Tell us about how you got into skateboarding?
I saw someone selling Nash skateboards on a corner of the road in my neighborhood. In the mid-’80s and wanted to get one so I could ride with my friends…
How did you come up with the name Refuse Wheels?
Our first name was Wyttrash Wheel Company. it was hard to sell wheels with that name, so we changed it to Dub Tee. This name lasted for a few months until a company in Cali asked us to change it because it was close to their name… so after all this, we came up with Refuse wheels. Kind of a fuck you, we refuse to quit.
Is it hard to build a team? What does it take to be part of your team?
Yes, it is hard to build a team… To be a part of the team, you must be easy to get along with and must be having fun with some gnar thrown in there somewhere.
With the industry being flooded with new pros that we never heard of from smaller brands. What’s your opinion on that?
Think it’s good for the local scene the new pros are coming out of because it gives the next skater some hope in that skate community.
What makes Refuse Wheels different than other brands out there?
That’s a hard question to answer, Refuse Wheels is different by being the only local wheel company in our area. and we don’t focus on just one style of skating.
Do you or do you have someone come up with the graphics or designs for Refuse Wheels?
We come up with the main idea and then hammer it out with our graphic designer
Do you think it’s hard from being from Texas to get your brand out-there compared to some brand from Cali?
It’s been very hard to get our name out there since we are coming out of Texas. Everything here is so spread out. I would imagine being from Cali would make it easier to get your name out. Mostly since a lot of skaters want to leave their own scene and move to Cali for some reason….
Let’s say: I’m a shop owner, you come to my shop & you want me to carry your brand. How would you get me to carry Refuse Wheels in my store?
Well, I would make sure I had set of each wheel design to show the shop and ask if they would be interested in buying a couple of sets to see how we would fit in with their shop’s vibe.
What is Refuse Wheels day like?
Most of my time is taken up by taking care of my elderly parents and learning how to work in Photoshop, Illustrator, and After Effects
Thank you for talking with us & wish you the best of luck with Refuse Wheels. Is there anything you want to say to someone that wants to start their own brand?
It’s a lot of good times but it’s still is a lot of work… And the hardest thing can be to tell your homies NO… But running your own company is so worth it. When you go to a skate contest and see skaters riding your wheels…. It’s awesome
