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Skateboarding

Inside Richmond, Virginia’s, gritty DIY skate scene

Tour the underground skate scene in Richmond, Virginia, where skaters are defying conformity and embracing individuality.
By Niall Neeson
4 min readPublished on
One of the strengths of Greetings From as a skate show format is that it means we can not only take you inside the skate scenes of different cities, but also celebrate the variety of experiences you find in different kinds of cities, as well.
As the only boardsport that's dependent on the built environment for riding terrain, skateboarding culture evolves differently in different places.
Part of skateboarding’s cultural pivot away from pristine Californian skatespots over the past 20 years has been the opportunity it has afforded other American scenes to shine.

What is the skate scene like in Richmond, VA?

Richmond, Virginia, on the eastern seaboard of the USA, is one of those city scenes that'll resonate with anyone who comes from a skate scene of tennis court box-ledges and edge-of-town ‘cheese grater’ ditch spots, DIY parks built in the footprint of demolished buildings, and friendships that last from early teens into shaped boards and protruding bellies.
"It’s so cliched to say ‘our spots are rough and crusty,' but they are," says Richmond local and pro skateboarder Gilbert Crockett.
Jiro Platt frontside boardslides a ledge into a downhill rollaway in Richmond, Virginia, USA.

Jiro Platt - Front Board

© Jonathan Mehring

Josh Viles gets fully extended on a DIY quarterpipe in Richmond, Virginia, USA.

Josh Viles - Madonna

© Jonathan Mehring

Brian Geib caresses the lip of a DIY construction

Brian Geib - No Comply Tailslide

© Jonathan Mehring

Ian Mondragon charging at Richmond's Midlo Ditch.

Ian Mondragon - Wallie Melanchollie

© Jonathan Mehring

It’s so cliched to say ‘our spots are rough and crusty', but they are
Gilbert Crockett
A perfect example of the uniqueness of Richmond’s skate terrain, and the way that expresses itself in the skating of the locals, are the Midlo Ditch and River Bowl – the first complete with spined Jersey barriers only a local could handle, the latter a DIY micro-bowl on a massive concrete slab overhanging a fast-running section of the James River.
Alyssa Lee prepares to drop in at Texas Beach Skatepark on the production of Greetings From Richmond in Richmond, VA on June 30th, 2022

Alyssa Lee prepares to drop in at Texas Beach Skatepark

© Jonathan Mehring/Red Bull Content Pool

Other honourable mentions for their DIY contributions to the Richmond skate scene are Texas Beach and the ridiculously professional Lost Bowl, which builder Pat Lowery was gracious enough to invite us to shred. Something which Lowery describes as being "a little more refined that your average DIY."
Pat Lowery sits for a portrait on the production of Greetings From Richmond in Richmond, Virginia, USA, on June 30, 2022.

Pat Lowery at the Lost Bowl

© Jonathan Mehring / Red Bull Content Pool

It’s a little more refined than your average DIY
Pat Lowery

Skate spots in Richmond, VA

  • SunTrust Ledges – One of the OG Richmond spots, the ledges are great, but the ground takes time to get used to. “Only the people local, born and bred Richmond are really good at that spot,” says Pat Burke.
  • White Walls – a parking lot with a steep bank with concrete ride-up.
  • TF – a hodgepodge of boxes, rails and ramps in a tennis court. “It’s a good spot to skate where you won’t get kicked out,” says Daniel Ravenal.
  • Midlo Ditch – a rough, weathered, but cherished spot.
  • River Bowl – small DIY concrete shallow bowl between the train tracks and James River.
  • Texas Beach – a constant evolution that’s open to all styles of skating.
  • Lost Bowl – backyard skate/swimming pool, a DIY built by all local skaters says Lowery. “We were taught by someone who comes from legit skatepark building. It’s a little more refined than your average DIY, there’s something to skate for everyone here.”
  • 28th St Skate Park – started off as a DIY and evolved, the first 'official' park.
  • Bike Lot – indoor bowl and a private keyholder spot in Richmond.
  • Southside Skate Park – brand new concrete park finished in 2022 featuring bowls, slides and ramps.
Solace Skateboards owner Rob Lee gets back to nature in Virginia.

Rob Lee - Carving

© Jonathan Mehring

Travis Hart pumps through a carving frontside wallride for the appreciation of his canine friend.

Travis Hart - Frontside Wallride

© Jonathan Mehring

Ian Mondragon leans into a lipless tailslide in a Richmond drainage ditch.

Ian Mondragon - Tailslide

© Jonathan Mehring

Trevor Hart styles out a boneless one at Richmond's DIY River Bowl.

Trevor Hart - Boneless

© Jonathan Mehring

While in town we also went to find out a little bit more about the hardgoods businesses that keep the Richmond scene in stuntwood. We met with Maury Blankinship at his awesome Venue Skateshop, as well as meeting Solace of Mind Skateboards owner Rob Lee, and Peyton Crawford, who runs Manic Skateboard Co – both of whom strive to put their own creative twists on Richmond skate culture today.

Skate shop in Richmond VA

  • Venue Skate Shop – they've been on the Richmond, Carytown, scene since the '90s and are super-involved in the community, from helping build skateparks to lessons.
So a very different kind of American city skate scene we bring you this episode, then, with Jonathan Mehring’s snapshot of a moment in time from one of those relaxed, inter-generational heartbeat skate scenes of a lesser-seen America, which is its own kind of wonderful.
Enjoy our skateboarding guide to the streets of the state capital of Virginia, USA, as the local skaters bid you farewell with Greetings From Richmond.
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