Al’s Skate Co, a skateboarding institution found in Wodonga, has been servicing the local rippers since 2019. Al Taylor, owner and local rad skate Dad, has been on the board since he was 12, a total of 28 years (do the math to work out how old Al actually is…!)
A common skate love story, Al would walk past a group of older teens on his way to school skating their homemade quarter pipe in their front yard. In typical skateboard share the love fashion, they let Al have a go and he hasn’t put his board down since.
Following his dream, and supported by his wife Rachael, they took the plunge in 2019 and opened an indoor skate park. Working as an accountant verse owning your own skatepark …… not a hard decision!
Being a family run business, Al and Rachael (plus their 3 kids!) operate their indoor skate park, skate shop and café, offering skate lessons to the local grommies, further sharing the love that first ignited Al’s passion for skateboarding. Their commitment to the local skaters extends to the sponsoring of up and coming rippers Ollie Hunter (@_olliehunter) Bodie McAuliffe (@bodie_mcauliffe) and Saxon Haines (@that_saxon_kid).
The local community has fully embraced Al and Rachael’s vision for Al’s Skate Co, the benefit of being located in a bustling local area. Al’s Skate Co offers school visits, Council Skate Park Workshops, Grass-Roots Competitions, Skateboarding Mental Health Programs and a Refugee Skateboard program. If they weren’t busy enough, Al and Rachael founded a not for profit organisation “Drop in and Take off” to make their activities free and accessible to all.
“To encourage participation in skateboarding, introduce and engage people of all ages in the skateboarding community whilst promoting the physical and mental health benefits”.Al Taylor
Now is the time to support those that continue growing the skateboarding scene – Al’s Skate Co is the epitome of this! If you are in the Wodonga hood, pop on in, tell them Project Distribution sent you!
Al’s Skate Co
Address: 2/155 Melbourne Rd, Wodonga VIC 3690
Telephone: (02) 6024 3536
Website: www.alsskateco.com.au
Instagram: @alsskateco
Owner/Skater Al Taylor (Photo by Allison Jess for ABC Goulburn Murray)