On Feb. 12, a new skate shop opened in the village of Milford, replacing the Starbucks that was previously there. This skate shop, called Saturdays, is the only skate shop in Milford and is bringing in a bigger skate influence to the area.

Prior to 2020, skating in Milford was very minimal, as there were no local skateparks or skate shops nearby. Furthermore, it was frowned upon as skaters had to adapt and skate in the skateboard-free zones of downtown Milford mixing with foot traffic.

With help from Milford Alumni such as Aiden and Evan Wilson along with others, the first Milford skatepark was constructed and finished in 2020, where the sport started and is still continuing to thrive without getting in the way of the locals of Milford. The Wilson family with financial aid from a few investors then kickstarted the opening of Saturdays skate shop.

Saturdays’ Manager, Aiden Wilson, a local skater who graduated from Milford High School last year just wants to give back to his hometown. “We did this for the community because every sport needs a home base,” he said. In conjunction with community sharing, a 19-year-old was successfully able to create a profitable shop on top of the hardships for new businesses in the current time period.

With the advertising and marketing goal towards buying value over overpriced goods, a store like this one brings in most Middle and High School kids, especially during after-school hours. It’s a great starting point for teens in search of hobbies to explore the action sports world.

The new skate shop does not just sell your typical skateboards and apparel you would see at your average skate shop. This shop likes to do it differently by selling scooters, BMX bikes, and fingerboards and has plans to migrate towards multi-seasonal sports like skiing and snowboarding as well. With ski hills like Mt. Brighton and Alpine Valley just a few miles away, this could increase their business potential even more than it is currently at right now.

Upon walking into Saturdays, you instantly get connected with the shop with the colorfully painted walls and the modern-looking architecture. This was with help from a professional muralist who did spray paint art on the walls, ceiling, and even sections of the floors which brings in the vibe of a futuristic art show.

The shop is not just a skate shop looking to make a profit either. It has been referred to as a “Retreat for a long day at the skatepark,” said Wilson. It is endorsed by its workers for kids to come to hang out after school after demanding sessions at the skatepark. Inside the shop also features a downscaled replica of the Milford Skatepark for finger boarding, a scaled-down version of skateboarding involving your fingers as legs on mini skateboards, for kids and teens to get creative with their tricks.

“As soon as I stepped foot in the shop, I was astonished by all the decorative artwork on the floor and walls,” said MHS student Luke Oslin. “I left the shop with a fingerboard and a motive to come back.”

It’s great to see small businesses like this one be successful, especially in a small town like Milford. Fun localized stores have been the chemical makeup of the town for over 100 years. As Saturdays respond to the recreational trends, it will forever be in the history books of Milford for being the first in various categories.