The origin and concept behind Black Sheep
When did Black Sheep open?
Black Sheep officially opened in 2003, but it’s something that we wanted to do for many years. Growing up skating in Charlotte all of our lives, we recognized the real need for a shop in Charlotte that represented the entire lifestyle and culture in a genuine and meaningful way. We wanted to create a shop that was owned and operated by skateboarders and dedicated to building, supporting, and giving back to the local scene.
Why did you decide to start Black Sheep?
Black Sheep was established to celebrate the art, music, fashion, creativity, style, and friendships that skateboarding provides. We sell skateboards and sneakers, but the shop is also dedicated to fostering all of these broader cultural aspects.
Who is involved?
I’m a Charlotte area native and lifelong skateboarder. As a teenager, I traveled around the U.S. skating and making friends. It was an amazing experience that taught me first hand the critical role a skater-owned and operated shop plays in cultivating the scene. This is an important element that was always missing from this area when we were growing up. I decided to start Black Sheep as a means to help support and foster the local skaters and scene in the area. Each of the shop’s employees is also selected for their love of skateboarding and desire to contribute to the scene.
Additionally, there are a lot of cool, creative people that support what we are trying to do. Thankfully, we have a lot of really great friends here locally and throughout the industry that are instrumental in making it all happen. Black Sheep has consistently been featured in the local news, on web sites, and profiled in national publications such as Focus and the Skateboard Mag. The feedback we’ve gotten to date has been amazing, and we couldn’t do it without the support of all our customers and friends.
What is Black Sheep’s mission?
Our mission is to support and foster all of the diverse and creative elements that skateboarding encompasses– including art, fashion, and music. Black Sheep strives to build a positive local scene and to give something back to the Charlotte community.
What’s the vibe like?
Black Sheep is inspired by that short list of skate shops that really support and define their respective cities and areas. We want to be the first shop you think of when people talk about Charlotte or North Carolina. It’s really important for us to foster a sense of community, to create a place for friends to get together and hang out, check out a video, or go skate. We strive to build a scene that encompasses and supports all aspects of skating, so it’s really important for us to host events like art shows, music, and more.
Why did you choose the name “Black Sheep”? What does it mean?
The name Black Sheep represents someone that is free thinking, does his/ her own thing, and stands out in the crowd. We chose the name because we wanted to celebrate the individuality, independent spirit, and creativity that skateboarding encompasses.
