LONDON -- Scan any fashion scout's list of London must-sees and Slam City Skates in Covent Garden is bound to be on it.
The tiny shop has been the place for British http://skateszone.com/the-top-8-best...s-reviews-2017 fanatics for the last decade, focusing on the sport through all its ebbs and flows. It's also spawned a host of imitators, many of which have located nearby to capitalize on the customers they know are drawn by Slam City.
"We always have centered on skateboarding," said Seth Curtis, the shop's manager. "I've been to a lot of shops both here and in the U.S. and none of them have the kind of stock we have."
The two-floor store is owned by Paul Sunman, who also distributes in the UK many of the lines Slam City carries. The bottom floor is devoted to another Sunman subsidiary, Rough Trade Records, an independent label that focuses on small British bands. "The kind of customers who like Rough Trade bands like skateboarding," Curtis said.
The store is about 1,000 square feet on each floor and its ground floor is packed with skateboarding tips and tricks for beginners, footwear, T-shirts, pants, outerwear and accessories for men and women. About 50 percent of sales are to true boarders, Curtis said, while the rest are to those who just want the latest skate fashions. Curtis declined to reveal the store's sales but they're estimated at $4 million to $6 million a year.
"Skateboarding has become cool again so we're selling more T-shirts and jackets to normal people," Curtis said. "Obviously that's why the large majority of our sales are in apparel and footwear because even people who don't board can wear the kit."
Slam City's four best-selling lines are Stussy, Silas, Valcom and Fresh Jive. "Brands like Stussy are very solid and popular," Curtis said. "To some people it's like a posh Gap and they're willing to pay $30 more because they know the label means more. We get real Stussy freaks in here who have to buy every single item."
Then there are the smaller cult lines that Slam City specializes in, such as Good Enough or Very Ape, a Japanese-based brand with British designers that is distributed in Britain by Stussy's UK distributor, Gimme 5. "The Japanese just can't get enough of it. I've sold 25 T- shirts to one customer alone at $45.84 (27.95 pounds) each," Curtis said.
Slam City's customers buy a line mainly for its graphics and logos, Curtis said, adding there's little that can be done with the cut of a T-shirt. The focus on graphics is one reason the store is willing to gamble on relatively unknown designers who bring in their lines and ask if Slam City will carry them. "We take smaller labels and those from independents, but just T-shirts, no cut-and-sew," he added. "We've just started selling a new guy's graffiti T-shirts called Rough.
He came in with a few and I liked them, so I said we'd sell them." Curtis, a boarder himself, has two simple rules about which fashion lines he buys. The first is that it has to be exclusive to Slam City, at least in the surrounding area. The second is that Curtis has to like it. He buys mainly from the company's UK distributors, or from Slam City's distribution arm. Slam City also does its own lines of T-shirts and boards called Unabomber. "I only buy products I like and I would want to sell," he said simply, shrugging. Curtis explains that it's important for the Slam City staff to know and understand the products they're selling, which is why he sticks to those he prefers. The store has sold https://www.facebook.com/The-Top-Bes...65084060345154, hardware and apparel for the last two years but Curtis admits it's been difficult.
"We all know the difference between every skateboard, but for every snowboard you need to train the staff on how to sell it. You can't do that for every one, so I've ended up being the only person who knew about all of them. We've just started distributing Moro and Forum snowboards, so I'm sure we'll always have a few of those."
But Curtis stresses Slam City's main focus will always be on skateboards. While the skate look of baggy cargo pants, baggy polyester fleece and low-cut suede sneakers has been taken up by men's wear generally, Curtis admits he's a bit cynical about the sport's fashionability.
"I've seen how it all started here and been copied by the big brands that have nothing to do with boarding," he said. Asked if there are any stores in the U.S. that rival Slam City, he's stumped for a moment, then points to Supreme in New York, Pacific Drive in San Diego and F.T.C. in San Francisco.
"F.T.C. has a really good shop with its own big team and its own T's," Curtis said, not hiding his admiration. "But other than those three, there's really no one else like us, even in America."
The tiny shop has been the place for British http://skateszone.com/the-top-8-best...s-reviews-2017 fanatics for the last decade, focusing on the sport through all its ebbs and flows. It's also spawned a host of imitators, many of which have located nearby to capitalize on the customers they know are drawn by Slam City.
"We always have centered on skateboarding," said Seth Curtis, the shop's manager. "I've been to a lot of shops both here and in the U.S. and none of them have the kind of stock we have."
The two-floor store is owned by Paul Sunman, who also distributes in the UK many of the lines Slam City carries. The bottom floor is devoted to another Sunman subsidiary, Rough Trade Records, an independent label that focuses on small British bands. "The kind of customers who like Rough Trade bands like skateboarding," Curtis said.
The store is about 1,000 square feet on each floor and its ground floor is packed with skateboarding tips and tricks for beginners, footwear, T-shirts, pants, outerwear and accessories for men and women. About 50 percent of sales are to true boarders, Curtis said, while the rest are to those who just want the latest skate fashions. Curtis declined to reveal the store's sales but they're estimated at $4 million to $6 million a year.
"Skateboarding has become cool again so we're selling more T-shirts and jackets to normal people," Curtis said. "Obviously that's why the large majority of our sales are in apparel and footwear because even people who don't board can wear the kit."
Slam City's four best-selling lines are Stussy, Silas, Valcom and Fresh Jive. "Brands like Stussy are very solid and popular," Curtis said. "To some people it's like a posh Gap and they're willing to pay $30 more because they know the label means more. We get real Stussy freaks in here who have to buy every single item."
Then there are the smaller cult lines that Slam City specializes in, such as Good Enough or Very Ape, a Japanese-based brand with British designers that is distributed in Britain by Stussy's UK distributor, Gimme 5. "The Japanese just can't get enough of it. I've sold 25 T- shirts to one customer alone at $45.84 (27.95 pounds) each," Curtis said.
Slam City's customers buy a line mainly for its graphics and logos, Curtis said, adding there's little that can be done with the cut of a T-shirt. The focus on graphics is one reason the store is willing to gamble on relatively unknown designers who bring in their lines and ask if Slam City will carry them. "We take smaller labels and those from independents, but just T-shirts, no cut-and-sew," he added. "We've just started selling a new guy's graffiti T-shirts called Rough.
He came in with a few and I liked them, so I said we'd sell them." Curtis, a boarder himself, has two simple rules about which fashion lines he buys. The first is that it has to be exclusive to Slam City, at least in the surrounding area. The second is that Curtis has to like it. He buys mainly from the company's UK distributors, or from Slam City's distribution arm. Slam City also does its own lines of T-shirts and boards called Unabomber. "I only buy products I like and I would want to sell," he said simply, shrugging. Curtis explains that it's important for the Slam City staff to know and understand the products they're selling, which is why he sticks to those he prefers. The store has sold https://www.facebook.com/The-Top-Bes...65084060345154, hardware and apparel for the last two years but Curtis admits it's been difficult.
"We all know the difference between every skateboard, but for every snowboard you need to train the staff on how to sell it. You can't do that for every one, so I've ended up being the only person who knew about all of them. We've just started distributing Moro and Forum snowboards, so I'm sure we'll always have a few of those."
But Curtis stresses Slam City's main focus will always be on skateboards. While the skate look of baggy cargo pants, baggy polyester fleece and low-cut suede sneakers has been taken up by men's wear generally, Curtis admits he's a bit cynical about the sport's fashionability.
"I've seen how it all started here and been copied by the big brands that have nothing to do with boarding," he said. Asked if there are any stores in the U.S. that rival Slam City, he's stumped for a moment, then points to Supreme in New York, Pacific Drive in San Diego and F.T.C. in San Francisco.
"F.T.C. has a really good shop with its own big team and its own T's," Curtis said, not hiding his admiration. "But other than those three, there's really no one else like us, even in America."
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