Photos by Timmy Pham. Words by Migdol

Save for the heat and humidity, Austin Texas is as about as close to a skateboarder’s utopian paradise as one can get. Austin’s got it all. The city has an amazing variety of spots to skate, insane live music scene, cool locals, and the most beautiful and friendly girls I’ve seen anywhere in the world.

The Grand Opening of the CCS Austin store coincided with something called the ROT rally. ROT stands for Republic Of Texas, initially I was worried that it was some gnarly separatist movement intent on splintering Texas off from the rest of the U.S. but it turns out it’s just a fun loving Motorcycle Rally for really proud Texans. This was the perfect weekend for a visit from the Alien Workshop Team since Heath Kirchart and Arto Saari are devoted Harley riders. Habitat’s Guru Khalsa and Austyn Gillette also came to our CCS Austin store to sign autographs and greet fans.  Unfortunately in the end, Arto couldn’t make it because of a scheduling clash.

The autograph signing on Saturday June 12^th, was only a small part of the plan, there were heaps of giveaways and the grandmother of all giveaways: We were flowing out 50, fifty dollar gift cards all day. Everybody who came into the store got a fortune cookie. 50 Austinites walked away with a fifty dollar gift card if the cookie had the message: Big Fifty: CCS Gift Card. Lucky kids were walking in with haggard old setups and leaving with brand new fresh decks, trucks, and wheels. It was a beautiful thing.

The plan was a nice autograph signing followed by a skate session at the famous Austin High Ditch unfortunately the 90-degree heat put a stop to that idea real quick. What does the Austin skate scene do when it’s too hot to skate? They go swimming in a swimming hole. It was the sickest swim demo ever.

Though this photo doesn’t show it that line went all the way around the building.
Fans were charged up and ready for some sweet autograph action.

The great Heath Kirchart, Aystin Gillette, and Texas’ own Guru Khalsa made their
sharpies sing for the fans.

Nobody left empty handed! Nobody! These kids were hyped, clearly the best day of
their entire lives!

Fifty people left with 50 dollars of free CCS shopping money. CCS Love. Gotta love it.

This was not a winning fortune cookie. Don’t feel badly, this person received a
very valuable message.

Tons of product made it into the hands of Austin’s future shredders.

After the Grand Opening festivities we all went swimming at a local swimming hole.
On the left is CCS Austin Store’s Brandon Boehm. Brandon is a local ripper that you
for sure want gripping your new board. On the right is The Habitat TM Brennan Conroy.
Good times.

Guru Khalsa. Amazing skateboarding. Amazing swimmer.

Guru and your’s truly. Cold soda pop is great on a hot day.
Check those Texas flag trucks in the background. Texans are a proud bunch.



Downtown Austin.


Beautiful Austin Texas.


This dude was pinstripping on the street.


One of the thousands of custom choppers linning the streets of Austin.


This trike has a bigger engine than my car.


In Austin there is live music everywhere. This trio serenaded me while I ate huevos
rancheros for breakfast.

BIG THANKS goes out to everyone at Alien Workshop and Habitat who helped make the CCS Austin Grand Opening a huge success.  Stay tuned to the CCS blog for info on a CCS store opening near you.