Interview: Big Woody

Big Woody's Skate Shop is one of the most trusted and well respected skate shops in the North West. Established in 2002 by the man himself; Big Woody and Andrea, they have dedicated themselves to the shop and making it what it is today. Over the years BWSS has transformed and grown from a small shop above a garage in Poulton Le Fylde to two shops located on Talbot Road in central Blackpool and another shop at Ramp City WSA on the outskirts of Blackpool. Since I first went to Woody in early 2003 I realised that this wasn't just another shop cashing in on the growth in skateboarding, Andrea and Woody actually care, they make sure they sell top quality products and give great advice on specific products for peoples needs. From meeting Woody all those years ago he has become more than just my (ex)local skateshop guy and is now a friend too, and I'm guessing that this is also true with many of his other customers. Woody and Andrea are a couple of people who really know about skateboarding, and I think that if I turned around to Woody now and asked him to put me a skateboard together, it would be the perfect skateboard for my needs. Alongside the shop, Woody builds ramps for the local skatepark; Ramp City, and I must say after years and years of skating his ramps, they are great! And this is not where it stops, they are a huge part of the skateboarding community in the North West, they organise events, put on premiers of new skateboard videos, run summer camps for young skaters and just generally stamp out the bad reputation that skateboarders have by being a positive influence on the community.

The Shop

Inside The Shop

After being a skateboarder for so many years, how was it to open up your own shop, I know that's every skaters dream but was it how you imagined? 
It's all i thought it would be and more, there is far more work to it then I ever imagined and without Andrea "Big Woody's" would never have got off the ground never mind being where it is today. But hard work has it's rewards and there is never a day where I think "God I hate work" it's so good to be involved as much as we are in skateboarding.


It's rare that somebody can have that outlook on life, it also makes me want to open a shop one day too. Why do you think skateboarding is so attractive to young people and kids today?
It's not just the young there is a huge increase in older riders coming back many through thier children taking up skateboarding, some because they feel the need not to pick up the golf clubs but to do something with a risk/different attitude. It's something you can do on your own or with a group, you decide.


I guess that the older generation is and area that gets overlooked alot, even by a skater haha! Since you have opened the shop have you seen a rise in non-skaters buying things like skate shoes, skate branded clothes and accessories? What do you think the cause of this is? 
There has always been strong following of the "fashion" side to skateboarding, people looking for something that looks good and wears well which not evey "Joe Public" is seen in. Also a lot of bands/musicians skate and they're seen rocking a pair of Vans or whatever which push product into the public eye.

Woody in 1983/1984

Woody Recently (Still doing the same tricks!)

Do you think skateboarding is going to continue to grow? Nike and Adidas are already heavily involved in the scene now, it's pretty hard to go to a skate park and not see someone wearing something with those brands plastered across them. What do you think the forecast is? 
Skateboarding will never go away, it never has. Yes there have been years when it was not as prominent but it always comes back stronger. There are so many good skateparks and skater owned shops out there now things can only get stronger .... the future is there for the making.


I hope it does continue to grow, it's a great sport and something that can help people with issues they have in their life and other things. Something that is quite linked to skateboarding is music, what do you think about music in general at the moment?
Can I say "SHIT" guess I am just getting old.


I think maybe "SHIT" is an understatement hah! But in skateboard videos from the 90's and before there always seemed to be a flow of music that suited skateboarding. In recent times, that seems to have been lost, it seems like music and skateboarding have grown apart. Why do you think that there is no real soundtrack to skateboarding at the moment?
Is there not ? .. there are so many different types of music out there, to each their own I guess.

Woody and Andrea

Woody hard at work in the Ramp City Shop

So, on to politics; Labour, Lib-Dem or Conservative? Why?
Like I care they all seem to promise the earth but they all fail to deliver, and spend the rest of their time blaming each other. 

Last Words?

Skateboarding is not about how good you are, more of how good it makes you feel. Other wise I would have given up years ago :)

Big Woody's Skateshop can be found at:

32 Talbot Rd

Blackpool

FY1 1LF 

Tel: 01253 296296

Web: Big Woody's Skate Shop Website

Facebook: Big Woody's Facebook 

And:  

Ramp City WSA
Cropper Road
Marton
Blackpool
FY4 5LB

Ramp City WSA Skatepark Website