Sanaphay Rattanavong, Writer & Digital Creative
© Sanaphay Rattanavong, Writer & Digital Creative

Cities of Skate: Cal Surf Owner Scott Oreschnick Thinks the Kids Are Better Than Alright

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Business Profile


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Interviewer


DATE

August 2022



Cal Surf is a skateboarding and snowboarding store in Uptown Minneapolis that has been in business since 1988. The owner, Scott Oreschnick, still skates to work at the shop when possible. The store has adapted to changes in the industry over the years, including a shift from snowboarding to indoor skate parks in the new millennium and the rise of e-commerce giants. The store has also adapted to the pandemic by converting the second floor into a community space for art shows and pop-up shops. Oreschnick sees a rise in women and girls participating in skateboarding, as evidenced in the sport's inclusion in the Olympics. He also notes the impact of technology and information access on the sport, leading to faster progression of young skaters.



[Published in DispatchMSP (info below).]


INFO

DispatchMSP is a print + digital publication reporting on the Arts & Culture scene of Minneapolis and St. Paul. Arising in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, it's a much needed injection of both print and digital arts and culture reporting and commentary, especially given the void left by the City Pages, which was an alternative weekly newspaper based in Minneapolis that covered local news, politics, arts, culture, and entertainment. As an early contributor to this venture, I helped grow readership by writing articles that resonated with the target readership.