A shop specializing in skateboards, longboards, skating apparel and snowboards will make its Eau Claire debut this spring after hard work and collaboration between members of the Eau Claire Skaters Association.

Passion Board Shop owner Chris Johnson said starting his own shop has always been a dream of his.

“I grew up skateboarding in Eau Claire, and it’s always been my biggest passion,” he said. “I’ve talked about opening my own shop for a few years now and it was actually my wife Kirstin that gave me that final push to finally take the leap and make my dream a reality.”

With most of the paperwork and accounting finished, the shop is starting to take shape. Johnson said he has finally been able to focus on the
interior of the shop, finish the wall fixtures, and get to working on signs. Kyle Gostomski, a local skater and senior at UW-Eau Claire, is involved with the Eau Claire Skater’s Association.

“The thing I like most about Passion Board Shop is the location,” he said. “You could easily skate from the skate park to the shop, and I think it is super important for a skate shop to be accessible via skateboard and for it to be close to the community’s skate park.”

With a public park being built near Lakeshore this past year, the local skate community is growing fast and Johnson felt the city needed a place for skaters to hang out.

Throughout the process of renovating the Dewey Street location, Johnson had the community’s support, including Keith Kohrs from Wintership Tattoo who made the shop graphic.

During this process, Johnson has been able to put in around 25 hours a week on the shop while working more than 50 hours a week at his two current jobs.

Gabe Brummet, a founding member of the Eau Claire Skaters Association, said he thinks the new shop will help build Eau Claire’s skate
community.

“There is enough support in Eau Claire for sure, and with this shop and our new park our scene will only grow and improve,” he said. “The park and shop will hopefully do a good job of supporting each other; it’s all about building a community in my opinion.”

Phil Fieber, the city Parks and Recreation director, made a statement during the fundraising process about having multiple skate parks in Eau Claire located along the bike path.

Passion Board Shop will mark the second place that the Eau Claire Skaters Association can network with the skate community.

Through the creation of the shop, Johnson said he hopes to make a big impact on Eau Claire’s skating scene while promoting skating positively.

Johnson is planning for the opening in April, but wants to keep the details a secret for now.

“It’s been awesome to see everyone come together to make this happen,” Johnson said. “If you skate or support skating, you’re part of that family and you’re always welcome at Passion Board Shop.”