UTD junior-owned specialty store to offer full-sized skateboarding ramp, individualized lessons for patrons of all ages

Skaters across North Texas now have a one-stop store for all things related to skateboarding, thanks to the efforts of a UTD student.

Daniel Brodsky, an information technology and systems junior, came up with the idea for the Point Skate Shop with his business partner, Nathan Smith. The two met while working at a skate shop called Vertigo, which stood where The Point Skate Shop stands now.

After working at Vertigo for two years, they realized they had creative differences with the owner. Last year, they took the plunge and purchased the store.

“We had a different vision for the shop and thought we could do a lot better,” Brodsky said. “We just wanted to put our dreams into action, and the only way we could do that was to do it by ourselves.”

When their lease began on April 1, they sprung into action. Instead of hiring contractors to renovate the shop, they built everything themselves in less than 30 days to meet the opening date of April 30.

“We worked 24 hours straight prior to the opening,” Smith said. “It was a mad dash to get everything ready and presentable.”

Located in a 3,500 square foot lot at The Village at Fairview, The Point Skate Shop, which has a UTD student discount, offers “full-service skateboarding” — that is, anything and everything relating to skateboarding. As a part of their vision, the owners included a 1,500 square foot indoor ramp, used primarily for skateboarding lessons.

“It’s a serious ramp and we’re serious about it,” Smith said. “We have a world-class training facility available to anyone who wants to learn.”

Smith pointed to the lack of skateboarding instructors as part of their motivation for offering lessons.

“We need to progress our sport and ensure there’s a future, so we want kids to continue to try skateboarding,” he said.

Brodsky agreed, noting the fulfilling aspects of giving skateboarding lessons.

“It’s pretty cool to see kids go from someone who bought his first skateboard to an actual skateboarder,” Brodsky added. “They really grow with us.”

The ramp is also open for public use for a $5 fee when classes are not in session. Customers who purchase items from the shop are invited to skate on the ramp for free.

Operating the shop has not been without its difficulties. Between balancing classes and running a small business, Brodsky said the paperwork can be a problem at times.

“You have to worry about things like payroll and taxes, but I don’t look at these as challenges — more like projects,” he said. “Other than that, my biggest challenge is quality control and making sure we’re offering top-quality products to our customers.”

In the future, Smith said he hopes the shop will become a salient feature of Dallas’ skateboarding community.

“Before expanding to another location, I want to make sure everyone in this area knows who we are and supports us,” he said.

Brodsky added that he hopes to expand the shop’s online offerings before opening up branches in other cities and states.

“We’re not in any rush to get there,” he said. “We want to make this store as good as it can be before we branch out.”