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SPRINGBORO — After 14 years riding his skateboard business up and down, John Carter Jr. decided it was time to land in his hometown.

The young local crowd, already making air on the ramps and rails at North Park, quickly alerted other teens, their parents and grandparents.

"It's good. You don't have to drive some place," said Joseph Waid, as his grandson, Joseph Waid, 13, of Springboro, shopped with his mom last week for T-shirts to go with the Blind Complete skateboard he'd already picked up at Carter's shop.

"He was actually my first customer," said Carter, who also hopes to cater barbecue bashes on the second floor of the building, home of the Logan Taylor Hair Salon.

Carter, 44, had a skateboard as a boy, a plastic board and "old school wheels." Today, a shop has to carry a wide range of equipment, as well as clothing, to attract customers.

Carter, who's peddled skateboards — and all the rad gear — in Kettering, Columbus and Cincinnati, opened the latest Badboards shop late last month at 140 S. Main St., a building constructed in 1890.

He opened here after closing stores at Eastgate Mall in Cincinnati and Tuttle Crossing in Columbus after "absolutely the worst (holiday shopping season) I've ever seen since I got in business."

The shop also helps store inventory and eliminate the costs of commuting. But he still operates a store at the Cincinnati Mills mall.

"I can keep a close eye on it," said Carter, who sold T-shirts at area flea markets before opening skateboard shops in Cincinnati, Kettering and Columbus.

"Now you don't have to go all the way to the Dayton Mall," said Marty Edgar, 14, of Springboro, seated in the store last week.

While Edgar got his first skateboard at the mall, Waid was able to get rolling without leaving town.

Waid paid about $150 for his board. Carter plans to carry a line of lower-priced shop decks (boards bearing his brand) and trucks (axles), which connect the decks to the simply named wheels.

His wife, Becky, is a partner. Their daughter, Ashley, is a sophomore at Springboro High School.

Carter, who has been keeping the store open from 2 to 6:30 p.m., can be reached at (937) 550-0105.

While anxious about the new venture, Carter said he decided the time and place were right.

"I knew there were a lot of kids around here," he said. "I decided it was worth a try. I live here. It was something I had to finally do."

Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2261 or

lbudd@DaytonDailyNews.com.

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