The Story of Skitch Skate Shop: A Decade of Growth and Community
Welcome to Skitch Skate Shop! Our journey began in 2008 as a small creative side project in Sulzbach-Rosenberg, Germany. From a modest 3x4-meter room, we’ve grown into a thriving hub for skateboarders, artists, and adventurers. Over the past 16 years, we’ve evolved, expanded, and remained committed to building an honest, community-driven business.
The Early Years (2007-2013)
2007: Began creating custom artwork, murals, and tattoo designs for clients.
2008: Launched Cartoon Tank, a side business dedicated to funding art supplies through commissioned work.
2010: Expanded into selling art prints, phone cases, pillows, and shower curtains, reaching customers through social media and word-of-mouth.
2011: Officially rebranded as Cartoon Tank Studio, launching an online store for custom T-shirts, hoodies, and artwork.
2013: Realized the limitations of third-party platforms and made the strategic shift to building and managing independent websites and online stores.
Skate & Ink: The Birth of a Shop (2014-2016)
2014: Left a career as a software engineer to fully dedicate time to art and skateboarding.
2015: Partnered with a longtime friend to open Skate & Ink, our first brick-and-mortar store in Grafenwöhr, Germany.
2015-2016: The shop rapidly expanded to include a tattoo parlor, a skateboard team, and in-house merchandise production of T-shirts, hoodies, and mugs.
Adapting and Growing (2017-2019)
2017: Business boomed, but the workload became overwhelming, requiring a reevaluation of operations.
2018: To focus on core offerings, we closed the tattoo parlor and discontinued in-house merchandise production.
2019: Rebranded as Skate Ink Vape, introducing vape products alongside our established skate gear and apparel to meet evolving customer interests.
Skitch is Born (2020-Present)
2020: The COVID-19 pandemic unexpectedly boosted sales in our skate, vape, and apparel business, reinforcing our drive to expand.
2021 (October): Moved to a larger location and completely renovated the store—adding new flooring, ceilings, graffiti walls, and an indoor half-pipe installed by IOU Ramps.
2023: Further expanded our offerings with hot sauces, moonshine, imported band T-shirts, premium art supplies like POSCA markers and MONTANA spray paint, and an art gallery to support local artists.
2024: Marking 10 years in business, having proudly invested over €30,000 into the local community over the past decade. Skitch has grown into an internationally recognized shop, welcoming customers from Australia to Canada and beyond.
