"What did people think during the medieval warm period when the Norse farmed Greenland? What did people think during the 30's dust bowl era?" - Jay Moore, owner World Boards
Skateboarding since 1970, snowboarding since 1984 - you are the epitome of Sessions’ Always Have Always Will! What started your love for standing sideways, what keeps you going?
In 1970 my brother and I nailed my sisters roller skates onto a 2 x 4. I bet you never heard that one before? But it is true.
Bozeman skatepark - you designed it?
Yes I designed the Bozeman park as well as the JM CITY skatepark in Wels, Austria. Eagle Rock, CA is where I grew up and I had ramps from age 10 till 23 when I moved to Bozeman. My parents were so supportive and put up with a lot!
That’s got to be very special to have created a park that inspires a lifestyle that you helped pioneer….
Yesterday I was riding the 1/4 pipe behind the shop with some guys and had a thought about how long I have been rolling around. 47 years is a lot of grinds & slams!
Montana is a must-do on any snowboarders bucket list: what’s the best faux itinerary you’d recommend for someone planning a trip to your neck of the woods?
Gotta hit the mom & pop Lost Trail on Thursday. They are closed mon-wed. In our area you need to go to Big Sky and of course Bridger is the goods with easy BC access off a hike north or south. That is what I call home.
When did you start World Boards?
Opened only 2 rooms of this old house on September 1993. Now we use the entire compound.
You’ve obviously seen the ups and downs of weather, is there really something to Global Warming?
What did people think during the medieval warm period when the Norse farmed Greenland? What did people think during the 30's dust bowl era? How much anthropogenic influence was occurring then? I have a good friend who is a meteorologist of 37 years. He points out that the earth is so powerful man probably has little effect on the incomprehensible size and power of the sun and atmosphere. I think we should collectively calm down and stop scaring people and politicizing this. We all need to be good stewards of the earth, but that is logical since we live on it. It is sad that most political actions are misguided efforts and hurt the developing nations the most.
Why did you choose to bring Sessions back into World Boards year one since the brand's relaunch?
Sessions is the real deal with real people like Joel behind them. This relaunch with focused on-point product just makes sense.
What’s the style trends you see in the interior Northwest?
Functionality is king again. Fashion is all over the place and yet accepted as such. This Sessions stuff looks clean and is functional. Timeless function I would say rules the day. Flavor up with a scarf or whatnot or just go clean-tech and it all works.
Many gents with your heritage shun the next generation as disrespectful and antiestablishment, considering that’s the constitution of skateboarding and snowboarding, what do you think of the next gen?
I see some hope with the next gen. Certainly the "sponsor me" mentality is still alive, but barely in comparison to what it once was. I see the youth getting out and just having fun at all levels. Not as much soccer mom driven. And isn't that what this is all about?
Hell yeah or hell no?
Olympics - I judged the highest level for years and truly understand it. I think currently the drive has lessened in kids as most just want to have fun jibing and freeriding. But I also like the idea of kids learning that they can work towards something and earn it. So I am a bit torn on this one.
X Games - Don't get me going on Frontside Indy, switch or ollies on snowboards, and Cabs on skis. I know they are just trying to have fun but not knowing or caring about history bums me out. And this spin to win thing is just getting outta hand and is ugly! ECOMM - So many people that come into the store don't understand how it is that we even have a showroom. They think Santa delivers it and elves put it out. They think "somebody else" makes this all happen as they are ignorant of how a real store functions, what it adds to the mix, and how it sustains the industry as a whole. Not being jerks - they are victims of their culture and ask banal questions in store like, "can I just buy this one?". They have been trained by cultural attrition and assimilation that online is the way to go. They have been brainwashed to think stores have higher prices. But this entire time during the ECOMM evolution process we have matched online price and produce the instant gratification that only a real store that trades real goods can offer - not to mention service and heavy community involvement. Both the selection online and the ability for consumers to showroom me, on my dime, is the issue at hand. Who covers my overhead of staff and showroom? I do. Customers can get size and fit right and see colors in person. If we just sold that Large Blue one this a.m. and the next guy wants the Large Blue we can order it and get it coming. We did the work to get it to this point so we should garner the business. But more times than not the customer can access it online and so they go home, or while standing in my store, point-and-click Large Blue one, then buy. This makes no sense since they wait a week with or without us. I am invested in the sale and yet lose it. This is the root of the ECOMM issue. We cannot compete with our supplier and be as successful as otherwise. Those who support us and give us food when we work for our food are fair buyers. Those who don't aren't reduce our stoke for them and incentive to represent them in or out of the store. Unpoliced ECOMM is beat and is the creeping cancer that has killed many while continuing to hamstring the rest of us.
Handrails - rad. Progression is one of the most amazing things about riding. I have huge respect for rail technicians!
Carving - the root of it all. Love me some carves! Soooo good to see young guns learning to turn!
2016 election - makes me want to cry. One choice has no political connections and the other will be in pay back mode from day one. God help us all.
Splitboards - from day one! I split my first board 20 years ago and haven't stopped having done a hundred at this point. We are a roots shop with a lot of BC to be had in this zone. Be careful out there and know when to back down off a line so you live to ride another day.
SIA Denver - The dates moving up benefit who? Not me. Last time I looked I was a retailer. Are not retailers part of this businees loop? This makes little sense to me.
For more on World Boards check out their website HERE or Instagram HERE.
