KINGSTON — Evans Matan knows all about being downright “board.”
Being bored, though, is something the 28-year-old Kingstonite doesn’t have much experience with.
That’s because Matan stays busy and in shape by riding the asphalt, surf, snow and pretty much every other terrain this planet has to offer in the endless pursuit of fun. So, when it came to his working life and career, it isn’t surprising that he wasn’t really into the typical 9-5 job.
So, Matan created his own.
On Nov. 23, he opened Evans Board Sports in Kingston with the goal of helping local youngsters get out and enjoy “alternative” sporting activities with confidence.
“I just want to help the kids out around here,” Matan said. “There’s not much to do in the area unless you have a car and a lot of kids around here don’t.”
The 1993 Spectrum graduate attended the Art Institute of Seattle before taking his own road and opening up EBS last month.
“I gave up my tech career to do what I love,” he explained, noting that in addition to all things boarding, the new shop would also offer radio control hobby kits as well for cars, boats and airplanes.
“All my stuff is a little cheaper than most places because there’s not a lot of overhead,” he said of EBS, which is located behind the Bradley Center on Highway 104.
As for speeding the streets and new Kingston Skate Park with style, Matan said skateboarding has been a mainstay for him for roughly two decades.
“I have been in the industry all my life,” he stated, adding that he has been an avid skater since he was eight. “I also snowboard, surf… and play golf.”
While hitting the links differs somewhat from sticking a nollie kickflip, both require something common to all sports — concentration. So, actually keeping an eye on the ball isn’t so far removed from riding fakie, pulling a noseslide or completing a 50/50 grind.
But while Matan’s first love is definitely skateboarding, in the early 1980s he was introduced to the slopes and the sport of snowboarding and has been avoiding the dreaded scorpion and real estate sales ever since.
Although EBS is currently selling used snowboards, Matan said the shop will hold a full line of the white riders next year. He already has a good deal of boarding gear that goes beyond the standard skate decks with a backpacks, gloves, hats, shirts and just about everything the avid X-sports fan needs.
“This is something I’ve always wanted to do,” Matan said with a smile. “This has been my brain child since I was a kid.”
If all goes well at Evans Board Sports, he plans to expand to an all-in-one store, which offers everything from motorcycles to surfboards.
“I know what kids like because I’m a big kid — I’m 28,” he remarked.
