• April 19, 2004
• Vol. 61
• No. 15

Board Wars

Chris Loarie's Skatestoppers Made Him a Success—as Well as Public Enemy No. 1 for Skateboarders

To skateboarders Chris Loarie is the villain. To everyone else, sick of the scratches and skid marks caused by boarders swooping over benches and handrails, Loarie is a hero, thanks to Skatestoppers, a simple invention that earned the Southern California entrepreneur more than $1 million the last two years. "I'm not against skateboarding," says the 34-year-old father of two. "I'm just helping people protect their property." Skatestoppers, thick metal or plastic brackets that are fixed to smooth surfaces, create speed bumps that foil skateboarders. "Chris Loarie is the bad guy, no doubt," says Eric Sentianin, managing editor of Transworld Skateboarding.

Loarie came up with the idea in 1998 after his brother Mike mentioned the mayhem skateboarders had caused outside a nearby church. Boarders have since sent him thousands of hate messages and even death threats. While Loarie finds the venom unnerving, skating guru Tony Hawk calls it misguided. "If he didn't [create] these, someone else would [have]," says Hawk. Then he adds, "But [they] aren't going to stop skaters."

More From This Article

Biock That Board!

The most basic Skatestoppers (left) cost about $3 each; custom devices can sell for $12.50. Says Tony Hawk: "Aesthetically I think they're less attractive than anything the skateboard does with grind marks."

For more on Skatestoppers, go to www.people.com or AOL (Keyword: People)