Bustin Boards Skateboard Company Moving to City Garage in Port Covington

Port Covington is gaining another business as Bustin Boards Skateboard Company leased an 8,500 sq. ft. space at City Garage at 101 W. Dickman St. The 133,000 sq. ft. facility opened in Fall 2015 and is described as “a hub for manufacturing, innovation and entrepreneurship.” Bustin Boards joins Sagamore Spirit, CWIST, and Tapologie at the Main Street Section of City Garage. Demian Costa, managing partner of Sagamore Ventures, the building’s owner, told SouthBMore.com that City Garage is fully leased and that additional tenants would be announced in the near future. City Garage is also the home of The Foundery and the Under Armour Lighthouse.

Bustin Boards is relocating from Hagerstown, MD and also operates a store in Brooklyn, NY. Bustin Boards makes boards for every type of skateboarding, including street/freestyle boards, cruiser boards, downhill racing boards, urban commuter boards, and more. Bustin Boards also produces its own boards, grip tape, wheels, bearing, and some trucks.

Founded by Maryland-native Ryan Daughtridge in his father’s barn in Hagerstown, Bustin Boards has grown rapidly through innovative product development and marketing, which has led to worldwide distribution of their boards, components and apparel. After moving to New York City to take a job on Wall Street, Daughtridge discovered the benefits of commuting from Greenwich Village to Lower Manhattan on his board, part of a movement of thousands of New Yorkers trading in their bikes for skateboards. This movement propelled Bustin Boards’ sales from $300,000 to $4,000,000 in just three years, earning them a spot on the Inc. 500 list of fastest growing private companies.

The company’s growth piqued the interest of Costa.

“We were attracted to Bustin Boards for a number of reasons. Primarily, it was an opportunity to retain a great Maryland company that was about to be acquired and moved overseas and bring that company into Baltimore City,” said Costa in a press release. “Additionally, the energy and creative talent they bring to the City Garage community is incredible. We are very excited about our ability to help support and grow this brand, and are thrilled to see them continue to build on their momentum here in Baltimore.”

In addition to the relocation to City Garage, the partnership will provide key resources and capital to help the company further leverage its brand and grow sales. Additionally, Bustin Boards will produce a portion of its products on-site through a synergistic relationship with The Foundery, which provides membership- based access to industrial-grade tools and training at City Garage. One of the initial projects Bustin Boards will work on with The Foundery at City Garage is the production of a skateboarding truck.

“We are beyond excited to partner with Sagamore Ventures to take the Bustin brand and products to the next level,” said Daughtridge in a release. “We are also thrilled to be one of the flagship members of City Garage and contribute to this revolutionary model supporting innovation and manufacturing in Baltimore.”

Through the new investment and partnership, the company plans to focus on innovation first and foremost. “I have learned that growth is important, but innovation is the foundation of sustainable growth. Through this investment and our new home at City Garage, we are excited to continue thinking outside of the box about our products, our marketing, and the industry itself,” said Daughtridge. “The history of skateboarding is one of constant evolution and I cannot imagine a better partner to help us navigate an expanded journey of innovation for our brand and our products.”

Photo Courtesy of the Bustin Boards Facebook Page