Wild article today in the very mainstream Street & Smith's Sport's Business Journal about mainstream crossover star Ryan Sheckler's big play for mainstream shopping dollars with RS Clothing, his very mainstream new JC Penney partnership: Sheckler into affordable apparel: Skateboarder's clothing line will be carried at JC Penney.

Opening line sets the tone: "Tony Hawk has Kohl’s. Shaun White has Target. And Ryan Sheckler now has JCPenney."

Just how big do they think this thing is going to be? Sports Business Journal quotes Stephen Astephen saying he sees it becoming a $100 million business worth as much as $10 million a year for Sheckler himself. So much for recession woes!

I'm not going to hate on Sheckler: My 6 year-old kid has some very nice school clothes from the Shaun White Collection and Hawk Clothing, and I'd be just as happy to hook him up with a Sheckler t-shirt for the right price – once you're shopping for clothes at Target, Kohl's, or JC Penney, might as well support a skateboarder, right? – so I understand the market impulse here. Still, reading articles like this one serves as a nice reminder to go support your favorite core companies at your favorite local, independently-owned skateshops as much as possible.


Check out the BNQT exclusive Interview with Ryan Sheckler