For owner Luke Suvino, the name "Elders" has been years in the making.

"I had been using the name Elders for a few years as my YouTube name," he says. "I just thought it was a cool word, and I liked the idea of the 'wise' skate shop – or the skate shop elders from old skate shops."

Luke's journey into the skate shop business started long before Elders though. In 2010, he transformed his father's longtime New Jersey business, East West, into a skate shop, where he learned the ins and outs of running a business built around skateboarding. After moving to Steamboat, he spent seven years operating a skate shop within East West before taking the leap to create a shop dedicated entirely to skateboarding.

"When the rent almost doubled on me here last year, I had been really wanting to switch over to being just a skate shop," he says. "I was given the opportunity to downsize the shop and move it above Storm Peak Brewery and How Ya Doin’ Pizza."

The rebrand has been met with enthusiastic support from the community.

"The journey has been really supportive since I became Elders Skateshop," Luke says. "I've been involved in the Steamboat skate community pretty heavily for the past nine years, and I still skate weekly at our local skateparks with whoever is around. I'm very lucky to have the support of the local skate scene here."

That community connection is one reason the Steamboat Farmers Market has become such an important part of the business.

"The Farmers Market has been an amazing way to connect with so many more people that might have never walked into the shop," he says. "It's been really amazing having a tent down there and being able to see people walk into the tent and feel like they walked into a version of the shop, which I've been trying to recreate each week."

The market has also become the perfect place to showcase Luke's original artwork. One of the booth's biggest sellers is a Steamboat Springs t-shirt he designed himself, inspired by vintage 1990s souvenir shirts.

"I drew and illustrated all of our most popular and beloved local animals and wove them through the text of Steamboat Springs," he says. "It's been a really big hit, and people seem to love them."

The shirts are available in sizes from infant through XXL, and are available to locals and visitors alike.

"I wanted to have a shirt for everyone that wants to support the shop and support Steamboat," he says.

Beyond retail, Luke sees Elders as a way to strengthen Steamboat's skateboarding culture. He's helped organize “Go Skateboarding Day” events, worked with Sk8Church, coached young skaters, hosted skate video premieres and spends plenty of time simply skating alongside local kids.

"I just try to actually be at the skateparks on a regular basis," he says. "Skating, encouraging and supporting the kids that are there, as well as trying to show them the culture of skateboarding by sharing skate videos and brands that I think are good for skateboarding."

Looking ahead, Luke hopes to continue providing Steamboat with unique gear while supporting the local skate scene year-round.

"A ski town is a difficult place for a skate shop," he says. "We're very lucky to have a place like Sk8Church for kids to skate throughout the long, cold winter months when our skateparks are buried in snow."

He's also optimistic about what's ahead for skateboarding in Steamboat.

"If we can get the Bear River Skatepark addition done, and at some point find a better, more permanent design for the skatepark at Howelsen Hill," he says, "the skateboarding scene in Steamboat will be looking up."