There’s a new hot spot for skateboarders in downtown State College.
IQ Skateshop, located on the corner of South Pugh Street and Calder Way, offers board decks, completes, wheels, trucks, apparel, footwear and more to meet your skateboarding needs.
IQ Skateshop opened its doors on Aug. 28. Co-owners Jake Johnson, Clint Kunselman and Ben Wentz partnered to open it with the hopes to create a hub for skateboarders in the area — something that didn’t exist for Wentz and Johnson while they were growing up skating in State College.
“We want this to be a destination where people can come and find products that they can’t find, you know, anywhere else,” Wentz said.
Kunselman came to help Johnson and Wentz open IQ with his experience from running his own skate shop in DuBois. The trio has seen a lot of beginners and skaters who are getting back into the sport.
“The shop has been like a conduit just to bring skaters back out, and a place for them to come and meet up,” Johnson said.
Unlike Wentz, Jake Johnson is not a Penn State grad. Johnson found success in a professional skateboarding career that started back in 2007 and took him from his home in State College as he worked and traveled with sponsors over the last 14 years.
Johnson hopes the shop can help eager new skaters get started. He also hopes to use his influence to act as a voice for the skateboarders who are already here. Johnson’s been working with the State College Borough on plans for a new action sports park, which are still being developed for High Point Park.
Between 5 and 8 p.m. on Friday, Johnson and Wentz will be at 3 Dots Downtown, 137 E. Beaver Ave., displaying the new skate park concept with the use of virtual reality headsets. The public is welcome to come and add input for the design.
