Board Shop Day; Celebrate Your Local Independent: Interview With Initiative Founder On Phenomenal Success Of 1st Edition
A day celebrating the cornerstones of the board sports industry is planning for its second year already. Taking place on May 16, 2020, the Board Shop Day is an opportunity for people to realise the importance of our retailers and We caught up with BSD Founder Mike to find out more.
Mike, BSD Founder
Mike, it’s been almost a year since our first catch up and the inaugural BSD debuted… how was it?
All the board shops and media from around the globe that embraced the first annual Board Shop Day blew me away. Not only did retailers help spread the word by re-posting the BSD logo on their social media but several retailers put together last-minute events. A good amount of surf and skate media also promoted the day by posting the press release and running stories or interviews about the day. I was stoked!
What have you learnt from the day and from the hype in general?
I’ve learned that a day like this was needed. It’s been said before that board shops are the temples of our industry. We need to treat our board shops like temples because there will be no industry without them. Board shops created this industry and board shops can change it.
Has your mission statement changed at all?
Yes and no. The mission has always been to support board shops by creating a day to celebrate them. It has evolved a little by letting everyone know, that this is not a discount day or a day to have a sale. This is a day to put the “special” back into specialty retail.
What are your main objectives?
Right now, my main objectives are…
1: Spread the gospel to the un-churched. By that I mean let everyone know about Board Shop Day and educate people on how important board shops are to our culture.
2: Get more brands involved. My goal is to have brands release limited edition products that are only available at board shops on BSD. Imagine a future where people are lining up at board shops to get products that are only available through them.
How are people getting involved with the project and in what ways are you encouraging more people to?
At this moment, limited edition products from Futures Fins, Ace Trucks, and Ocean and Earth (AU) will be released on the next BSD. Australian Surf Business (ASB) Magazine has also signed on as an official media sponsor for Australia, New Zealand, and Indonesia and BoardSport SOURCE Mag for Europe.
As for encouraging brands to partake… I’ve been sending emails to some of my friends at brands and inviting them to be part of the celebration. I’m not as pushy as I should be but I feel people should want to be part of this.
It’s kind of funny because I don’t profit from this day or on brands making limited edition products. This day is for the shops and the only people who will profit are the shops and the brands. There are so many positives to BSD that I figure everyone will be part of it one day.
E-mail me if your brand wants to be part of the next BSD at [email protected] or DM me at @BoardShopDay or @Building_The_Revolution
How can someone celebrate BSD in their area?
If you’re a surfer, skater, and/or a snowboarder go to your local board shop on May 16, 2020 and buy something. We should do this all time but let’s make the Saturday May 16 extra special for the people that followed passion and opened a board store. They deserve it.
If you’re a retailer, have a party, movie premier, board swap, anything but a sale. Remind your community why board shops are special. Let me know about your event and I’ll post it on my social media and my website www.buildingtherevolution.com
I hear your veil of privacy has been dropped, Mike…
Yea, Building The Revolution passed its 5-year anniversary just before the 1st Board Shop Day. I finally started signing my first name on emails to retailers to make it more personal. I still believe Building The Revolution needs to be bigger than the person behind it because a movement and a community can live on forever but I can die tomorrow.
Plus, I told you… I don’t profit from BSD. If I’m lucky, I’ll get my name on Wikipedia when the BSD entry is made. LOL
