Ohio Skateboard Connection

Scott Tutak

Scott Tutak has been a part of nearly  every iteration of skateshop in Toledo since beginning at Breaking Away in 1989. He will soon be celebrating the 30th anniversary of starting his own shop, Just Skateboarding, back in 1996. He has also worked as a rep for Podium Distribution, Crailtap, and Alien Workshop. He has held it down for the Northwest scene longer than damn near anyone, advocating for countless kids and friends in an area that often gets overshadowed.  Join us in this wide-ranging interview where we discuss the many key figures and stories that help tie Toledo into the broader Ohio scene. Please be sure to support Just as they approach 30 years in business, as well as the ongoing Cooks DIY skatepark project. Thanks again to Scott for his time in helping get these stories out, and for all of his generosity and passion in giving back to skateboarding!
 
Time stamps
 
1:23- intro
4:24- first exposure to skating 
11:15- working at Breaking Away
24:19- Dan Sturt 
30:30-Alien Workshop
44:00-early Toledo scene 
48:45-moving to Colorado
51:30-starting Just Skateshop
1:17:00-working in the industry as a rep
1:26:00-Toledo legends
1:37:30-skateshop challenges
1:57:00-making a living
1:59:30-living in Toledo
2:02:30-Cooks DIY
2:06:25-Toledo ramblings/shout outs

Tim Simmons

Tim came of age in Gahanna, Ohio during the ‘85 skate boom, and quickly developed into one of the Columbus scene’s most memorable prodigies. A Sunsports disciple and team rider, Tim won the famed skatepark’s inaugural contest series in 1990. He would eventually be discovered there by Steve Caballero and Powell-Peralta team manager Jim Fitzpatrick. In one of the most memorable stories told on the podcast to date, Tim was later invited out to the Santa Barbara headquarters by Jim, rubbing elbows and seeing the inner workings of the iconic brand at the end of their dominance. In 1993 he was invited to join Ron Allen’s short lived Fun Skateboards, joining a roster of young legends including Keith Hufnagel, Keenan Milton, and Eric Pupecki. Despite his enormous talent, Tim would eventually forego pursuing a career on the board, instead choosing to earn advanced degrees from Ohio State, sparked by his passion for literature and self-discovery. His career eventually landed him I n Florida, where after many twists and turns, he would go on to launch Shapes Skateboards, a full service custom woodshop serving brands across the nation. He plans to soon relocate back to Ohio with his family and continue his successful business closer to home. This is a fascinating interview into the story of a highly referenced and requested skater, who despite his legacy in the Columbus scene, is quick to deflect credit to others who inspired him along the way. Thank you Tim for your candidness and insight into a fascinating life in skateboarding.

Gabrielle Brownfield

Representing the Canton scene, Gabby is a true artist who has been a pioneer in Ohio for women’s skateboarding. She grew up around skating from the moment she entered the world, thanks to her father and fellow Canton legend Dale. Gabby started to get serious around the age of 11, skating rabidly at the beloved indoor park Evolution. She quickly learned an old school bag of tricks that stood out and set her on a path to competing and placing in several national contests, including the famed Combi Pool in Southern California. A master of inverts, Gabby has focused on transition and vertical skating despite growing up in a street-heavy generation, carrying the torch for those of us who fetishize 80’s style and skate culture. Recently, she completed a massive backyard bowl buildout on her home property that would make any professional park builder jealous. Situated in the privacy of her NE Ohio home, she carried out the lion's share of the hard labor with just her father and husband Nic to help. The project took 10.5 months, and result is a masterpiece in design and construction. This summer, Gabby will be hosting an all-girls skate and art jam on her property, expecting to host up to 100 skaters from across the country. She is an incredible ambassador for ladies skateboarding in Ohio, and it was an honor to have her talk about her skate journey as my first female guest! 
 
1:57-Origins/Gabby’s Dad
10:27- First contests
15:47- Vert skating
17:27-Woodward/being one of a handful of female skaters
19:40-Contest scene/traveling out of state 
23:42- Learning inverts
29:06- Brewce Martin/Skatopia 
31:37- Going to California/Skating the Vans Combi
35:37- Meeting various pros
39:39- Great bowls and ramps
50:03- Making and selling artwork
1:00:42- Building a backyard bowl
1:15:52-Hosting all-girls skate event this summer
1:19:02- Reflecting on her skateboard journey
1:30:43- Kristian Svitak
1:32:27- Her parent’s influence 

Chris Higgins

Chris is one of the most friendly and familiar faces in the Columbus scene. A skate lifer, he has taught hundreds of kids and adults how to confidently skateboard, often seen doing lessons and camps at  Skate Naked (RIP) and other local parks. His enthusiasm and positivity is unmatched, a true role model for countless youth. Chris has been fortunate enough to travel all over the country and world to skate with his wife Megan. Along with many crazy travel stories, Chris talks about growing up in Kent, working at Sunsports, moving to California to work at the Vans park in Orange, giving lessons to Jimmy Wilkins, and much more. Chris has been a part of damn near every chapter of Columbus skate history, and it was an honor to pick his brain about the past, present, and future of our shared passion. Hit him up if you're looking to get your kids or someone new involved in skateboarding! 
www.columbusskateboardinglessons.com 
Time Stamps 
1:26- First exposure to skateboarding
8:04- Meeting other skaters in Kent
11:46- Building ramps with friends
21:31- Skate road trips/ East Coast vert scene
32:56- Skating Dodge
37:24- Moving to Columbus
41:11- Sunsports
47:08- Moving around the country with Megan
57:08- Working at Vans Skatepark in California
1:03:41- Skate lessons 
1:22:39- Female skating
1:29:05- Health of skateboarding industry
1:37:36- M3D skatepark
1:46:31- Wexner Center Bowl
1:50:26- Jimmy Wilkins
1:52:11- Skating internationally 
2:02:16- Having a positive attitude 
2:05:46- Influential Ohio skaters
2:14:43- Closing thoughts 

Travis Monroe- Advocate Skate Works

Launched in January 2023, Advocate Skate Works is a non-profit organization operating out of Lakewood, Ohio, where they passionately serve the Northeast Ohio skate community. Travis and his wife Maddie have helped put quality gear into the hands of thousands of skaters throughout Ohio and beyond. Working with companies such as Vans, Quasi, Baker, NHS, and Thrasher, Advocate Skate Works distributes complete skateboards and shoes at numerous skate-related community events. Their tireless work has aligned with the mission of introducing skateboarding to kids of all backgrounds, and not letting the high cost of entry be a barrier to enjoying a lifelong love of skating as all of us have experienced. Join us as we discuss Travis’ skateboard journey- growing up in Pickerington, working at Dodge as a teen, Sunsports memories,  getting arrested for skating in San Diego, working at the Skatepark of Tampa, and ultimately landing in Cleveland and launching a successful non-profit. Follow their account for updates on several events happening in 2025, and how to get involved or sponsor their mission.  I plan to shine a light on other organizations serving the next generation of skateboarders in Ohio on future episodes!
Time Stamps 
Intro
1:50- Patrick O Dell
8:10- Growing up/intro to skateboarding 
20:10- Local Columbus rippers/Tim Simmons
25:10- Chad Knight
28:21- Skatebording then vs. now
30:10- Road trips/visiting California
35:10- Skating as an adult/moving several times 
45:24-Working at Dodge Skatepark/Donny Humes 
52:06- Getting involved in Non-profit work
58:12- Launching Advocate Skate Works
1:01:18- Partnering with Vans/Giving away product 
1:05:22- Collecting equipment 
1:09:50- Challenges ASW faces
1:18:10- Social media/PR
1:21:57- 2025 Events
1:26:30- The kids they work with/other great organizations
1:39:20- Companies who have helped ASW
1:41:21- Future vision 
1:45:20- Most influential Ohio skater 
1:47:20- Future guests?
1:48:53- Chaz McGee
1:52:30- Closing banter 

Tony Heitz

Tony Heitz is an encyclopedia of Cincinnati skate history. He’s been involved in skateboarding for over 40 years in several capacities both locally and nationally. He was a rider for Basic Skateboards in the early 90s, co-owner of Habitat Skateshop in Dayton, and Anonymous in Cincinnati. Additionally, Tony worked  as Team Manager for Alien Workshop, Habitat, and Seek from 2002-2007. A natural storyteller, Tony knows everyone in skating and remembers vividly all the key details of the early scene in Ohio. It was an honor to hear his story and get the opportunity to share it here with everyone. Look out for some exciting drops from his brand Trifecta in the coming year.
 
Time stamps:
01:09  -Growing up/first exposure to skateboarding
6:25- Broader Cincy scene
15:30- Lunken Skatepark
12:13- More early Cincy skate scene history
31:15- Skaters Island/ Basic Skateboards
40:00- Dayton scene
48:00- Spending time in California  
55:00- Habitat Skateshop
59:35- Solid Brand
1:02:10- Doug K
1:07:35- Joe Castrucci/Habitat
1:13:08- TM for Workshop/Seek/Habitat
1:45:56- Skate memorabilia collection  
1:50:48- Quick hit questions
1:57:18- Trifecta
2:07:33- New skatepark in Cincy
2:15:42- Best memories of skating
2:19:53- Final thoughts
 
 

Noah Utterback- Cleveland Fingerboarding

Today we’re discussing all things fingerboarding with Noah Utterback. Holding down the Cleveland scene, Noah grew up in West Denison and currently lives in Parma with his wife. Noah is a member of Ohio’s own @cvlt_board_co where he is anticipating his own pro model later this year. Noah helped launch the first annual Fingerjam event in Cleveland in 2024, which he hopes will continue to be an annual event for the community.  Additionally Noah can be found at USAFBL sanctioned contests across the nation, and is a major advocate for the growth of the hobby in Ohio and beyond. He often brings  along a custom built ramp modeled after the famed indoor park at TriStar Skateboards to Cleveland area skate events, including the upcoming installment of the underground Baja Blast hardcore punk festival. Noah’s passion is contagious and this episode serves as a catch all for the history of finger boarding and the massive  growth the community has experienced. Hit him up for any questions on how to get started or involved in the hobby in 2025 and beyond!

Bill Minadeo

Hailing from Westerville, Ohio, Bill is one of the most renowned and accomplished skatepark builders in the world. Along with his company California Skateparks, Bill has played a crucial role in developing, designing, and constructing some of the largest and most state-of-the-art skateparks around the globe, including both Olympic courses and largest-in-the-nation Lauridsen Park in Des Moines, as well as local favorites Tuttle and the remodel of historic Dodge in Columbus. He has travelled the world and helped spread stoke and interest in skateboarding in some of the most fascinating countries in the world, and has given countless skaters the opportunity to have a world class park in their community. Bill is a graduate of Ohio State’s Landscape Architecture program, after a stint as a scholarship soccer player at the University of Dayton. His time in Dayton helped fuel his love of skateboarding, surrounded by a flourishing scene in the mid to late 80s, where he would eventually help get Dodge and Sunsports parks built in Columbus. Bill has led a storybook life and shares many of his memories and tales here on the podcast. It was an honor to have to opportunity to spend time with him. Bill currently lives in San Clemente with his family.

John Drake

John is a Generation One street skater that first picked up a board in 1985. Against the odds on the shores of the Ohio River, John came out of working class Chesapeake, Ohio which lies directly  across the water from Huntington, WV.  Along with Ron Patrick from Iguana Skates, John developed his skills from the jump ramp era to scouring the Tri-state for contests and demos, eventually landing in a burgeoning Dayton skate scene that included Rob Dyrdek, Mark Heintzman, and John Buchanan. As Alien Workshop started its infancy, John left Assault Skateboards to join the Mothership in 1991, staying in that family until roughly 1999. Together with Rob, John would eventually move to San Diego to pursue a higher ceiling in his skate career, and eventually the two settled into Pacific Beach in the famed “Alien House”, where nearly every skateboarder that mattered in the era would pass through. John tells his story in this epic three hour interview that chronicles many of the most important moments, scenes, and figures of the Ohio skate scene. This podcast was started partially in hopes of unraveling the origins and stories behind Alien Workshop, and John delivers big time in helping tell the story as one of the earliest members of the Sovereign Sect. Im not sure there’s an Ohio skater out there who has seen and been a part of more epic skate history than John.
Please check out and subscribe to John’s YouTube channel @SoleSerfer, where he reviews and provides historic information on the footwear and apparel that has influenced him most throughout the years. Shouts to John for doing this, and to @chromeball for laying the foundational information from his first interview.

Nick Accurso

My latest guest is Cincinnati OG Nick Accurso. Nick has been skating since 1986- around the time street skating was born. Representing the west side of Cincy, "Fat Nick", as he’s known, played a key role in several extremely influential projects in Cincinnati underground culture. From Art Director for Strength Magazine, to co-owning Anonymous Skateshop from 1999-2012, and co-founding groundbreaking hip hop and graffiti event Scribble Jam. Filmer, entrepreneur, designer, photographer, and family man are just some of the many hats he’s worn. He even had a photo published as a young man in Thrasher shot by Giovanni Reda. With Anonymous, Nick helped film and produce three essential videos that stand the test of time and captured the look and feel of Cincy's one of a kind vibe.
Nick currently lives in Clifton with his family and is still skating to this day with his son. He has an amazing memory and is a great storyteller, recalling many key names and moments in the development of Ohio skating. This was a personal milestone episode for me as an admirer and fan of Cincinnati skating for many years, but since I didn't grew up there, I only heard the stories. Thanks to Nick for his generosity and time with this, and to Chris Luessen for helping to write the interview.
Look out for the Scribble Jam documentary coming soon, as well as an exhibit happening now at the Cincinnati Art Museum!