Kristian Svitak

It’s not everyday you get to spend hours talking to one of your skateboarding heroes, but Kristian Svitak happens to be one of the most humble and generous guys in the skate industry, and we are lucky to call him one of Ohio's own. Hailing from Garfield Heights, no one has ever repped Ohio harder than him. Kristian was part of a memorable era of skateboarding that re-introduced a new generation to punk rock music, individualism in both fashion and trick selection, and a predisposition for throwing down some of the gnarliest hammers in skate history. Kristian’s fearless and hard working style epitomized his blue collar Cleveland roots, and his uncompromising outlook towards skateboarding has been an asset to an industry so often willing to sell out. It’s hard to put into words what it meant to me as a young punk rock kid seeing his last part in Label Kills, which played on repeat before going out skating with friends growing up. After a long stint with Mike V’s Street Plant as well as owning and operating 1031 Skateboards, Kristian recently joined the ranks of the OG legends at Blockhead Skateboards. Check out their excellent new video Heads Up. Additionally, please check out his new podcast and Instagram page, Cleveland Skateboarding Storytellers, for a detailed look into the personalities and history of the Cleveland skate scene. Above all his accomplishments on the board, Kristian strikes me as a loyal friend to many in the skateboard world, and a thoughtful family man that has never forgotten where he came from.