Foiled by clowns
Rip City’s indoor bowl is almost finished, but the sessions are not going to flow freely until an arrangement is reached with the next door neighbors. It seems like the construction and skating is just too much noise for the business that shares a wall with them. What sort of business needs a cap on the decibel levels? Are they doctors, lawyers or accountants? It turns out the spoil sports operate a juggling supplies operation with mostly online sales. Nope, you heard right. Skateboarders are disturbing the jugglers. At this point in the post I’d like to publicly heckle my friend Shawn Fendick for owning juggling supplies and a unicycle. Am I some sort of clown that amuses you? Yes.
It looks tight and funky, but fun. Seeing the plies on it makes it seem more functional than it did with just the ribs. These pictures make it seem larger than it is, and it will take some adjusting to, but I can’t wait to try it.
A little love seat action.
Our property managers had to shut our mini ramp sessions down until after 4pm on weedays because tennants next door were complaining. They just moved out and we took over their space so problem solved.
priceless. they should just tell them its actually a clown car supply business and the noise is the little people climbing in and out. I didn’t realize juggling was such a booming business and that there was a need for specific juggling materials? I’m predicting heckling mileage out of this one…..
Could be worse…could be a store full of juggalos.
Yeah, then you’d be left with that lingering Faygo stench…
I wish these dudes were next to our warehouse!
Faygo reference = Michigan resident.
sick ride, keep on rolling
The Russian stone cutting business next to our bowl dont seem to mind .They will get used to it .
But then again Juggling come on .
actually, they are a small business selling a variety of products to a wide variety of Portlanders. the indoor skate facility has not only raised an incredible racket thru the walls, it has been causing the walls to crack and break. this is not just a bit of noise; it’s significant and damaging distress to a young couple running a small business. if Rip City cannot create their facility without causing harm to others — and Serious Juggling has been in this location for several years — then they need to rethink what they’re doing. the owners of SJ do not object to the skaters; after all, as unicyclists and jugglers (as well as small business owners) they are not exactly mainstream. doing what you feel like doing despite the harm it causes others is a pretty poor way to do business. or exist in a community.
Are the walls brick or cinder blocks? Unless the walls are framed drywall you’ll have a very hard time convincing me the skateboarding is causing cracking on the walls. Near as I can tell from seeing it being built, there are no direct to wall riding surfaces. I’m familiar with the transfer of energy, especially on skating forms. Simply having a loud ramp inthe next room isn’t enough to cause cracking in walls unless there are serious structural integrity problems with that wall already.
In any given structure, there may or may not be an ability for that structure to accommodate a certain physical activity. Ya just don’t play football in a coffee house. Their are also considerations regarding other tenants in terms of noise and disturbance.
It sounds as if the skateboard arrangement is skating on the edge, here – pun intended. While ramps may not be anchored into walls, it doesn’t take too many falls and crashes into interior walls to louse up sheet rock and plaster on either tenant’s side.
The fault would appear to be mostly with the landlord, who has essentially set up a no win situation. It’s disappointing to see skaters dissing an alternative sport (you all are cut from the same cloth for crying out loud – it wasn’t too long ago that skaters were “weird”). But skaters will go wherever there is ramp or a course… and it’s nice to stay dry.
It sounds as if the skaters issues have been solved for now, but SJ having to resolve the situation for the own business by relocating was a hardship that is tough on any business.
As a skater/juggler and former Portland resident I find it a sad day for the city when we are expected to believe the city is too small for these 2 communities. If Rip City expects tolerence from it’s neighbor than it is not unreasonable for Serious Juggling to expect responsibility from their neighbor. I can’t believe there is not a mutually profitable solution to this conflict. A perfect Wednesday in Portland = bombing Tabor in the afternoon, juggling on the lawn at Reed in the evening then beers at a local pub, surely the city still has room for both!
Jugglers and skaters share a gravity fixation. Both activities have risen from fringe sport to mainstream obsessive/compulsive sport status. Surely, there’s a way we can coexist.
As a professional juggler, I gotta say it would be damn hard to write/negotiate a contract while my neighbors thrashed around next door. You skaters are probably gasping at the idea of jugglers actually being paid to do what they do, but I see a lot more jugglers working cruiseships, theaters, portland nightclubs and international festivals then I see skaters. Believe me, troubleshooting a $20,000 contract requires focus. Online prop sales requires just as much focus as any other serious national/international business.
Kilwag,
Actually, it is framed drywall.
At this point we have at least 16 cracks totaling over 33 linear feet. The yellow drywall tape underneath has been showing through for several months now, and lengthening. It is falling all over our merchandise. JP on 2 occasions blew insulation over the entire of our 1600 square foot store!
Today, JP is causing glue fumes and he can’t even be bothered to open all the doors or turn on the fan. We had a father with two young children buying a unicycle during this. He may not be concerned with his own health or safety but he needs not to inflict this upon others.
We were happy when a business that we saw meshing with ours moved next door, but soon learned that they were concerned with only their own wants.
Framed drywall? Ouch. I understand the beef then.
This is a sad situation. I’m a hoop performer, and I’ve been in Serious Juggling to buy props. They’re a great small business — one that I’d like to see stay open. Most small specialty stores like that can hardly survive these days, with or without structural damage to their walls and material falling all over their merchandise.
I can attest to the fact that professional jugglers, object manipulators and yes, even “clowns” are actually performing a skill that’s the end result of years and years of practice and training. I would think the skateboarders could understand and respect that. We’re all just doing our non-mainstream art. If you don’t think juggling/circus is as “badass” as skateboarding, know that three of the Portland jugglers *broke a bone* this year, training and performing (myself included, during a rehearsal.)
I hope the skateboarders can become a bit more aware about the damage that they are doing to their neighboring store — and by association to the artists who depend on Serious Juggling. And I hope there’s a way to resolve this issue without ridiculing a small business that’s just trying to stay open.
Okay, I kept my little secret earlier, but it’s coming out time. I’m a juggler. I’ve been a juggler as long as I’ve been a skateboarder (38 years). I have purchased hundreds of dollars worth of equipment through the years, and even went to a convention one time. I’ve even juggled on the streets for money. As an insider, I’ve learned that anyone who is a better than average juggler has (1) minimal social skills and (2) no social life outside of juggling. The similarities to skateboarding end right there. It is NOT a sport. Poor Rhys Thomas wants fiddling with his balls to be as cool as falling on your head, but it’s not. If a professional juggler can keep multiple objects aloft with just one or two hands, he can STOP WHINING about trying to write and
think at the same time…..idiot…Rhys, the reason you see more jugglers working the venues you mentioned is because Primo and his wife are only two people. Quit bragging about your petty $20,0000 contract. Don’t you know Nike is giving kids $1,000,000? Juggle tough or go home. Skateboarding is about BREAKING THINGS, always has been, always will be. You
Pretty funny, Dave.
Creative too.
I couldn’t come up with anything other than suggesting they juggle my balls.
And “Revolva”, I broke a bone in my foot while playing hacky sack, but that doesn’t make hacking a sport. It just makes me a stupid drunk guy.
Hell, kids break bones extreme pogo sticking, I guess I can give you that level of respect.
http://www.vurtego.com/
A sad day for the city indeed, an opporitunity to try to better understand the issue and come to some kind of arrangement is used to assault the character of good people. That kind of attitude should go far in helping get the remaining 14 parks built in Portland.
I’m trying hard not to choose sides on this one because I enjoy both activities and both are thriving in Portland. I’m more embarrased to admit I skate at this point than juggle.
Tim, I was joking. Well I’m serious about being a juggler, but all that mean stuff was supposed to be funny. Wait a minute, I didn’t assault anyone’s character. I just demonstrated my own bad character by name-calling. Who were you talking about?
Dude,Tim, no matter how anyone acts about skateboarding or juggling you shouldn’t be embarrassed about either, here or elsewhere. Embrace your shit, and shake fools outta their comfort zone. juggle in their face or juggle swords over their heads. or don’t juggle at all.
whatever, man its your life. oh rad a french fry
I do embrace what I do and am not embarrassed, it’s just that I’d like to see a mutually beneficial resolution to this. When I first read this post I thought surely it can be worked out only to find out a month later it is still an ongoing issue. I’m baffled that the 2 business owners cant seem to fully utilize that location to serve 2 thriving activities in Portland.
Un-Be-Lievable!
First of all, congratulations to Skate and Annoy for being successful at both skating and annoying.
Second, congratulations to Serious Juggling for being highly successful at being serious.
Third, Rip City, if you wish to become a successful business, you need to make some serious choices. That’s a hell of an investment you’ve got there, and it’s hanging by a thread. Perhaps on January 31st, 2010 at 7:42 pm Kilwag finally got the message.
Someday I hope to skate those sweet looking curves and then pop next door to try out a new unicycle, perhaps even ride it in the bowl!
Work with me, people!
Did this post appear on a juggling forum or something? I’m curious as to how all the jugglers found it. In any case, good luck with the rational arguments. You may be right, but you need to look up the expression “pissing in a fan.”
Hopefully there can be some sort of peaceful arrangement. Surely those guys don’t need to write $20k contracts after normal business hours.
I’m not racist. One of my best friends has a unicycle and some juggling pins.
Guilty
i think you clowns need to realize that you’re fighting an uphill battle against skateboarders. the only thing portland skateboarders need at this point is an indoor facility for those rainy days where even burnside is wet. and no, we won’t settle for paying 10 bucks to skate in the crowded and overrated dept. of skateboarding. you’re insulation obviously has been in need of repair if you have health concerns for your customers because of what’s going on next door. i’m not trying to knock jugglers (clowns) but just understand this; skateboarding will recieve more support from the public. skateboarders > clowns. do the right thing and help the majority of the community and not just your small group of clowns
An even more embarrassing admission: I’m mentioned in a certain pro skateboarder’s autobiography, not for my skating ability, but for juggling on the street for money.
Skateboarding in it’s brief history has previously hitched it’s wagon to the horse of “popularity” with not so favorable results. Burnside is a phoenix that rose from the ashes of skateboarding’s “popularity”. Skateboarding has become big business agreed but those who don’t heed the lessons of history are bound to repeat them.
okay, i am one of the people helping jp out most the time at the shop building the bowl, i would like to say that we (skaters from rip city) don’t hate jugglers or disrespect the sport or art whichever, its just that from the start the owners next door have refused to work with us or give us reasonable hours to work or skate. We have put up these mats that are supposed to be very dense to cut out noise,we tried to wait till they were gone to work.. but they are never gone, their hours are from 9 to 6 or something close to that but they stay untill 11 making it really hard to fit in time to work, if there was problems with the wall breaking i am pretty positive that its not from us because we have made sure that the ramp is not connected in anyway to the wall and there is never anyone bailing in to that wall or boards flying into it i know that just never happens from being in almost every session we have had, but even if some of it was caused by us we would have fixed that problem if the owners of SJ was willing to work with us. they come over with cameras taking pictures of local kids that help out at the shop, to me thats not right and abit disturbing. we have tried to resolve these issues with SJ but they make it worse by not working with us. this bowl was supposed to not only provide another place to skate but to help the business, a skate shop that is all about core skating and helping people get out and skate not about making money, they are about being honest to the things they are selling you and that is what i like to see from a skate shop and i would be surprised if any other skater didn’t. rip city doesn’t hate juggling or jugglers so don’t accuse us that we are in anyway haters. and don’t say we are trying to force out SJ its more like they aren’t letting a small business try and make it in portland. and last just too put it out there we aren’t the only ones having difficulties with them the business on the other side of them have had multiple problems dealing with them so really i think the owners are a bit stubborn i hate to say things like that but they are.
the jugglers are trying to make things sound like its our fault that there having problems. last weekend we were putting bondo on our ramp , and it did smell but we did open the doors and have fans on. we purposely moved the ramp 6 or 8 inches away from there wall to prevent noise and cracks in there wall(they probably put the cracks in them selves by pounding on it to let us know we were “to loud”). the building owner suggested that we blow insolation in between us and the jugglers. all of this was to prevent any problems they may have but they still go ranting on about us.
they not only have problems with us they also HATE dress for success on there left hand side. one of owner’s of serious juggling(the dudes wife) on a few days has gone out side yelling at the women that work at dress for success just because there sign barely blocked there store front(its an inch thick sign thats about 2ft high) and she walk out side and ripped a banner that was well out of the way from there store one day! i really think the lady is a nut case.
i feel people need to know what really is going on, i hope they post another thread so we can hear there side of story again. i cant believe there too stubborn to talk it threw with us in person and have to go on a skateboarding site to try and turn other skaters against us!
and another point to bring up is the wall is framed drywall but i have seen inside it and there is at least an 8 inch gap in between the dry wall so if there were cracks and faults on their side of the wall because of us there would be just as much if not more damage to our side which there isn’t any damage at all so that proves that the damage on their side of the wall is not our fault. As skatepdx has said we have purposely spaced the bowl away from the wall to prevent issues with the drywall and that Serious Juggling have pounded on the wall alot in the past so perhaps they are the ones doing damage to their own drywall.
you can tell from the jugglers website that they are pretty smug and arrogant and obviously their shit don’t stink…
Damn, that girl rips on hula hoops. I watched the video imagining “ka klunk, ting, ka klung, bang, clack, boom…” lol
I’m seeing some dude juggling in a clown suite who keeps dropping shit every time there is a loud thud through the wall. I want to see the confrontation when he’s finally had enough and comes next door in his clown makeup to have a few words.
Funniest comment in the thread:
“Both activities have risen from fringe sport to mainstream obsessive/compulsive sport status.”
Sure thing buddy. I’d write more but i’m off to the Juggle Park.
Could juggling be skateboardings new antithesis? Would be just in time, seems like fruit booting is on the decline.
Skatepdx: what you posted on February 8th, 2010 at 11:26 pm is false and libelous. The owner of this website is also party to the libel if he allows that post to remain up.
-Ben Schoenberg
I wasn’t going to add to this because, Jesus,who cares but….Ben, your not helping your cause or doing your side any favors with frivolous threats of litigation. Now the whole thread is just embarrassing and you’re looking like a tool.
“pissing in the fan”…
just let it go.
Or don’t. Whatever,it’s your life man.
Ben, which part was the libel? I’m guessing maybe ” i really think the lady is a nut case.” Or was it this “gone out side yelling at the women that work at dress for success” ? Or perhaps ” they also HATE dress for success”… I can’t really tell, but I doubt any of that measures up to something a judge would waste their time on. Add me to the complaint for copy/pasting it, thereby doubling the damage
is it not libel when you said “Today, JP is causing glue fumes and he can
i agree with skaterhusseindave. how do you think it looks to all the skaters that look at this when you (ben) go onto a skate forum trying to attack jp and his business, too me it makes you look way worse
as jakeandannoy has said and quote
“pissing in the fan…”
and too all that didn’t know that read my comment ben is apart of the business next door
no ben(serious juggling) what i said is not false it is all very true. any one who reads this thread should come on over to the shop and check out what we have done. you will see that the bowl is 6 to 8 inches from the wall, we have thousands of dollars of sound mats on the wall to block noise and while your at it go ahead and ask dress for success what they have had to deal with, and ben please tell your wife to stop taking photos of me or any one else that comes into our shop. i think its creepy and i feel violated, DO NOT deny ever taking photos of us we have seen it happen and we have witnesses. if you think i was libelous maybe you shouldn’t directly attack jp by posting things like you did on a skateboarding site. when you guys smelled the glue fumes you could have came on over with a nice attitude and asked us to vent better instead of saying “jp cant even be bothered” if you come over and talk it out we are more than willing to work it out.
hmmm sounds like a conflict
skatepdx stop being mean your probably the one that is a nut job stop being ridiculous.
juggling is awesome i would die without juggling
i would rather juggle balls then ride your boards.
This is too fucking funny. Juggling? Really?
No, really?
Can you actually base a business around that? Is it that hard to find objects to throw in the air?
I am now dumber for having heard such a business exists.
hey wacknut, come on over to shop and ill prove it to you im not a nutcase and that lady is and this fight is ridiculous.
skateboarding is awesome i would die without skateboarding.
i never said any thing against juggling by the way, this is about the people that run the store and how they don’t want any thing that has to do with skateboarding to go on.
Fitz, I spent $120 for four clubs made by Brian Dube way back in the’80s…so who’s dumber, you for hearing about it , or me for doing it?
I’m almost scared to mention the AJA clubs, the torches, the fire devil stick, cigar boxes, throwing knives, trick rope, or shaker cups for fear you’ll end up too stupid to tie your skate shoes……sorry.
I appreciate that, Hussein, but it’s too late. I couldn’t tie my shoe right now if I tried, even though I am doubled over… I think the trouble is the fact that I’ve been laughing ’til the tears stream down my face.
A juggling store. I have never heard of any retail establishment as utterly ludicrious. My ribs hurt just typing this.
Everybody just needs to get together and watch Caught Clean 2: Radioactive Throw Up. Skaters and jugglers used get along just fine. Here’s one snippet:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fEip3WBh5vo
On a scale of 1-10 juggling three balls is about a 2. Four balls is a 7. And five balls is around 139. I can’t even talk about five clubs or seven balls. Jeff is special.
I don’t know if the last 8 minutes of reading were real or if I was having another acid flash back. I’m going to bed…I think.