Carlsbad is filled with small businesses and specialty shops. One of these is Status Skateshop, which was started by Bryan Tracey when he wanted to provide locals and tourists with a fun skate shop where they could feel welcomed and try new things.
Tracey started skateboarding at a young age. “I loved skating,” said Tracey. “It was my preferred mode of transportation.” He would skate everywhere, and even in college, he would skateboard to his classes.
But he grew up in Michigan where there were fewer resources for skateboarders.
“We didn’t have a lot of skateparks. I didn’t really know a lot of other people that skated,” Tracey said. “Carlsbad is a great place to be a skater. We have so many surrounding skateparks.” Professional skaters live here, and many shops and other resources exist.
As he got older, Tracey stopped skating consistently until his six-year-old son wanted to buy a skateboard. He was happy because that meant he could also get back into skating with his son. He went to buy both of them new skateboards, but he couldn’t find a good quality one for his son.
“If you wanted a small skateboard, it tended to be really junky. And if you wanted a good skateboard, it tended to be really big,” he said.
This led to the creation of SkateXS, a skateboard brand for children ages five to 12. SkateXS skateboards are high-quality boards that are safe for children. The brand was created in 2010 and still makes custom-built boards today.
After the success of SkateXS, Tracey decided to open Status Skateshop in 2020. Since then, he has slowly built his shop into what it is today. When visitors enter the shop, the first thing they see is a massive wall of skate decks.
In addition to traditional skateboards, some of the most popular additions to the shop are surfskate set-ups, which mimic the sensation of surfing while riding a skateboard.
According to Tracey, Status Skateshop has the largest selection of surfskate boards in the US. Tracey encourages trying out different boards.
“Until you ride on one you don’t know which one’s right for you. So having that experience is really important for us,” he said.
The shop is known for hosting, sponsoring and helping out at different events, from surfskate competitions to fingerboarding events and even e-skate events. Status recently participated in the Super Girl Surfskate Contest, which was a free festival with “concerts, surfing, giveaways, and more” according to their Instagram.
One of the things Tracey likes best about owning Status is the fact that it has become a place for skaters of all ages to hang out and learn more about skating. On any day of the week, visitors can find a variety of people hanging out at the shop.
“My favorite part is when you come out here and there is a family that’s playing with skateboards,” Tracey said. “You might have some of the kids showing off, you might have them learning, but they’re actually just here playing. It’s really about them having a good time.”
