We’re thrilled to present our first in what we hope will be a long and illustrious line of interviews with excellent skateboarders. Patrick Melcher is an Illinois-native living in Hollywood. He likes to skateboard, dance, beach comb and shoplift. He wears shoes by Dekline, and is ridiculously fleet of hoof.

What are some of the best things about skating in Chicago?
Lake Michigan. It’s like a beach right in the middle of downtown. You skate in the heat in the summer and then jump in the lake amongst all the bikinis and buildings

Is there any one thing that you miss the most about the city?
The populous, all of the faces and places. I miss walking down the street and seeing five people that I know on each block.

Melting salts fuck up a pair of shoes, huh?
Yeah, you’ve gotta choose what types of leather to wear on what days; weather according. That disgusting black snow on the sides of the roads … fuck that. You’ll never see me in a pair of Chuck Taylors in a blizzard.
(Read on …)

When I sent my e-plea for free footwear to Duffs, they sent me not one but TWO pair of shoes. I kept the green Gamblers for myself and gave the Sevilles to one our operatives, Clip Clop.

(Read on …)