NJ Skateshop
NJ Skateshop
A look into a corner of NJ Skateshop
Words by Christine Palumbo
Hello my name is Christine Palumbo. By the time you read this I will have gotten married to Chris Nieratko, former editor of Big Brother magazine and current partner in NJ Skateshop, which would then make me Christine Nieratko. Or, as I prefer, Cris Nieratko. Thats right. Now there are two Chris Nieratkos in the world. Isnt that scary? Chris says he wants to name all of our kids Chris, just like George Foreman, so we can have a small army of Chris Nieratkos running around. I dont think I can handle giving birth to an army; two or three is fine. But an army, I dont think so.
Anyway, the reason Im writing this and not Chris is because he said if he wrote it, it would be misconstrued as propaganda and completely unobjective. I dont know how impartial I am since Im sleeping with one of the owners of the shop, but Ill try my best.
NJ Skateshop officially opened in July of 2003 but it existed long before that. Right around 2001 when I met Chris he mentioned that his partner Troy Jankowski was lobbying for a skatepark in Sayreville. Its really thanks to Troy that you have the cement park in Sayreville to skate. He single-handedly attended weekly meetings with the township to get the park built and built right. Not just one of those crappy parks that you always see. I think he did a good job, but I dont skate, so what do I know?
Once it became official that the park would be cement Troy and Chris got together with their childhood friend Steve Lenardo and began all the planning for what is now NJ Skateshop.
The funny thing is, I dont know if I should be saying this, but when they opened the shop sucked. They had like 10 boards on the wall, 5 styles of shoes and they refused to turn on the lights or air conditioner because they were scared to spend money. Three years later they sometimes leave the lights on over night, they always have 150 boards in stock, more shoes than you can count, and are about to open their second store. Last month Chris brought me home a pair of Nike Dunks that they designed and yesterday a black Es Accel with their logo on it. I think its pretty amazing what the three of them were able to accomplish in such a short amount of time. Im very proud of all three of them, as Im sure Steves wife Nancy and Troys wife Rebecca are, but sometimes their success can be a real pain in the ass.
Right after the shop opened, Chris and I got engaged. In the time since, Ive barely seen him because it seems like every waking minute is dedicated to the shop. He could be sitting in front of me and his head would still be at the store, trying to come up with some new silly t-shirt idea or some way to improve the store. He talks in his sleep. Did you know that? Nothing interesting, just, Did you cross the shoe size off? or Measure at the front trucks. I dont even know what that means, I just know its got something to do with work. But I guess like the mafia, you have to know going into it what kind of man you are marrying, and our guys are working stiffs. Steve is still a schoolteacher, Troy is still a landscaper, and Chris is still a writer. They just do the shop because they love skateboarding. Not to get rich. And we are certainly not rich. Chris only lets me flush the toilet once a day (unless its poop, then I can flush it).
I asked him once why they put in so many hours for so little reward and the answer made him smile and reminisce about his childhood. When we were kids there were some really good shops, shops that cared about skateboarding, the scene and the community. It wasnt all about profit. They threw demos, had contests and just promoted skateboarding in a positive way. Somewhere along the line that changed in Jersey. Troy, Steve, and I want to bring that back and be able to give kids the same kind of memories that were holding onto for the rest of our lives.
Sounds like some Morrissey lyrics to me. But what do I know?
NJ Skateshop 389
Washington Rd #2
Sayreville, NJ 08872
Hello my name is Christine Palumbo. By the time you read this I will have gotten married to Chris Nieratko, former editor of Big Brother magazine and current partner in NJ Skateshop, which would then make me Christine Nieratko. Or, as I prefer, Cris Nieratko. Thats right. Now there are two Chris Nieratkos in the world. Isnt that scary? Chris says he wants to name all of our kids Chris, just like George Foreman, so we can have a small army of Chris Nieratkos running around. I dont think I can handle giving birth to an army; two or three is fine. But an army, I dont think so.
Anyway, the reason Im writing this and not Chris is because he said if he wrote it, it would be misconstrued as propaganda and completely unobjective. I dont know how impartial I am since Im sleeping with one of the owners of the shop, but Ill try my best.
NJ Skateshop officially opened in July of 2003 but it existed long before that. Right around 2001 when I met Chris he mentioned that his partner Troy Jankowski was lobbying for a skatepark in Sayreville. Its really thanks to Troy that you have the cement park in Sayreville to skate. He single-handedly attended weekly meetings with the township to get the park built and built right. Not just one of those crappy parks that you always see. I think he did a good job, but I dont skate, so what do I know?
Once it became official that the park would be cement Troy and Chris got together with their childhood friend Steve Lenardo and began all the planning for what is now NJ Skateshop.
The funny thing is, I dont know if I should be saying this, but when they opened the shop sucked. They had like 10 boards on the wall, 5 styles of shoes and they refused to turn on the lights or air conditioner because they were scared to spend money. Three years later they sometimes leave the lights on over night, they always have 150 boards in stock, more shoes than you can count, and are about to open their second store. Last month Chris brought me home a pair of Nike Dunks that they designed and yesterday a black Es Accel with their logo on it. I think its pretty amazing what the three of them were able to accomplish in such a short amount of time. Im very proud of all three of them, as Im sure Steves wife Nancy and Troys wife Rebecca are, but sometimes their success can be a real pain in the ass.
Right after the shop opened, Chris and I got engaged. In the time since, Ive barely seen him because it seems like every waking minute is dedicated to the shop. He could be sitting in front of me and his head would still be at the store, trying to come up with some new silly t-shirt idea or some way to improve the store. He talks in his sleep. Did you know that? Nothing interesting, just, Did you cross the shoe size off? or Measure at the front trucks. I dont even know what that means, I just know its got something to do with work. But I guess like the mafia, you have to know going into it what kind of man you are marrying, and our guys are working stiffs. Steve is still a schoolteacher, Troy is still a landscaper, and Chris is still a writer. They just do the shop because they love skateboarding. Not to get rich. And we are certainly not rich. Chris only lets me flush the toilet once a day (unless its poop, then I can flush it).
I asked him once why they put in so many hours for so little reward and the answer made him smile and reminisce about his childhood. When we were kids there were some really good shops, shops that cared about skateboarding, the scene and the community. It wasnt all about profit. They threw demos, had contests and just promoted skateboarding in a positive way. Somewhere along the line that changed in Jersey. Troy, Steve, and I want to bring that back and be able to give kids the same kind of memories that were holding onto for the rest of our lives.
Sounds like some Morrissey lyrics to me. But what do I know?
NJ Skateshop 389
Washington Rd #2
Sayreville, NJ 08872
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