Manchester Skate and Snowboard Store Prepares for Spring

Spring thaw may finally be here, but there’s still a couple of good snowboarding weekends left at Eureka's before we leave winter officially behind. The guys at in Manchester have everything you need to tackle the slopes, from boards to gloves. It's also the place to go if you (or your kids) are looking forward to breaking out the skateboard this spring.

S.O.K.A. Skate and Snow has been serving the skateboarding crowd for more than 15 years at the same location near Manchester Road and Route 141. The business started when owner Mark Sparacio and a friend got tired of working for other people and decided to open their own skate apparel and equipment store. The name S.O.K.A. (which stands for the rebellious Sick Of Kissing A- -) was soon born. Sparacio eventually bought out his business partner and now runs the shop solo.

Sparacio and his employees are experienced skateboarders and snowboarders—they don’t just sell the equipment, they use it. Sparacio admits he’s getting too old to do much skateboarding himself, “I’m done and the kids pick on me. But I still snowboard.”

Andy Jones, a S.O.K.A. employee, said most of their customers are between 10 and 25 years old, but they have plenty of older customers who only snowboard.

“A lot of the older guys who got into it, they stick to snowboards. It’s easier on the body. They still like the clothes and the lifestyle,” Jones said.

S.O.K.A. carries skateboards, snowboards and everything you need to get started in the sport—or just look good. “I won’t carry stuff you can get at the mall,” Sparacio said. “That’s what makes us a destination store.”

Customers can buy all the hardware—trucks, wheels, bearing and a deck--to build their own board just the way they like it, or repair a skateboard they already have. Decks run from $36 to $54 and a complete board can be put together for $130 to $180. The same goes for snowboards, with a fully outfitted snowboard (including boots and binders) running between $600 to $900.

Jones said most of the younger customers just want equipment that looks cool, so the store offers a lot of variety for customizing the look as well as the handling of skateboards.

“When you get older you go for performance,” Jones said. If the store doesn’t have the gear customers need in stock, employees are happy to order it.

S.O.K.A. also sells specialized skate shoes, such as the Nike SB, which aren't sold anywhere else in St. Louis. Skate shoes may look like old school sneakers, but they’re not. They have flat soles for gripping the board, suede uppers for traction while performing tricks, and some even have Kevlar heel inserts to protect the feet from high impacts. Plus, they come in a variety of colors.

“Kids are really picky. They want a certain color--it’s like a fashion thing. They want to look the part, too,” Jones said. “Parents don’t understand.”

Spring is a transitional time at the shop. Sparacio said he just got in a new shipment of Volcom jeans and shirts, a popular clothing line just for skateboarders. However, snowboarding gear is still available, and Jones said they should have a sidewalk sale to clear out the remaining winter merchandise.

Sparacio keeps active in the skate and snowboarding community by sponsoring events and contests. He sponsored the final snowboarding event of the season last weekend at Hidden Valley Ski Resort and will soon start planning contests for skateboarders as the weather warms up. Proceeds will support the Kingshighway skate park, a renegade park built on public property in the Hill.

“Kids started skating there, and the crack heads moved out,” he said. “We raise money to buy concrete to build bowls."

On the Horizon:

• American Eagle Credit Union is sponsoring the Kirkwood Des Peres Chamber of Commerce 2011 Business Boot Camp on Feb. 17. The six-week educational series will feature courses on legal issues, financial necessities, social networking, marketing and more. For more information, visit www.ameaglecu.org or www.kirkwooddesperes.com.
• A bill cosponsored by Town and Country's State Representative Sue Allen is making its way through the state legislative process. House Bill 45 would give small businesses a $10,000 tax deduction for new jobs they create.