Interview: PEOPLE'S STORE - Germany

Why and when did you start a shop in your area?

(Christoph): The store opened in 2006.The idea to open a shop came around because there had not been a real BMX shop in Cologne for quite some time back then. You could get parts behind/under the counter of a fashion store, but that was rather difficult, and variety was to a minimum. The scene was beginning getting stronger again, so it just made sense to open a shop for the Cologne scene as well as the citys around it.

Can you tell us a bit about your personal BMX History?

(Christoph): I’ve been riding sine 1999, growing up in a small town 50km outside of Colonge and I’m still riding today apreciating the joy of hitting a curbcut and looking for spots in the suburbs and giving them to friends who can manage them.

Are you primarily a BMX shop?

(Dave): Yes. We sell a few larger BMX cruisers, but the People’s Store is strictly 100% a BMX shop. We started this shop because we wanted to create a hub for the BMX scene and support doing what we love. That’s just BMX plain and simple.

Who’s on your team for Vans The Circle?

(Dave): Cologne has always had a strong BMX scene since the early days, so many riders move and travel through here and given Cologne’s location in Europe it’s an easy city to get to from many other countries. We wanted a diverse crew this year, with a whole variety of different styles, influences and ages. First have Kai Schulte, a Cologne local with a super unique style and no stranger to filming video parts. Kai likes big setups and always has a unique bag of tricks. Then we have Kilian Roth, a rider who needs no introduction. One of the smoothest dudes out there, Kilian makes everything he does look super good. Giano Vacca has been part of the People’s Store family for a while now and brings a chilled and laid back style of riding which always looks great on film, Giano’s a real chiller, he’s just happy to film and hang out. Nico Van Loon is new to the crew and brings an explosive and powerful mix of riding to boot. Nico is super productive and always down to go out there and film with the boys. Rounding off the team and a wild card is Max Gaertig. Having Max in the video really brings the story of the shop full circle, a rider from the early Cologne days and still out there filming just as much as the young bucks, Max made this process a fun one and helped motivate some of the younger guys, proving that filming for videos is timeless.

Who have you chosen to film the edit. Have you worked with them before?

(Dave): Anton Arens is pulling double duty, filming the video and shooting photos. A recent transplant from Hamburg, Anton works at the shop by day, and is out there shredding in front and behind the lens by night.

Check out a recent edit of his here: MATTES TORN X BSD – by Anton Arens

Has filming went well?

(Dave): Filming has gone well. Despite a wet German Summer, and the relatively short time we had to film we’ve been able to stack a lot. We tried to film a little more outside of Cologne this year, venturing to Stuttgart, Dusseldorf, Aachen and Bonn to keep things fresh compared to last year, whilst still staying in cities relevant to the store. Kai Schulte sadly went down hard and broke his wrist trying to get a clip, but luckily will be back in a few weeks. Kilian also had to leave for trips several times during the filming period, so we didn’t get the crew all together as much as we’d liked. Aside from that it wasn’t too bad. You can expect a solid video with a whole variety of riding styles. We wanted to create a video which will get you stoked to get out there and ride your bike right after. Hopefully it does just that.

How’s your local BMX scene looking these days?

(Dave): Our scene has been exploding the past years. More skateparks are being built, more riders are getting into BMX and also moving here to enjoy the city and the thriving and active BMX scene. We have a lot of different style of riders, park, street and even some trail guys. Cologne offers a bit of everything to keep any rider happy, and there is plenty of good stuff to ride if you venture outside of the city a little too. The riders here are super productive and stoked on filming videos. There are plenty of crews within the city all working on multiple projects which you can expect to see in the near future.

How does it compare to when you first opened your store?

(Dave): It’s certainly different and I think more inclusive. BMX is constantly changing and evolving and from what we can see more and more people from different backgrounds and walks of life find a home in the riding scene here which is great.

Have you seen an increase in female riders and more diversity in general over recent years?

(Christoph): 100%. It’s been amazing to see female riders represented better in BMX in general over the years which has of course let to more girls and women getting into the sport especially here in Cologne.

How important is a good BMX shop in supporting a local scene?

(Dave): In our opinion a good BMX shop can make or break a scene. If you look at any thriving BMX scene in the world, there is normally a shop at the core of it keeping it going. A shop is not only a way to get riders product but a way to educate them and keep them stoked on BMX. From organising and sponsoring Jams, motivating riders to film video parts and to mentoring and supporting upcoming riders, shops play such a bigger role in keeping BMX alive than most people are even aware of.

Max Gaertig

Do you think BMX has been more popular lately?

(Christoph): Business has been going really well for us the past few years! More skateparks, more BMX in the media in general, people seemed stoked on BMX right now.

And finally, what’s the strangest request you’ve ever had from a customer in your store?

(Christoph): I can’t think of a specific strange request because a lot is possible in a BMX shop. We’ve been asked to put BMX bars to Ricksha Bikes or Grips to Motorcycles, glued grip tape on numerous parts of Bikes for catching tailwhips and so on. Strange situations happen all the time especially in the city, so we are pretty used to random people walking into the store doing sketchy things, or just crying/puking little kids who have to wait for Santa delivering the new 16" Bike. It’s always entertaining to say the least.