Outdoor Central Oregon Issue 15 | November/December 2019 | Page 26

26 NOV/DEC 2019 27 20 YEARS OF TACTICS BOARDSHOP| BY ROSS DRUCKREY “THE FACT THAT IT’S SNOWBOARDING AND SKATEBOARDING MEANS A LOT TO US BECAUSE THERE’S PASSION THERE.” In 1999, a group of Eugene twenty somethings had a crazy idea. While many scoffed at the notion of selling snowboards and skateboards online, a fearless few abandoned promis- ing traditional careers and found a way to get the wheels turning. “The bottom line is that there was no plan. Which was all too apparent to us after starting. If we had a plan, we probably never would have started it,” says Matt Patton, one of the found- ers and co-owners of Tactics. Twenty years later, Tactics remains independently owned by the same few who first clicked “send” on the idea of a boardshop that could hook up riders all over the world. Today, owners Matt Pat- ton, Bob Chandler, Shawn Gilliam, and the rest of the Tactics crew are blown away at the fact that their idea has helped stoke out over 2 million customers worldwide. Bob Chan- dler remembers the early days, “We felt like we were pretty smart, but we really weren’t… What we were though is optimistic and stubborn. That kept us going late at night, just trying to figure things out.” While a major portion of their business exists online, Tactics has remained dedicated to brick-and-mortar shops since the beginning. From their longstanding roots in Eugene, a second location was launched in Bend in 2016, followed by a third in Portland this sum- Tactics’ snow and skate teams have always main- tained a very high standard of talent. David Lobasyuk shows how high that standard can be with this ollie over the bar! right people is still the heart of it. We want to have a place that people love, that they want to support because it’s not me and Matt anymore, its everyone else in the room that creates who Tactics is and why people want to come back,” Bob says of the employee culture. Tactics very first ‘brick & mortar;’ shop located in downtown Eugene. mer. “Our shops connect us with the community and bring people into the mix. Snow- boarders and skateboarders understand that there’s a difference between a business that’s committed to doing both, and one that’s online only.” -Matt Patton Tactics has been active in both areas for many years through their team riders and online customers, but the additional locations have fostered deeper connections with the local communities. They create face-to-face experiences with new and existing customers while providing an avenue for Tactics to create new events and support more riders.”Having the Dedicated to investing deeper in their communities, Tactics gives back in many ways, including direct donations to local non-profits and product dona- tions to fundraising events. They also offer paid time off for any employee who wants to volunteer their time to community service and directly donate a yearly minimum of 2% of net sales of all Tactics branded products. “The fact that it’s snowboarding and skateboarding means a lot to us be- cause there’s passion there. We’ve always thought of ourselves as selling fun, so there’s an inherent satisfaction about working with something that’s meaningful, at least to us.” -Bob Chandler Tactics’ partnership with Protect Our Winters (POW) is a cornerstone of their community efforts. POW’s mission is to fight climate change through youth education, advocacy, and community-based activism. Tactics receives, pho- tographs, warehouses and ships POW merchandise around the world, then remits 90% of all POW sales directly back to POW to use for operating and advocacy efforts. “We’ve got a team here that’s having families, they’re having kids. Everyone wants to get ahead and grow, so we have to find ways to support that.” -Matt Patton Looking towards the future, Tactics strives for sustainable growth that allows them to continue investing in their staff and communities while providing stoke to skateboarders and snowboarders around the world. Top: Tactics founders, Matt Patton (left) and Bob Chandler (right) enjoying the fruits of their labor with a much deserved beer. Bottom: A crew that shreds together, stays together...and provides an unmatched level of customer service and community support. Tactics understands the importance of a physical location for skaters and snowboarders to be able to go to talk shop, buy gear, and hang out. Left to right and oldest to newest, Eugene, Bend, and Portland shops.