SKIDMARK GARAGE Paying It Forward
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“ t is all my wife’s fault,” says Brian Schaffran. After Skidmark Garage is now everyone’s space to fix their humble beginnings in 2015 Skidmark Garage and its communal member-based work space concept had finally started gaining traction and was actually covering some of its costs. “Skidmark had become what I always knew it would — a no-collar community that thrives on helping each other out, getting dirty, jamming tunes, and riding.” Then wife/business partner and Skidmarketing strategist & media maven Molly Vaughn suggested opening the garage to a non-motorcycle LGBT event one evening.
stuff and be a part of a cooperative, no-collar community, says Schaffran. “We are a safe, inclusive space where everyone has something to contribute.” Along the way, they became a leader of the growing DIY urban garage movement. Schaffran immediately defers to others when talk of “leader” comes up, but admits to sharing best practices with the newer operations popping up.
There are a few rules upon which Skidmark Garage is built. Rule number one: Don’t be a douche. All other rules are secondary. “You can expect to receive help from “Honestly I thought that would kill the business. Sure other people working on their bikes; and in turn, you are we tried to mix newbies and millennials with seasoned expected to give help to the other people working on pros in the past, but I couldn’t fathom mixing hardcore their bikes.” bikers with the LGBT community… guess what? The guys I worried about the most were actually the most All are welcome, and everyone has something to welcoming, positive and inclusive members we had. Once contribute. Be a part of Skidmark Garage; learn how word spread that we really were a safe place, business to fix, customize, and maintain your ride. Store your took a quantum leap forward.” motorcycle here, hang out here, make friends here. “Owning and riding a vintage bike necessarily means working on it,” notes. “Wrenching on that bike in good company is a win/win.”
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