St. Louis Skate Shop

The skateboarding scene in St. Louis has been growing a lot over the last eleven years, with shops like Infinity supporting the fans loyally since opening. With the increase in popularity what were once hot spots like Kiener Plaza are no longer skateable or are heavily policed making it risky business to even attempt a session. Many parks have been springing up to help with the problem but in many cases they are far out of the way or development was sloppy.

Byrnes Mill
http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&VideoID=10252828 Was really exciting being one of the first serious concrete parks in the area but the layout is laughable and its out in the middle of no where

South City YMCA Skatepark
http://www.ymcastlouis.org/south-city-family-ymca/skate-park Is actually not a bad park and the concrete was well laid but it has lousy hours and has separate sessions for boards and bikes making it a headach when you roll up on the wrong day%u2026 Not to mention that there isn't a skate shop near.

The Elm St. Charles Skatepark
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wNLSYcz4aiE Has a very odd layout and seems to be mostly friendly to rail skaters. Much like the other parks its way out in the middle of nowhere and has no skate shop near it.

Probably one of the most exciting developments would be the creation of the Kingshighway Skatepark
http://kingshighwayskateboarding.blogspot.com/ This spot is really turning into something special having been created in the spirit of Burnside the like its unique and supported by some really talented skaters. The area its in however is a little sketchy but if you're willing to brave it I would highly suggest stopping by.

Jefferson Barracks
http://skatespotter.com/spot/saint-louis-jefferson-barracks-908.html A miserable disappointment to many and like most failed projects keeps getting put on hold so in its three years of development all they really have achieved is poorly laid coping , steep low rails, low ledges, steep pyramids and crowds of kids that stand on the best obstacles making riding them impossible.

Ramp Riders Indoor Skatepark and Skate Shop
http://rampriders.net/
This park has been under constant development since opening at its old location. The old location was its best incarnation but the current owner is all about making the park better and will listen to the input of the customers. The current layout is geared more towards bikes but they do have some amazing mini ramps and if you are willing to be active on the site and forum have the opportunity to give input making the park better for everyone. Owners loyalty to his customers aside Ramp Riders also has a Skate Shop and Bike Shop inside the park making it easy to buy broken parts or upgrade if you want better performance.

What's the best choice for you?
Opinions will be formed about every skatepark you visit and will vary from person to person but one thing wont change and that's that you might need to replace your gear when at the skate park. Having a well stocked skate shop close to your spot can mean the difference between learning that new trick or sitting at home on your butt. In any case support your local Skateshop and do everything you can to improve your scene!