Young retailer relies on personal experience by Lora M. Tucker, Outpost staff Seth Dunkijacobsnolten OCCUPATION: Sales person for Skeeno, a ski and skate shop at Park Lane mall Click here to meet the veteran. "It's better to have a passion than a job." That is an astute observation from 21-year-old skater Seth Dunkijacobsnolten.  As part of the Skeeno sales team, Seth's statement not only reflects his take on life, but also the business philosophy of his employer, a locally owned and operated shop specializing in skateboarding, wakeboarding and snowboarding. The store offers the customer everything from apparel to gear to boards and boasts some of the most respected product lines in the skating business. Skeeno Snow and Skate Goods is located in Park Lane Mall. Photo by Lora M. Tucker Opened a year and a half ago, Skeeno's owner migrated from Excel Skates with an intent to completely provide for customer needs, including special ordering and a knowledgeable sales staff immersed in the sports they promote. "For us, by us," Seth remarked, succinctly describing the Skeeno team's attitude toward customers, a highly targeted clientele base, including "old skool" skaters and members from younger generations, including Gen. X and Gen. Y, the generations following the Boomers. Operating in the skating business requires in-depth knowledge of products and current trends. Because Skeeno's sales staff skates in their off-time, their advice often comes from personal knowledge rather than promotional tools, something that Skeeno prides itself on. Commenting on the trend toward mass retailers, Seth says larger retailers do serve a variety of sports, including skateboarding, wakeboarding and snowboarding. He also gives these retailers, in addition to the X Games (a competitive showcase of "alternative sports" such as skateboarding, wakeboarding and rollerblading) and networks like ESPN, credit for skateboarding's exploding international popularity. Skeeno's innards display some of the most respected brands in the business. Photo by Lora M. Tucker Because large retailers possess distribution centers, corporate structure and financial backing to pose as giants in various sects of the sporting industry, Seth said, they are able to order from the same quality suppliers. But a great deal of product knowledge and customer support is lost as a result. "[Larger retailers] won't steer you to something to fit your needs," Seth says. Skeeno's focus lies in the belief of taking care of every customer. The small sales staff pinpoints customer needs and use their real-world skating knowledge with the customer in mind. Grocery store managers veteran newcomer Retailers veteran newcomer Teachers veteran newcomer Ranchers veteran newcomer Journalists veteran newcomer Parents veteran newcomer Bookstore owners veteran newcomer Students veteran newcomer Back to main story    Posted Dec. 16, 1999 Copyright 1999, Nevada Outpost TOP Outpost | Metro | Lifestyle | Travel | Dining | Outdoors | Sports Archives | Specials | Links | About us | Mail us