Skateboarding
You know him as a Creature Fiend, but around Portland, Willis Kimbel is also known as a local shop owner and the man behind the city’s most recent DIY skatepark. Since moving to the area in 2004, Willis has been enamored with Portland’s skate scene—massive parks, huge transitions, and a landscape surrounded by nature. But over the years, as things changed, he found himself graduating from simply skating in the community to helping build it up and usher in the next generation.
In 2024, he opened Rip’s Co. Skateshop in response to another local shop being forced to close its doors. Since then, he’s been creating even more spaces for skaters. Q-Side is “a skateboarding place in Portland, OR,” according to its Instagram bio—but in reality, it’s the result of hard work and collaboration between skaters like Willis and city officials. Tap in with Willis Kimbel for a Snapshot of his Portland lifestyle, and the unique role skateboarding continues to play in his life and the city at large.