So Long, Department of Skateboarding

So Department Of Skateboarding is officially shut. That's an indoor skatepark that's been putting a roof over the rainy-day skating of all the above dudes, plus many more, for a decade-ish. I can't claim to be part of the family—I sorta got grandfathered in at the last minute via Lance—but I did pass a hell of lot of time inside these walls and I guess kinda learned to skateboard in the process.

No matter who you are, no matter if you were too cool for this place or thought this place was too cool for school, ’tis a bit of a sad day—it's always sad when something ends, right? But maybe when the rain starts flying, a new spot will pop up like a phoenix out of the ashes....or something.

They had a BBQ blowout and friends and family session last night, to say good-bye. Water balloons everywhere. A hundred sweaty dudes skating for hours. Beers on the street. And the cops came. So long, Department!