: 9531 Kalayaan Ave, Guadalupe Nuevo Makati 1200
Hours: Tuesdays to Saturdays, 11:00 AM to 8:00 PM
Contact: (0927) 488 8907
Social Media: Facebook, Instagram
While Quilla opened its doors to the public only three years ago, they’ve clearly made good with their time. Specializing in all sorts of skate gear, they’ve quickly earned a following thanks to their form-meets-function shoe selection and unique boards, which are proudly designed in the Philippines and made in the USA. However, above and beyond these is their all-around enthusiasm towards the growth of the community. Slowly but surely adding to their portfolio of brands and making efforts to recognize Filipino talent, Quilla champions local skate culture with each deck, truck, and sneaker they sell.
Here’s something to look forward to. Calle, Kick Engines and Quilla join forces with Vans Philippines for the annual Go Skateboarding Day festivities taking place on June 23rd at Metrotent Convention Center, Pasig City. Expect food, music and a whole afternoon of skating. You won’t want to miss this.
Art Alexandra Lara
