2021: A Year in Review

Taking a moment to reflect on what we are thankful for & what was accomplished in 2021 with the hard work from our team, the support of our customers & the help from our community.

2021 brought more changes all our lives we had to adapt to but if 2020 taught us anything it was to always look for the good in those changes.  We felt that most in the changes in our team this past year.

 

In January of '21, we found out we would be losing two key staff members to the shop, Jadin Diaz & Anthony Clifford.  They had amazing opportunities waiting for them in California & we are happy to report they are thriving out there.  They would not be the last to leave but we love seeing our people leave us to grow in their own journey.

 

As familiar faces left, new ones came in & we welcomed Aidan WIlson, Quintin Fernandez, Ashton Normand and Jesse Avalos to the HB Crew.  They would carry the torch the others passed on and would help us on recording breaking sales days, help document events & create innovative content for both HB & 2BV.

Before he was even hired, Quintin Fernandez would work on a major project with us to start the year: Skate Shop Day. 

With the support of S.S.D. and DLXSF, we were able to collaborate with a legend in skateboarding: Mark Gonzalez.  The GONZ made custom art work for us and a group of hand selected skateshops across the globe that we used to make limited edition products that were meant to help shops in one of the slowest sales months of the year.

 

Very proud of a few other projects the team developed this year to raise money for other local organizations too. 

With the design skills of Armani Canales, we released the You Matter T-Shirt promoting mental health awareness which raised money for NAMI Lehigh Valley & Afros in Nature. 

 

We followed that up with another design by Armani for PRIDE with the Sign of Love T-Shirt that raised funds for LV Girls Rock.

 

In 2021 we saw the continued growth with of our shop's most important long-term projects: Push Ahead, Complete-A-Christmas & Help Over Hype.  These are the ways we try to us our business to connect our customers to the community where there is need.

 

Push Ahead is our after-school skate program that gives kids in Title-1 schools access to skateboards, safety equipment, ramps & also mentors.

 

We teach the kids the basics of skating but more importantly, how to overcome challenges and build supportive friendships through the lens of skateboarding. 

 

At the end of 2021, we were invited to bring Push Ahead to 2 Allentown schools so in 2022 we will be in all three Lehigh Valley school districts.

 

The shop hosted Complete-A-Christmas for the 10th year in a row in 2021 & we surpassed 2020 by donating over 50 new skateboards in kids, families and Push Ahead schools. 

 

The generosity and donations from our customers have made all of this possible.

 

Help Over Hype is our way of turning the hype around Nike SB Dunk releases to do good where there is a need in our community.

This year, our focus were collecting used skateboards for kids & school supplies for teachers in order to be eligible for a chance to purchase the coveted shoes. 

 

Homebase is able to do this work outside of operating 2 brick-and-mortar businesses only because our team cares about these initiatives too.  It's our staff's willingness to step up, take on new roles that has allowed us to focus on giving back too.

 

 

2021 was also huge year for our skateboarding scene with the opening of 2 great skateparks and the expansion of 1 DIY spot for the community.

FreeFall Energy Center & Skatepark in Quakertown opened in the Spring.

 

The first phase of the Jordan Skatepark in Allentown opened in the Fall.

The Cherrybrook DIY in Phillipsburg has been steadily growing thanks to the hard work of the 5 & Dime Crew, Jake Baldini and the other volunteers.

Even with all the new skateparks, spots like Forks, The ZA, Macungie & Keck continue to play an important role in helping our community of skaters grow.  2021 was host to one of the biggest HB Halloween Jams in years thanks to the support of local brands like Lost Soul Skateboards, Balloons, 12th & Market and new regional shop, Boyertown Skateshop.  Collaboration is key.

 

2022 is already looking stacked.

Looking to continue to do whatever we can to continue to build up this community that has supported us since 2002.  No matter how many times I type it, think it or say it out loud . . . . it's really strange to think Homebase is turning 20.

It's definitely a blessing from God and would also not be possible without the support of my family, the love of my wife and business partner, past and present staff, countless friends and generations of customers who have believed that the Lehigh Valley needed a skateshop that cared about skateboarding. 

 

Happy New Year y'all. 

- Po