MIKE PETERSON & THE BLOCK SKATE SHOP

By Garret Mantle

Mike Peterson is an honorable and well-known pro skateboarder from Jacksonville, Florida who has made an impact on the skate community here for years. Peterson has been skateboarding for 35 years now, riding for numerous companies over the span of his career including: Sunrise, Volcom, Globe, 5boro, Hulk, World Industries, Eastwood and Consolidated Skateboards. At age 44 Mike still gets after it - skating whenever he has downtime and even delving deeper into the cultural side of skateboarding and opening a skate shop in late 2014 with Pete McMahon and James Smith. 

What originally was an indoor wooden skatepark, later became an amazing local skate shop and a reputable landmark for the skateboarding scene here in the Jacksonville area. Complimented with a concrete skate plaza in the back, it’s definitely worth a visit to simply browse around or check out the new apparel and some of the latest skateboard products. If, however, you can’t make it to their Springfield or Orange Park location, they also offer an online store which gives you the convenience of shopping from your home. 

Now with The Block’s main location nestled in its historic downtown location the guys are showing no signs of slowing down. Mike, Pete, James and the other employees at the shop have done so much for the skate community thus far, and also have plans to add a shaded overhang to the skate plaza behind the shop. It’s well on its way to becoming the new hotspot for touring skate companies and up and coming skaters in the area. 

I was lucky enough to sit with Mike for a bit and ask some questions.

HOW DID YOU GET INTO SKATEBOARDING?

“I was like nine and my neighbor had built a ramp at his house, and I would just go over there and watch him skate or whatever. That was it, it’s kinda crazy, how instant. You know what I mean? I was into it.”

AS FAR AS THE SHOP GOES, WHAT ARE SOME FUTURE GOALS YOU HAVE IN PLACE FOR THE SHOP?

“I’d like to see more skateboard companies come through here and maybe with what we have going on, and what we’re presenting, and what we’re doing for the skate community, will help bring those people here who wanna come here. Like you know how people come from the west coast and like Atlanta is a destination spot, or Miami is a destination spot, well, it would be sick if Jacksonville was a destination spot. Where dudes would want to come here and hit street spots. Its rad if they come to the shop but I more just want them here to be here.”

“My other goal is when we did the Boards for Bros thing on the day before Go Skate Day when we gave out the boards for kids and stuff. I hope that where and are, and what we’re offering and the location we are, that we save some kids lives from choosing the wrong paths.”

ANY LAST-MINUTE ADVICE OR QUOTES
YOU LIVE BY THAT YOU’D LIKE TO SHARE?

“A quote that I’ve been kinda living by, it really is, it’s that a mistake that makes you humble is better than an achievement that makes you arrogant. And I think that’s skateboarding in a nutshell.”