JC Xtreme Hobby and Skate Shop also carries remote control cars and helicopters as well as paint ball equipment.
By: Paul Koepp
Where do the business ventures of a tattoo artist and a paintball enthusiast intersect? Anyone who’s been to the JC Xtreme Hobby and Skate Shop on Ridge Road in Monmouth Junction already knows the answer.
Kids wandered in and out of the shop Tuesday afternoon as co-owners Casey Yoder and Jody Polansky, both of Kendall Park, talked about the business they opened together in June.
Mr. Yoder, who also works at a tattoo parlor in Staten Island, N.Y., said people were interested in his shirt and hat designs as well as his tattoo artwork, and he was thinking about starting a clothing line when he was introduced to Mr. Polansky through a mutual friend.
Mr. Polansky previously ran a paintball shop, On Top Paintball, with a playing field on New Road, and when the two agreed that South Brunswick could use a skate shop, they combined forces to open the store in Monmouth Junction near the S-curves of Ridge Road.
Just don’t come in looking for a tattoo. JC X carries skateboard equipment, paintball supplies and remote-control cars and planes. A typical skateboard setup, including the deck, truck and wheels, costs about $170, Mr. Yoder said, while a paintball gun could cost between $100 and $500.
Mr. Polansky, who owns a construction company that does work for HGTV, said they might also open a track for the remote-control cars in the basement of the shop.
Although the store sells clothing from other companies, Mr. Yoder said a T-shirt he designed was the most popular piece of apparel and there may be more.
"I have 20 to 30 designs ready to manufacture," he said.
To help support the shop, Mr. Yoder, who has been a skateboarder for about 20 years, has already formed a skate team with five local teenage skaters: Paul and Matt Oberstrom, Bruce Weaver, Tom Brennan and Adam Hanasewych. He chose the team members based on their skills and personality, as well as on performance videos that he judged.
The team performs at competitions and demonstrations, like an upcoming event Aug. 25 at the Flemington Skate Park, and receives products from the shop in return for promoting it, he said.
"If they keep going, these kids could turn professional," Mr. Yoder said.
However, skaters have to overcome some difficulties to practice their sport, he said, including overcoming some people’s negative image of its culture.
"It’s a crime. You can’t skate anywhere," Mr. Yoder said. "The whole world’s about stereotypes. Nobody gives you a chance, and nobody appreciates how difficult skateboarding is."
The store’s owners said they were pleased that the township built a skate park in Reichler Park, although it was not a factor in their decision to start the business.
The shop is open Tuesday through Friday from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m., Saturday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., although the hours are still flexible. Mr. Yoder and Mr. Polansky are hopeful that business, which has been slow during the languid summer months, will pick up once school starts.