Westbound Boarder

Her daughter learned to skateboard before she could even walk.  Barely one year old, Anne-Michelle would put her daughter, Mileah, on a skateboard, give her a little shove, and watch her go.

Anne-Michelle and her husband, Arun, are the proud owners of Ohana Board Shop, a small skate shop located in San Jose, CA.  Ohana – meaning “family” in Hawaiian – is just that; it’s a family shop with a local vibe.  But it’s the owners’ story and background that make this resident shop come to life.    

Anne-Michelle and Arun have been skating and surfing ever since they can remember.  In fact, they first met at a wakeboard camping trip; and years later, well, here they are.  After getting married, they both did the 9 to 5, corporate job thing – Anne-Michelle as an IT and public relations professional, and Arun as a photographer.  But while their minds and bodies were behind a desk 8 hours a day, their hearts remind at sea.   

One day in March 2005 as they were walking along the road, they noticed a retail space in the distance marked with a small “for sale” sign in the window.  They both looked at each other with the very same thought – “let’s try opening a shop.”  Two months later, in May, their idea turned to reality and Ohana Board Shop was born.   

Initially, the shop started as a consignment store where people could buy and sell their old boards and gear.  However, as time went on, they realized there was a huge demand for skate gear in San Jose, and their shop quickly evolved to include everything skate.

However, unlike most skate shops, it has a very local, family-oriented feel.  Located only half a mile from a large mall, Ohana knows its niche – aka, the owners don’t sell anything you can find at big skate chains, which is how they’ve managed to keep and maintain their stellar reputation the past four years.  

Aside from the clothing, Ohana Board Shop is known for its great customer service.  Anne-Michelle describes it as the kind of place where beginners (females included) can feel completely comfortable walking into and buying their very first board.  Most skate shops you walk into are very uncomfortable feeling.  But at Ohana, the Nordstrom of skateboarding, the staff is highly trained to make customers feel calm and comfortable, helping them find the perfect board to fit their style.    

But what Ohana is most known for is their toddler skate lessons.  Using their own daughter as inspiration, the couple started offering toddler skate lessons last August, and the lessons immediately took off.  Anne-Michelle sent an e-mail out to everyone she knew promoting the lessons (they were offering the first month free).  Well, thinking she’d get maybe a few kids at best, 25 kids signed up the first month alone.  It was that very moment they knew the toddler skate lessons would be a hit. 

Anne-Michelle and Arun teach the lessons at their house and typically invite about four kids over per lesson, however, they also teach private lessons when requested.  They offer four levels, including a “mommy and me” level to start.  The lessons are so popular they don’t advertise them on the Web site.  They can’t; they get too many kids already!   While the lessons are going well, their next plan is to purchase an indoor facility so that they can continue to teach lessons, rain or shine.

Describing her husband, Anne-Michelle calls him “a man with many ideas.”  He always has a new project in the works, and unlike most people, he usually makes them happen.  One day, he came home with an idea to make his own clothing line.  Called “Organics,” he manufactures organic skate wear hat is hip and cool, but environmentally friendly and soft to the touch.  The line sold out immediately, and continues to be one of the top selling lines Ohana offers.  Currently, the line consists only of branded T-shirts (six in all) however, they have plans to create sweaters next, and expand from there.       

Arun’s latest labor of love is a Web site for surfers called Nor Cal Surfers.  The site launched last week and features rider, shop and company profiles, weather forecasts, photos and videos; and Arun plans to expand to all of California in the foreseeable future.

With a top-notch local business, two amazing kids, and their own clothing line, life couldn’t get any better for Anne-Michelle and Arun.  What’s next?  A new clothing line?  A global surf site?  Perhaps even another shop? Only time will tell (or just check out their shop and see!)

With every massive sporting-goods chain, there is a great local shop hiding from the public eye, and Westbound Boarder’s got the 411.  In our quest to come up with relevant content that you all will want to read, we decided to launch a “Saturday Shop Reviews” series where we’ll go to and preview a different local shop in SoCal or Portland each Saturday in March.

We’ve already received several great reader recommendations, and we can’t wait to get started.  First up, this Saturday Danielle’s reviewing Exit Real World, thanks to recommendations by, not one, but two people!  Check back tomorrow to read her awesome post, where Danielle will tour the store and talk about some of highlights… and tell us why it’s a great shop for the ladies.

On that note, if you guys have a favorite shop that you want to see in here, let us know!  Send us an e-mail and tell us what makes your shop great, and if we like it, we’ll feature it!