The opening of the upgraded skate park in Moe has attracted new business ventures to the town, such as Sumo Skate Store.
Situated in George Street, Sumo Skate Store opened its doors to skating enthusiasts in early October, 2023. The shop made its grand entrance with a pop-up store and paint your own deck workshop which got the community creative with decorating their own blank skateboards.
Owner Pascal Fullerton, who moved to the area 13 years ago from England, said the skating community is growing in Moe.
“I think it’s slowly growing; we’ve had kids come down from Maffra, Sale and Warragul. They are coming from all over the place to skate at the park and coming in to see what we have at the shop.” Pascal said. “We’ve also seen people in their thirties and above coming out, getting a skateboard and having a go at the park.”
A wide array of skating equipment is available at the store to cater for every need, such as skateboards, clothing, roller skates and scooters. Pascal said keeping items such as these helps create a thriving skating community.
“If you need or want something the only access to that is through the internet, and sometimes you have to wait five or 10 days for something, whereas now you can just walk across the street!” he said. “Our store also provides a little hub for kids to fix up their scooters. We help them keep their stuff together and keep them rolling.”
The 51-year old father dreamed of opening a skate shop to help young people get off their phones and find a community.
“Skating is good for people and mental health because it creates a space where everyone can help each other and teach one another,” he said. “It’s also a great way to get the younger kids involved especially when they see the older ones getting out there.”
“The skating community is all about sharing knowledge and acceptance of everyone. There’s a lot of ‘we’ involved and looking out for your mates. That’s what helps us keep going.”
As for future goals, Pascal hopes more people from across the Latrobe City will try out skating in Moe and be part of something bigger.
“Skating is not just about doing fancy tricks. It is also about falling and getting back up, which I think relates to life. We all need someone to help pick us up when we fall.”
“And that’s what skateboarding can teach you. You may fall but you get back up and just keep rolling!”
