Vallejo's Phelper

We've been pretty busy having fun everyday filming for Buttersketch 2.0 but all that aside, I thought it was about time to include some words on Randy Phelps and his skateshop.

Randy was the by far the sickest shop owner a kid from Vallejo could ask for. He treated everyone equally. It didn't matter if you were outfitted in the most expensive fashionable "cool guy exclusive" attire, you were treated just the same as the kid in the torn pants and outdated Globes. Yeah, those ones. And as if that wouldn't humble them out enough, Randy's contagiously genuine laugh would unbeard the most bearded unfriendly looking skateboarder... Yeah, those ones.

 What's even better,

Randy never tried to manipulate kids into buying his product. He would much sooner see what he could give to kids for cheap or free rather than hustling in their lunch money. And being as both shop locations were in not so decent areas of town, Randy dealt with an abundance of broke-ass, yes in fact dirty ghetto kids. But Randy didn't mind because he grew up as one himself. 

His childhood stories would make your favorite rapper "from the hood" cry next to mommy. From stabbings in self defense and on the spot lessons in fighting, down to an untimely violent death of his father. He's been there. Furthermore, he's been taking care of himself since he was sixteen. Literally, out of the house paying rent at sixteen.

 And even better...

While most shops build distantly dry teams, Randy got busy on creating a family. By Randy's standards being in the family meant being able to talk about your biggest fears and downfalls, while receiving the best advice a friendship could buy. Yes, we got free shit and lots of it, but that was way at the bottom of the perk list.

So when it came down to the shop closing,

as one could imagine, it came as a shinner. One that broke skin and bone. The shop wasn't bringing in the cheddar and Randy wanted to his raise his family as far away from the war zone. But as most people with terribly meaningless input would say, "Everything happens for a reason." They would then casually add, "Where ever he is he's probably happy now." But they'd actually be right... jerks.

Randy is happily off in Oregon with his "wild-child" son and beautiful wife. I personally have not seen or talked to him in almost two years. But I'm going to take a wild guess and say he hasn't really changed...

Randy you and your shop revitalized the skateboard culture in Vallejo.

Thanks for everything man!

Sincerely,

Vallejo Skateboarding