Beer & Shoes
I drove by Burnside Brewery a couple weeks ago and the idea occurred to me to make a post about or at least find some way to mention it. The brewery is pretty close to the bridge, but that’s really not enough to warrant a post. ESPN reports that skatepark founders Mark Scott, Chuck Willis, and Sage Bolyard have been meeting with the founders of Burnside Brewing Company working out the details of a Burnside Skatepark brew with a portion of the proceeds going to the skatepark. Does anyone know if Nike is donating money from sales of Air Burnside shoes?
Mike from Green Bottling might be bottling the 22s when its ready. I’m hoping to help him out on this one.
Not cool,Nike,but I like the shoe…
WTF Nike havent you taken enough from skateboarding already? Using the Burnside name for your China sweat factory shoe? Your all fools for letting this happen! Im embarrassed for skateboarding…know your roots…
I know my roots. Guys like Tony Alva…
http://www.poolrider.com/media/images/gef/ta03a.jpg
…and Neil Blender…
http://noneco.files.wordpress.com/2011/04/neil-blender_sadlands_early-1980s.jpg
were very influential.
Mark Gonzales used to wear the Air Jordans back before he was an addidas guy too. I hear Marks pretty influential
Those are my roots.
Nike SB
Even Duane Peters wore Blazers. Now let’s go get a beer or twelve.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lu6TqAWD7_I
Chet, Al, Lance…
The Nike thing is interesting… Can anyone answer definitively whether Nike donates to Burnside? If not, something (anything) needs to be done.
Hah! Gonzalez wore Air Jordans and Nike did nothing for him back then and to my knowledge hasn’t done anything for him since. You’re right. We skaters should applaud Nike for that and elevate our youthful naivete to a life sentence of ignorance… anyone care to advertise on me? It’s free.
You guys know there is a Burnside clothing company that doesn’t donate either. http://www.burnside360.com/
Nike has leased a building on Burnside for years before the park was there, and they’ve paid taxes to the city on it, so yes, you could say that Nike has donated more to the cause of a park on city-owned land than anyone else in the industry.
I wear `eS.
City taxes? used to pay for Burnside? You’re grasping for straws.
Cara-Beth should change her name. What has she donated?
L-O-fucking-L!
I think we should take action against the city. They’ve been using the name on street signs without kicking down beer. Not cool.
It’s a SKATE shoe though, and they are associating the shoe with the spot. They better be paying something to support the spot. We are the 99% (lol)
I think the Nike debate is getting a little old at this point. Do you guys know who Jon Humphries is? He’s been one of the main guys behind Nike SB since the beginning and he’s helped Burnside out more than most people that skate there every day (just ask Sage or Red about that one). Also, as much as Nike sucks, they’ve at least given more money to indoor and outdoor parks then any company in skating to date, so I think it’s time for people to calm down a little.
Given, Nike isn’t as ‘core’ as a lot other compaines, but they’re paying their riders a hell of a lot more than any other skate company and giving more money back then anyone else (skate park of tampa is a great example), so I don’t see what all the complaining is about?
Also, I bet a lot of you guys wear Vans religiously and most of you guys don’t even know that VF corp (which is really Vanity Fair) has owned the brand for over 10 years now.
“Enough all ready”… all good points. But, to me, the issue is not whether Vans or Nike are your archetypal heartless corporations (they are). It’s that Vans has more credibility because historically it’s done more for skating than Nike by a long shot… despite that skaters have been wearing Nikes since they first appeared in the late ’70s, Nike has done almost nothing to support skating. I think it’s important for skaters to call out any company associated with skating and make sure that, at some level, they help skating rather than simply take from it. If Nike’s done that to your satisfaction, great. But I disagree and I’ll leave it at that.
Nike gave $75K to pier, otherwise they ain’t gave back shit.
sure, $75K is a lot of money, but Nike only made $594 million LAST QUARTER, so I’d hate to ask them for anything right now until the economy improves.
[devils advocate] – NO ONE has given much money to Burnside over the years, largely due to the fact that they have only recently established 501(c)(3) status (think Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater). If its not a write off, no business is gonna give you money.
It’s sort of like a corporation that fires all its workers here in the states and relocates to Mexico and employs people there for 2 pesos a day… then turns around and boasts of how much it’s contributed to charities in the United States (say, $75K) and has helped unemployment in Mexico… all while netting $500 in a quarter. The issue is bigger than skateboarding, but skateboarding’s right in the middle of it. We all are. Asking questions rather than accepting hush money isn’t “complaining.” It’s good citizenship. Keep skating raw.
Not to talk about the beer or anything but has anyone tried this Burnside brewery beer? It could be good enough to drink out of a used Nike for all I know.
its fukn delicious-instead of keyboardin go try it
how many football players do you see sponsored by Vans?
Curiously, nobody is upset about a beer company using the name…
Nike employs a lot of Oregonians.
…and maybe will advertise here if you keep plugging for them.
Just kidding, by the way… but come on. Do skateboarders really need to defend Nike’s place in skating. I mean, it’s kinda a done deal.
Honestly, I was just curious if Nike was donating any money from their shoe named after Burnside to Burnside. Hell, I’m not even sure it’s part of Nike SB or not. The rest of the shoes, who cares? Vans built a whole bunch of skateparks, but none of them were free to the public, and they’ve closed most of them down lately. And yes they are owned by the same company that makes Lee jeans. Awesome! The brewery is obviously not named after the skatepark, but rather the street. The clothing company? That’s a bit odd, I would say it’s a coincidence but they are aimed at “action sports” demographic, so maybe not.
One corporation is more or less like any other.
Mark speaks truth
justify…sleep well..fuck off. pander to the chinese. Eat shit.
skateboarding was in my life 20 years before Burnside so who gives fuck? Go skate! If you wanna wear football shoes thats your problem. Hey ask some quarterback if he wants to wear vans? Ask the drunkest/zooted one! one of you unemployed english grad students should feel free to rip me a new ass about now…
who cares who wore them BEFORE they tried to buy us! they never tried to help before they saw opportunity to profit! READ IT AGAIN!
amen,couldnt have said it better my self
as someone who might know, i have not heard a thing about nike giving any money from the shoe to the park.
nike hasent given any money 2 b side only tried 2 rent location for there adds
burnside clothing?come on of course there tryin 2 come up off the park
burnside brue,we went 2 them,there located 5 blocks from the park on 7th n burnside
..so If I get u right when u buy in into skateboarding and spend money on parks and on alcohol u re so down with the hardcore scene? like red bull monster rockstars and lately coke with relentless. cool
u know what, they can keep their money and their fucking bitches with their colored cans.
for me it s not about if they spend money or if they dont
I HATE SPORTS that why I skate ( quote taken from lance but so true for me) I was punk and so free with my chucks ..vans.. air jordans…airwalks..after that it went so mainstream but I loved DCs even when I lost my (shoe)soul beeing a normal dude again with common shoes
I dont care about the brand but I care about that those fuckers just copy vans now and I dont like to skate in moquassins!! it hurts .I liked good skate shoes with some good heel protection and long lasting upper. I wish I could skate some nice safe and soft feeling shoes again not a stupid chukka boot or low top ? !!!
keep skating and give me some free space and keep ur super bannered and sponsered parks I DONT NEED THEM
would be horror if nike would be all over the place like rockstar etc…
sorry for going of topic just wanted to shout out a lil.
AND if I ever get to skate under the bridge I ll drink burnside if it s not to sweet and crappy I m spoiled with good german and belgium beer over here…cheers
It would be nice if Nike gave more money to parks–especially when public funding is as rare as hen’s teeth. In that, I think we can all agree.
However, they do like to see their logo prominently featured in such instances. Portland has numerous basketball courts, which Nike helped resurface, and all have a Swoosh in the center. To be fair, Nike has done a lot for basketball, and vice-versa.
The question is, would you tolerate Swoosh-tiles for a new bowl? Perhaps a skateable-Swoosh (over-vert!) or a some Swoosh-shaped lights for night sessions?
After all, we tolerate all manner of other logos in our lives–we encounter roughly 3000 per-day in present-day America.
How important is one more? Or, is one more too many?
Who has copyright on the word ‘Burnside’ anyway?
for all the people talking about companies supporting the local scene, how many of you ride boards made by locally owned companies (and how many of those companies are supporting the local scene)? DIY lets you off the hook. burnside didn’t need corporate sponsors, but if someone wants to drop off a few cases of beer, or a few boxes of shoes, they will be consumed.
F Lee jeans, wrangler butts drive me nuts
dont forget Nike does good things for skateboarders…and they love the homeless too!
http://air-wooferten.blogspot.com/2011/09/how-homeless-are-fighting-nike-in.html
maybe nike and the city can see everyone at Burnside as “homeless” because they dont fit their sports jocko image and buy the park and rename it Nike Burnside.. they could even install tennis courts and a putting green so the parents have something to do when their kids are skating.
Uhu…:
http://skateandannoy.com/2010/04/protesting-a-nike-skatepark-in-japan/#more-19663
ride barefoot! that is the only way you are going to boycot china.
It’s really simple. We’re not talking about Patagonia, the Yukon, the Outback, etc., this is a legendary skatepark, built, paid for, and maintained by volunteers. If you want to piggyback a skate shoe on that legacy, you’d better kick in something.
I agree with your sentiments, but aside from voting with your dollars, what can you really do?
Well, maybe by talking about it. If the right people at Nike can be made to understand that it’s a matter of their brands credibility with enough skaters, they can make it rain.
SSK….word
It sounds to me like we can all agree that we’d prefer that Nike just wasn’t involved in skating at all… that they’d take their jock, hyper-corporate capitalist consumer clone model and stick it up their proverbial arses… if in the end that means riding barefoot maybe more of us ought to do that! Anyone got a link to a diy shoe site!
FUCK NIKE. DONT DO IT.
What he said!
If someone wanted to support skater owned/operated footwear companies, I think your choices would be: Lakai, Fallen,any Sole Tech brand, Dekline, DVS, and HUF. That’s pretty much it…I think.
..which is ironic since those all suck…sigh,lets face it; most skate shoes are just cardboard, rubber and felt.
Nike soles are wimpy,but I’ve not paid more than $65 for a pair so maybe the more expensive nikes don’t have that problem.
I like comfort,avoiding bruised heels,but I like good grip and mobility more. So I’ve stuck w/Vans, Emerica, and I-Path for lack of a better fit. Any suggestions(regarding shoes) are welcome. I also have fat feet.
emerica is a sole tech brand. skater owned.
..wasn’t sure, but even then Emerica hit or miss. Vans most consistent for what I like,and never had a defective pair.
Egbert: Thanks! I’ve been skating for a long time, but I don’t know a whole lot about who does what in the industry, so that’s very useful information for me, and I will definitely support those companies.
I used to think Nike did not belong in skateboarding, but think about which company has put out ANY shoe that’s been even kind of unique or innovative in the past 5 years. All the other “skater owned” companies just keep biting off each other with their vulcanized repeats.
Nike has been innovating skateboarding footwear in a way the “skater owned” companies are too scared to try these days. Supra is another innovator, but aside from those two skateboarders are getting some STALE product.
Big ups to nike for keeping skateboarding FRESH.
dr scholls is keeping it fresh
…late but who cares.
Nike does pay a lot to a lot of skaters and they do sponsor skateparks and many events… they run ads and often do exclusive deals that are only availibe to true skateboard shops. this helps them survive.
To me that is doing someting for skateboarding.
I dont skate their shoes because my feet are too fat.
I skated Burnside twice over the weekend and didn’t contribute anything! HA!
pick up some trash Carl…
Find me a skate shoe that isn’t made in an impoverished third world country from dead animals and I would buy it. In the meantime, I support my family by buying the cheapest, functional, skate shoe that is on Roth’s discount shelf. When your buying skate shoes for five, even that becomes expensive. In a better world, skateboarding shoe makers would strive to provide a solid shoe that actually withstands the abuse of skateboarding, but it is in their financial interest to make shoes that are both appealing and functional, yet destined to fall apart with minimal use, requiring you to buy another pair way sooner than you should have too.
Word,and knowing full well,exactly what shops buy their shoes for from the distributor(even worse,the cost to make),it’s fuckin depressing. Next time you see an $80 or $60 pair of kicks,know the shop prob paid 10% of that,per shoe. But also bear in mind the irony that a skateboard shop will never make any decent profit from hard goods,or namely, skateboards, trucks,wheels. So that’s why backpacks and shoes and pants are so much $. Anyway, I’ve found ordering some vans on-line,and especially a few pairs at a time,can be as low as $20 bucks a pair. Just depends.w are the new Adidas? Anyone?
my wife bought me some adidas last year, they are technically indoor soccer shoes, but they are in my top 5 favorite/best skate shoes of my 30 years of skating. Adidas-ciero
Do I know your username from Ebay?
Anyway,uh…yeah,good point.
If you have to support five skaters shoe habit, you might want to check out a Japanese skater named Guo Miyagi. He grips his board with cotton cloth which obviously doesn’t shred your shoes. I cannot attest to its functionality first hand, but he doesn’t seam to have any trouble riding on all sorts of rails. I may try it on my next deck just to see what its like.
Skated the shell-toe’s in 93’…way more durable than they looked is all I remember. I’m convinced I need to give Adidas another shot. Thx. Worst pair of shoes I ever bought was Duffs, obliterated them in 1 day of skating. Happened with a pair of Saviers too.
if any of u whiners want 2 help burnside-step it up-the parks been here for 21 years without all of you who havent ever helped and were not stopping here!
drink some beer,put on ur shoes n go SKATE!