The best way I can explain the butterflies in my stomach and lump in my throat is through skateboarding. Opening my own shop is like riding up to a rail I’ve always wanted to smith grind but not knowing the outcome. Instead of broken teeth and a fractured ankle I would be dealing with a broken wallet and bank CEO, s wearing pin strip Armani suits. Lets go back to the smith grind for a second; I wouldn’t be riding up to the rail or even contemplating it if I wasn’t 100% sure I could do it.
This is the one thing years of skateboarding has taught me, if I want something bad enough I can get it. This doesn’t mean I won’t have to work endless nights placing orders, building walls, and running around town looking for the city Comptroller’s office to get a paper signed. What’s the difference really between grinding a rail I’m scared shitless of and opening up a shop. With both I must believe in myself and realize the trail and error involved. I finally feel grown up (well as much as I can being a skater) and am fortunate enough to be a part of this skateboarding family. With Vu I will continue spreading my skateboard seed long after I’ve smith grinded my last rail. Thanks for all the support our door is always open and will remain open after June 7th hope to see you in the near future, SUPPORT SKATER OWNED AND OPERATED SHOPS….. Gary Smith

In an economy that everyone seems to be complaining about, is the time that myself, Chris Donmoyer, and Gary Smith decide to open up a skateshop. Of course you might ask yourself why but that the thought of that never came to mind for us…honestly. To the skateboarders reading this site…I think you know exactly the reason why. We are skateboarders who love what we do and took it amongst ourselves to make a change for the better. To tell you the truth, we were just tired of the wrong people cashing in on something that they weren’t even involved in or loved. Business 101: If starting a business, make sure you back it 100% percent. Any doubt you have should results in tossing it out the window.

To make a change means taking it amongst yourself and applying your ideas. Whether you fail or succeed. Only you define what is a failure or a success. No matter what, at the end of the day, the lease, life, etc…I can say that Gary and myself will still be skateboarders and knowing that we made a change for someone is just something that is beyond words. We welcome all of you into our shop. Even if you don’t purchase anything, please feel free to come and hang out, drink a beer, skate the miniramp, or just talk about life. Please send us emails, come to the events, and introduce yourself because we are here to share skateboarding and much more with you. We are skateboarders and always will be.

Wish I could go into all of the detail about the stress that comes with this business (bank, paperwork, invoices, accounts, orders, phone calls, meetings, business plan, deadlines, traveling for tradeshows, team riders, etc) but that would just bore you. Hell, I’m writing this at 2:14 AM and have been doing work since 10:30 AM. I might get 4 or 5 hours of sleep a night (just ask Gary about that one). For all of this, I wouldn’t trade a single thing. To all of the people that I have met, whether it’s people I’ve come across while working for Ergophobia, Skatepark of Tampa, skate camps, Satori, previous shops, in and outside of the industry, etc…you’re a big part of my life. You’ve made this happen and have given me the drive. So thanks to everyone who supports us and I look forward to sharing this dream with all of you.
Much Love,
Chris Donmoyer

Visit us at

7118 Harford Rd
Baltimore, MD 21234

or

WWW.VUSKATEBOARDSHOP.COM
WWW.MYSPACE.COM/VUSKATEBOARDSHOP