Image is possible potential retail location at 123 S Cedar St Summerville, SC 29483
I could take the time and write this article and air out my dirty business laundry, although it would make a good read, it would only upset others which is not my intention. Even though I’m upset and not only with the location, but with the community at large in which Midnight Owl resides. Skateboarding isn’t as socially acceptable in South Carolina as it may be in bigger metropolitan cities and the west coast. I have worked tirelessly for years to get to the spot of opening up a shop. Writing for me is a healing way my heart and soul can express how I feel. I’m going to keep things on a minimum basis and explain things from a business only perspective. In all entirety to stay professional.
This article is mainly written for the wholesalers and accounts acquired for Midnight Owl Skate shop. It’s important to explain what happened to the brick-and-mortar store and why it wasn’t a good fit for the brand. My story with Midnight Owl can help the rest of the global community understand what it’s like in the southeast United States. This outline plans for what’s more important for the scene and what the future of MDNT-OWL may look like. Of course, in business it can always be subject to change.
Putting The Cart Before The Horse
As some of you may know, I'm a father. Which if I’m being completely honest is the reason I even decided to start my shop. My kid sort of gave me a boost to get after it. Of course it has been on my mind stirring for years. 15 years to be exact. Dead end job after dead end job. I can’t have my kid see that; being gone all day to not have a nickel to show for after bills. That’s not a good dad. That’s a shell of a man. Which is not Nick Craven. I have to lead by example. I have to follow my dreams.
It’s important to take your income/capital and invest that to what drives your passion. Easier said than done, but for a lot of us it can be a new chain, four-wheeler, new exhaust system on the car etc. Entrepreneurs take their income and depending on their risk level that has been developed or shown early on in life; they can then make decisions for the business. That’s exactly what I did. Months leading up to it I was pricing out locations and on consistent call after call. Cheapest may not be the best; like in most things except I learned the hard way.
Which I saw a location; the most affordable and smallest shared space. It was at a budget friendly of only $695/mo. I snatched that thing up and went ahead and got the deposit in. I sold my classic 67 Ford F100 truck that has been in the family for years. Putting literally, it all into my shop and of course daily needs. Such as clothing on my back and paying off bills that were getting backed up.
Why it Didn’t Work Out
Simply put the location and business neighbors had problems. When it’s like how it was for me it is extremely hard to just focus on the business. I paid the deposit, first month's rent and then the second month's rent. As I wasn’t in the spot of moving in yet I would get emails about the quality of the common space in which it was left in. As there are multiple suites within my building. Why am I the only one getting CC’d in on these emails and I haven’t even stayed there a full day yet? Just things were not adding up. There would be lurkers out front which I’m not throwing shade. I enjoy a beer from time to time; however leaving out beer bottle caps, trash everywhere, and cigarette butts. This is a place for commerce, not your home. I was unsure if people were even staying there after hours. It was a terrible spot.
This isn’t the place for children and parents to come up here with their kids and it will be bad for business and my brand if I stayed. As important as it is to keep an ethically responsible business, the right business neighbors as close in quarters as they are, can honestly make or break a location. It sure broke the location for us.
“The brand means more to me than to go with the flow with straight bs on a daily basis. When my family owned a skate shop, I saw what worked and what would set off my dad. We have a huge amount of opposition on our side being a skate shop in the south. Football, pickleball and other sports outshine our hobby tenfold as far as funding and that’s ok. I don’t think skateboarders would like to be socially accepted anyway. What it boils down to as far as my shop goes is to protect the brand image while simultaneously protecting and cultivating the best relationships with the best brands that we have created a relationship with.”
-Nick Craven Owner and Creator of Midnight Owl Skate shop
What Does the Future of Midnight Owl Look Like?
What’s important to me as the CEO and creator of Midnight Owl is to make sure I cultivate the best relationships ever with the best brands. If a brand were to not trust me or listen to haters and go off of here say. It would really show more about them than me. In business you can be on the fence or stay neutral but in all honesty, it will make you look weak. I’ve been skating street since I was 8 years old. I’ve lived, breathed and shit skateboarding for so long. There was a stint of time of about 7 years where I struggled with SVT-WPW and ultimately couldn't skate. I still would watch it, and it was honestly heart breaking not being on my board. As some of you also share this, skateboarding was my first love. I don’t do this for any other reason than I fucking love it. If that’s not how the sales reps and companies are that I work with then simply put “I’m out”. I have mad respect for certain companies, but as I have become an adult, I can quickly see that certain brands are not what I want to work with based upon that.