Homebase Skateshop

wow, where to begin? Homebase Skateshop in Bethlehem PA contacted me a few months ago to help them come up with a few graphics that would help raise money to build the Bethlehem Skateplaza. Having spent a some wonderful times (sneaking in the middle of the night) at Philly's FDR skate park long ago, i know first hand what a great thing this could be for a community. Andy Po who runs Homebase is doing a lot of incredible things at his shop and for his town, and all for the right reasons.

first up (besides the above logo/patch), is the commemorative skate deck sponsored by 5boro, red bull, and Dan Pensyl (who has a "real talk" tattoo, which makes him double awesome in my book), and the board was used to raise money to continue and complete the skate plaza. the bottom of the board was meant to reference Dan's first famous skate deck for 5Boro (with existing Bethlehem landmarks, and soon-to-be-monument Skate Plaza, in place of the original Manhattan graphic). the bottom of the board, though eventually covered in grip tape for shredding the park, would tell a little about the collaboration between everyone and the good cause in purchasing the board (click to enlarge if you like!)

if that wasn't monumental enough of an occasion, Homebase just celebrated their 8th anniversary! they were kind enough to ask me to do up a few t-shirt designs to keep helping raise money (feel free to click to enlarge)
though the following design didn't get used exactly, i was kind of proud of the clever playing around i did with the 8 and their logo (although only Andy knows that originally, i got the roman numeral completely wrong to the point of fictitious)

here are some photos from this weekends epic extravaganza:

check out them shirts!

Andy works the crowd during the skate deck's unveiling:

Andy Po and Dan Pensyl

Congrats Homebase!

also, special thanks to Bethlehemite and friend Marty Desilets for pointing me to these photos. Marty is one of the kindest, most generous people you will ever meet (and congrats to him and Dee on their recent engagement!), but if you never meet him, then you should know he is also one of the best photographers i have ever seen. you should check out his work HERE

folks like Marty, Homebase, and Vegan Treats are arguably greater monuments to Bethlehem than the steel factory or the Bethlehem Star.

there must be something in the water there

and happy June 1st everybody! hope you're all off to a great summer