Community Corner

Craft Bike & Skate Shop Enjoying Main Street Location

Susan Kirwan has a ready smile and warm greetings for the teens hanging out at Craft Bike & Skate Shop's new Main Street location, where she's planning a skate park expansion with the help of devoted street athletes.

Kirwan moved Craft from its original S. Main St. location near River Island Park at the end of the summer, intending to move her young clientele away from rowdy influences. Since opening up shop at 128 Main St., she said the distance has kept her customers - young street athletes who perform skateboard, bicycle and even scooter freestyle stunts - focused on positive influences. With teens there's always some drama, she said, but she's not as concerned about constant exposure to smoking, drinking and unruly behavior. 

Their presence seems to have livened up Main Street, too, Kirwan said. "I see more people choosing to walk this way," since they opened shop, she said. Now there's something to have a look at on their side of the street, which is diagonally across from City Hall.

The teens have also been giving passers-by something more interesting to watch outside the shop, Kirwan said. When she told them about her idea to purchase a bigger building and convert it into a skatepark for local street athletes, she said, a group of the kids performed scooter stunts to raise donations. They've collected $300 so far. "That was pretty nice," said Kirwan, who's efforts with Craft center around providing local teens positive outlets for their passions.  

Kirwan said the she's looking at local properties, checking up on buildings big enough for an indoor skate park.

Another source of help is the FRCA's paid intern program, which has provided Kirwan a clerk, Devion Craveiro, paid $7.40 an hour through the organization's local internship program, giving Kirwan another boost on her way to making the skate shop a success. "They have a great program over there," Kirwan said.

Kirwan is also working to prepare a line of stocking stuffer offerings to sell during the Polar Express tours running each weekend in the city through Dec. 22. The Blackstone Valley Tourism Council (BVTC) is pointing their patrons in the direction of local businesses, Kirwan said, so she wants to have something to offer for holiday-minded shoppers. 


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