Retail Profiles: Familia, Minneapolis
kristina
- April 03 2009
- 1,046 views
- 10 comments
“30 Shops In 30 Days” is our way of keeping a close eye on what’s happening with retailers across the country. Over the course of a month, we’ll feature a new in-depth shop profile every day. Is your shop interested in being profiled? Contact us at business@transworld.net.
In the three years since Familia opened its doors in St. Paul, Minnesota, the shop has earned its reputation as the best skater-owned skateshop in the Twin Cities. Recently relocated to Minneapolis, the Familia crew is psyched on their new place and hopeful of making it through the economic drudgery.
Biz caught up with Familia’s Tucker Gerrick, who says that the three best selling categories are shoes, shoes, and more shoes, with Nike SB, Vans, and Lakai leading the charge. The 900 square-foot shop is divided evenly between skate hardgoods, footwear, and apparel. While the shop doesn’t have an online store, they do keep their blog updated with video clips of shop pro Steve Nesser as well as events, sales, and other goings on. For more info about the shop, visit them at familiaskateshop.com and familiaskateshop.blogspot.com.
So why did you make the move to Minneapolis?
We were in the St. Paul location for three years, from our beginnings. After two years we started to question our location as it was getting slower and slower, even pre economic crisis bullshit. We were very proud of being the only shop in St. Paul and doing what we do in that area, free of other stores like ours. However, skateboarding has definitely become a bit less of a destination, and being quite the destination for our Minneapolis customers—over 75 percent of our customer base, even before the move—we decided it was high time to get out of dodge and move to greener pastures.
How does the new shop compare to your old location?
We moved to an area that has a lot of similar businesses that are geared toward younger people with discretionary incomes. The mean age is a lot lower and the population denser. The area we’re in is also a general shopping destination for the entire Twin Cities, so we’ve landed somewhere great. There is almost no comparison with the old spot, it’s that much better. Thank god!
Who are the top three reps who service your shop, and why?
Peter Harvieux for Ipath is the undeniable best rep we’ve ever dealt with. He goes out on a limb for us and he takes a very personal approach to what he sells each store individually. He exudes extreme passion for his brands and his sales technique. No joke, this guy is the best rep out there.
Rob Sissi for Nike SB is and always has been very attentive to our business over all and specifically in regards to his brand. He is proactive.
Bob Elmergreen for Gravis IV SK8. His sincerity in his approach to selling is unique and refreshing. He is also one of the most accountable of the reps we deal with.
How are you altering the way you buy for ’09?
Smarter. Which, I’m sure sounds like a big “duh.” Smarter, however, does not mean less. We’re doing things way smarter this year, taking risks and being clever.
What are some things brands are doing to work with your shop?
We haven’t really done any collaborations in a year or so, if that’s what you mean. I think unless someone really has something quite brilliant, or truly exclusive, the collaboration is kind of beat. I think what was maybe looked at for a while as stores benefitting from brand collaborations, is now the other way around. With brands scrambling to keep sales up, or at least sustainable, they’re looking now—for the first time in years—for the shops to legitimize their goods. It’s truly an interesting time right now. Exciting.
How do you see the health of the retail landscape? Is there any light at the end of the tunnel?
There’s always a light. For those who have a realistic and positive grasp of their own business, coupled with a willingness to grow—growth not being bigger, just different, like a person “grows”—and take into consideration other contributing factors to our small industry, these will be the shops that not only make it through, but succeed. Retail isn’t dead. It never will be. It’s just changing. Those who can, will.
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April 3rd, 2009 at 8:03 am
Tucker, Bovee and the familia crew are why this industry is still fun. doesnt matter if you’re in mn, ca or or backwoods alabama- the shop caters to a specialty customer…and pete h is the best rep period.
big ups. go suns.
April 3rd, 2009 at 10:44 am
is this what a skate shop looks like now? I think it is a sneaker shop. I bet half their shoe biz is to non skaters.
April 4th, 2009 at 6:56 am
thank god it is to non skaters. thats what’s keeping the lights on at influential skate shops across the country. it isn’t all the brands that have expanded distribution to the point their brand means nothing but a logo screen on a shirt now.
this evolution of a skate shop is what is pushing things forward. these shops need product and brands that cannot be bought on every corner. the old guard screams relationships and authenticity, but really, they blew themselves out years ago. its time for the next wave of brands to re create what a skate shop means to a kid wanting something different.
April 4th, 2009 at 3:10 pm
if nike is going to recreate the future then I need to drop that shit. A skate shop sell to skate boarders, this looks like a skate boutique, that sells shoes, and uses skateboards as a core front. I could be wrong, but thats what it looks like
April 5th, 2009 at 7:52 am
sadly, nike, adidas and cons are going to be the footwear brands recreating the future. the most influential shops have already “bought in” and make no regret about it at all.
and really, why should they? what footwear brands that they nurtured and developed have included their best interest in their growth? fallen and emerica come to mind. i could say lakai but i have a feeling that is going to get pushed outwards as podium needs more income coming in. supra? maybe. brands like vox keep it real, but do they make anyone money right now? vans segmentation has worked best of any brand, so they at least drive consumers into certain stores where they can only find certain product.
i work at a brand, but if i owned a shop the only brands i would carry would be the ones driving customers in: nike, adidas, cons, vans, emerica, fallen, lakai
everything else would be “friendship” based orders to reps i like, but dont necessarily need.
April 5th, 2009 at 10:31 pm
First off, it’s easy to come on something like this and say what you think, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that you think about what you say. I’m from Minneapolis. Familia is THE BEST thing for skateboarding here. To give you some perspective: Familia is the shop that is keeping the scene here together. They hold free events all summer long that are about skateboarding and even provide free food.
I’m bewildered by the comment about it being a “sneaker shop”…
Obviously you have never worked at or owned a skate shop if you think a skateboard shop shouldn’t sell sneakers. And let’s just call em’ shoes from here on out.
And on to Nike… Nike is by far one of the most positive influences on Minneapolis. They’ve been in skateboarding for longer than some of the “core” companies, and they treat their dudes right. What other company is going to send you to Tampa and get you your own room there? Nike hooks up a lot of dudes from our area who, without Nike, would probably not be in the spot they’re at. So when the main guys that are a big part of what is “the family” of Minneapolis skate for Nike, it makes sense that the shop would sell them to support the boys.
I just want to say thanks to Tucker, Juri, and Nesser for making something everyone can feel like they are a part of. Familia is above the drama, and knee deep in positivity. This should be the business model for every skate shop.
Done and done.
April 6th, 2009 at 5:41 pm
yeah its easy to call you out.
For starters I will help you out, Shoes are what people skateboard in, sneakers are what non skaters collect and wear. If all your sales are shoes, shoes,and shoes, then I would say you are a shoe store. I am glad the owners are skateboarders, but I am sick of these so called core skate shops who can’t own up to their real customer.
Also fyi I do own a shop and have been in the biz a long time. I also sell nike, and those shoes at least here sell to sneaker heads. As far as nike support, they obviously are giving your shop love, but in my opinion they are to selective. In the begining they were giving love to core skate shops, now its mostly sneaker shops.
I actually had a skater in my shop the other day from that area and he said that shop sucks and was over priced. I think he said $8.00 for a sheet of grip.
My skate shop will never look like an art gallery