History
BANNED® History.
Born from controversy, still questioning authority and disturbing the status quo. BANNED® is rooted in Redlands, in the Inland Empire, just outside Los Angeles, California.
Let the kids skate. We stand for the youth, and against policing, big-government civil regime, and control. We fell strongly, we can take care of ourselves, don’t you? We stand for free-thinker, God fearing parents who let their kids be creative, who also oppose those policing the youth, when oppressing our way of life. In our world at BANNED®, you will be treaded with respect, one brother to another. You are now part of the BANNED® community.
Founded in 1993. A couple skaters insisted you “can not skate in Redlands - it is banned”. Hum... ok. More people saying you could not skateboard in Redlands, and voila!, the name materialized. Weeks later, Carlos meet with Diego, a graffiti artist about painting a mural outside the shop - and did it.
Immediately after, BANNED® become the bias target of critics & haters. At City Hall, total confusion over “graffiti art on the wall of a store called BANNED”. Newspaper blogs back-and-forth, people raging, others in support. Strange, really. We just wanted to erect a monument to elevate street & urban art. Encourage young artists. Haters had vehemently fueled negative publicity for BANNED SKATE SHOP, and put us out of business from the start - but it worked adversely. Instead, it put us on the map overnight. The smarter minority (the kids) approved and supported our murals and the shop. The Disoriented and confused City Hall bureaucrats gave in - it was approved but wait, then retracted. After that it didn’t matter. Legions of new skaters flocked to the store day and night.
BANNED® grew in popularity and scope.It was reals, and we were real to the youth. For while we shared a bridge with "Thrasher", a true punk store in San Bernardino with hand sewed garments and belts. BANNED was a home for misfits, rebel kids, and skaters. Skateboarding was totally misunderstood, and targets for cop harassment.
Someone said, “BANNED is like a local bar, but without liquor" and "where every one stops by to skate, hangout, and to get new deck, t-shirt ".
Banned was born at a time when the punk was fading and rave scene was big, and so were the pants. Early on we started cut-n-sew. Richie Cassaway, Alex Yang, the early shop clerks. BANNED garments, unique and relevant. Yes we had industry supporters from the begging. Noel from Bear Surf, Tucker T-Dawg Hall from Volcom, Jim Gray, Acme, Overton and Cindy Pratt. Awesome people along this journey.
Jim Callins designs our first mail order catalog, and 20,000 mailed nationwide. Adverts on SPIN Magazine. It got some attention for sure. Our website and online on air in 1993. No online e-comerce yet. It come later. Jim is a brilliant guy. In 1993?a web what? For those who are too young to know what this means: People did not know what web sites were for yet, and well before the email invented. BANNED.COM was locked in, it was acquired very early.
Today we stand with the legendary shops (we hope). There aren't many 27 year old skate shops around. Surf shops yes, not skate shops.
Coming to California? Visit our warehouse and factory store. Skate our huge indoor ramp. BANNED is an organization other businesses what to be part of. Our reputation and apparel creation has enabled BANNED to harvest great symbiotic relationships with industry leaders. We continue to engage in product collaboration with key iconic brands, and product licensing.
A long tradition throughout the years is that staff has always contributed in art and graphics creations, many and still on display today. Many paid their dues working BANNED - but it paid off! Some have landed desirable career positions in fashion, footwear, skateboarding and motion picture industry. Many cultural backgrounds, faith, lifestyles, many still confused - and how we like it! We consider them all family.
Skateboarding is a sport, and skateboards are still a toy, so have fun.
BANNED, Redlands, California.
Born from controversy, still questioning authority and disturbing the status quo. BANNED® is rooted in Redlands, in the Inland Empire, just outside Los Angeles, California.
Let the kids skate. We stand for the youth, and against policing, big-government civil regime, and control. We fell strongly, we can take care of ourselves, don’t you? We stand for free-thinker, God fearing parents who let their kids be creative, who also oppose those policing the youth, when oppressing our way of life. In our world at BANNED®, you will be treaded with respect, one brother to another. You are now part of the BANNED® community.
Founded in 1993. A couple skaters insisted you “can not skate in Redlands - it is banned”. Hum... ok. More people saying you could not skateboard in Redlands, and voila!, the name materialized. Weeks later, Carlos meet with Diego, a graffiti artist about painting a mural outside the shop - and did it.
Immediately after, BANNED® become the bias target of critics & haters. At City Hall, total confusion over “graffiti art on the wall of a store called BANNED”. Newspaper blogs back-and-forth, people raging, others in support. Strange, really. We just wanted to erect a monument to elevate street & urban art. Encourage young artists. Haters had vehemently fueled negative publicity for BANNED SKATE SHOP, and put us out of business from the start - but it worked adversely. Instead, it put us on the map overnight. The smarter minority (the kids) approved and supported our murals and the shop. The Disoriented and confused City Hall bureaucrats gave in - it was approved but wait, then retracted. After that it didn’t matter. Legions of new skaters flocked to the store day and night.
BANNED® grew in popularity and scope.It was reals, and we were real to the youth. For while we shared a bridge with "Thrasher", a true punk store in San Bernardino with hand sewed garments and belts. BANNED was a home for misfits, rebel kids, and skaters. Skateboarding was totally misunderstood, and targets for cop harassment.
Someone said, “BANNED is like a local bar, but without liquor" and "where every one stops by to skate, hangout, and to get new deck, t-shirt ".
Banned was born at a time when the punk was fading and rave scene was big, and so were the pants. Early on we started cut-n-sew. Richie Cassaway, Alex Yang, the early shop clerks. BANNED garments, unique and relevant. Yes we had industry supporters from the begging. Noel from Bear Surf, Tucker T-Dawg Hall from Volcom, Jim Gray, Acme, Overton and Cindy Pratt. Awesome people along this journey.
Jim Callins designs our first mail order catalog, and 20,000 mailed nationwide. Adverts on SPIN Magazine. It got some attention for sure. Our website and online on air in 1993. No online e-comerce yet. It come later. Jim is a brilliant guy. In 1993?a web what? For those who are too young to know what this means: People did not know what web sites were for yet, and well before the email invented. BANNED.COM was locked in, it was acquired very early.
Today we stand with the legendary shops (we hope). There aren't many 27 year old skate shops around. Surf shops yes, not skate shops.
Coming to California? Visit our warehouse and factory store. Skate our huge indoor ramp. BANNED is an organization other businesses what to be part of. Our reputation and apparel creation has enabled BANNED to harvest great symbiotic relationships with industry leaders. We continue to engage in product collaboration with key iconic brands, and product licensing.
A long tradition throughout the years is that staff has always contributed in art and graphics creations, many and still on display today. Many paid their dues working BANNED - but it paid off! Some have landed desirable career positions in fashion, footwear, skateboarding and motion picture industry. Many cultural backgrounds, faith, lifestyles, many still confused - and how we like it! We consider them all family.
Skateboarding is a sport, and skateboards are still a toy, so have fun.
BANNED, Redlands, California.