Help me find GOODIES!!!

June 4, 2006 3:30 PM

I'll be running a skate park located in the mountains this summer. The skate park gets 3-4 sessions a day with a max of 40 kids ranging from junior high to college age, It is sold out everyday. What are some things around the 8-12 dollar range that we can add to our skate shop? These things DO NOT have to be directly skate related. I'm not looking for any skate parts, pads or clothing, more along the lines of glowing mouth pieces, pins/buttons....I really dont know and I'm open to anything that is marketable to this age range. There is a "youth store" which sells clothes and music, and a general store which takes care of the food and whatever else is usually there. What can we carry that will bring the kids here?! let the list begin!!!
posted by Building to grab bag (15 comments total)

Comic books/magazines?
Video Games (Nintendo Game Boy/DS and PSP)?
Jewelry/sunglasses/shoes?
Obscure/trendy energy drinks?
posted by Rock Steady at 4:08 PM on June 4, 2006

There's a line of stuff that I call "Spencer's crap" that seems to fit your demographic. You know what I mean -- Freud action figures, postcards with pithy quotes and 50s art, t-shirts that say "invade [place name]" and have a picture of some sort of weapon, etc. Go into a Hot Topic or independent record store and you'll see more examples.
posted by danb at 4:32 PM on June 4, 2006

You could always go with HotTopic filler as well. Patches, Stickers, Wrist bands, hats.

There's also magazines. Fill up with the latest Thrasher or any of the other skate magazines available. You'll sell a ton. Game magazines and other trendy magazines might also be a good idea.

If you aren't already carrying board parts, you could also go with Bushing, hardware, board wax, new wheels and bearing as well. Skate trash is drawn to a wide variety of worthless doo dads too. Any goofy little worthless trinket like you'd find at a hot topic or spencers is probably going to sell pretty well.
posted by Hexidecimal at 4:38 PM on June 4, 2006

Used CDs - your old crap from the late 80s is big with the kids right now.

Spray paint - sure, it's a premium price, but I doubt mom is willing to take them to home depot to get it.

Novelty lighters to light the cigarettes it looks like you'll be selling.
posted by jmgorman at 4:41 PM on June 4, 2006

Ooh, how 'bout blocks of time on the old NES that you have set up on an old tv w/ two barcaloungers in the front of the store. 10 bucks rents you the original Metroid or Megaman for an hour. Better yet, set up two tvs - one for them to play on, the other a mirrored set facing a window or looking out over the register like a security feed.
posted by jmgorman at 4:44 PM on June 4, 2006

Ok, this would be an investment- but you should buy/rent a photo booth. One of the ones that gives 4 photos for $3, or one that'll make little stickers. You won't be able to drag them away from it.
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 4:50 PM on June 4, 2006 [1 favorite]

jmgorman's videogame suggestion is great, but instead of an old NES, bring in an XBox with Halo. I guarantee a large part of the people using that skate park go home and play Halo2 as soon as they're done.
posted by devilsbrigade at 5:07 PM on June 4, 2006

beer.

And stoner memorabilia.
posted by delmoi at 7:22 PM on June 4, 2006

Montana Paint is hard to find, and awesome.
posted by phrontist at 7:23 PM on June 4, 2006

I don't think anyone would really pay to play old NES games, but what about vintage arcade machines?

I totally love playing real arcade machines, and did when I was in that demographic as well.

And noplace has them any more! Bars all have these damn "old people" arcade games, but what about bubble bobble or something? Galaxian, etc.

You could build an illicit MAME cabinet with several different arcade games. (ilicit due to copyright issues)
posted by delmoi at 7:24 PM on June 4, 2006

Montana paint is spraypaint designed for graffiti? Wow, I had no idea anyone sold that and I'm sure kids would love to buy it. I just wonder if you could be liable for any taging.
posted by delmoi at 7:28 PM on June 4, 2006

Depending on what your politics are/what the politics of the skate park are, you might want to contact AK press to see about carrying some of their clothing or books. They are an anarchist collective publisher/distributor of books, dvds, cds and clothing (t-shirts and so on). Kids love the edge, especially skatery kids, imho.
posted by Divine_Wino at 8:59 PM on June 4, 2006

Krink, and cheap earphones, and things with caffeine in them. Some PowerBars, or the equivalent, might sell. And as wide a variety of beverages as you can fit in the available space. Oh, and very important--skate DVDs (or would that be stepping on the other shop's toes?)

I think you should carry some more expensive stuff, too (say, between, say, twenty and a hundred bucks--how much money do kids have these days?), but I'm not sure what.
posted by box at 10:11 PM on June 4, 2006

In Cocoa Beach recently I learned about Myachi "hand sacks" -- like hackysacks (footbags) but used with the back of the hand and fingers. Kids who are good with these appear to defy physics. Cheap fun and demographically apropo.
posted by Tubes at 1:10 AM on June 5, 2006

Slap bracelets. Those need to come back.
posted by penchant at 7:49 AM on June 5, 2006