my first BOSS

Meet Phil.... my first boss. my leg up in the skateboard industry

Ever since I first started riding a skateboard in 1986, I would always take care of my equipment and resell it once I was ready for something new. I would drive around to skate spots in my mom's station wagon with a backseat full of used equipment. SELL SELL SELL was the name of the game... I took to it. I don't know when PHIL BOERSTLER opened Paradise Sailboarding Company, but I first started going in there in 1986. Not too long after first going in, Phil hired me. I don't remember the application process or how it all came about, but outside of lawn mowing and house sitting, selling skateboards at PARADISE was my first job where taxes were taken out. I've stayed in contact with Phil over the years as I have always seen him as a stand up guy.  We got together for lunch soon after I landed in town.

Phil and his cannon!

After lunch I got a tour of Phil's current business....Paradise Currency and Flags. He got turned on to Civil War history and memorabilia after 9/11 and started out trading currency from that era, and has now branched out to military flags and even cannon replicas from the Civil War. I'm routinely interested in what's he's doing and he enjoys hearing about my path in life.

Phil and Wes at the skate party

Brodie organized a skate date with all the old skate pals and a dinner afterward at a local bar called the Anchor. I bugged Phil to join us and I think he was nervous at first, but finally agreed to show up. All of the old skate gang knows him since he was one of two skateboard sellers in Wichita for a few years. He ending up having a blast reconnecting with some of the guys.