Over the past few years, the number of corporations getting involved with skateboarding has escalated to unprecedented levels. We thought the time was ripe to hear from the folks on both sides of the fence. Kevin Imamura works at Nike in their skateboard division. “Birdo” heads up Consolidated Skateboards and is also involved with the newly reactivated “Don’t Do It” campaign. We asked these two the same set of questions. Their answers may or may not surprise you.

In the mid seventies, I remember reading about Lonnie Toft. One of the first skaters to be seen riding a wider board and also the creator of the 8- wheeler. One of my all-time favorite skate photos was from that same era. The one of Lonnie cruising outside City Hall in Toronto, Ontario on his 8-wheeler, wearing a tuxedo, top-hat, and red Vans deck shoes while holding a cane on the deck. To this day, that photo is timeless and a classic. I was honored and lucky enough to be able to catch up with Lonnie.

Where was that dream that Original was building anyway? The fluid carving flow of one moment into the next, the gratifying sound of urethane wheels wearing down ever so slightly, and a touch of wind in the hair. Ditch the hassles of work. Past escapes had led to a chance encounter with Acadia National Park in Maine. Investigation yielded Cadillac Mountain a sweet dream of 1,532 vertical feet of pregnant pavement. The time was right.