‘I’ve always called it a magazine. I want it to be bigger than it is.’
Marcus Waldron
Skate Jawn
USA
Was there a specific moment in 2010 when you decided to start Skate Jawn?
I started wanting to make a skate magazine pretty early on when I started skating, but it didn’t seem possible until later. I started making skate videos with my friends pretty much right when I started skating. I was looking at a lot of magazines, and thought it would be cool to make a skate magazine one day. I talked about it with people for some years, but it wasn’t until I moved to Philly in 2010 that it seemed possible.
I started wanting to make a skate magazine pretty early on when I started skating, but it didn’t seem possible until later. I started making skate videos with my friends pretty much right when I started skating. I was looking at a lot of magazines, and thought it would be cool to make a skate magazine one day. I talked about it with people for some years, but it wasn’t until I moved to Philly in 2010 that it seemed possible?
I grew up looking at the big magazines like Thrasher, Skateboarder, The Skateboard Mag, Transworld, and Slap. Lowcard was popping too, and that was a big inspiration. There were a few smaller local magazines like Focus, and eventually, I met some friends who were doing their own zines.
Is Skate Jawn a skatemag or a zine?
I’ve always called it a magazine. I want it to be bigger than it is. I want it to grow bigger. We try to embrace the zine style and culture, but I want to make real magazines and books. We want the magazine to be accessible and affordable, but also premium quality, so there’s a balance there.
‘This photo is Ty Beal testing out a ramp I built for one of our “giant can drive” events. The photo shows the cramped inside of the studio, and you see a Hasidic guy out in the hallway watching.’
16 years and 92 issues later, you are still in the publishing game. Are you surprised how far you have come with Skate Jawn?
It’s unbelievable to me. I love that I’m able to still do this, and I’m really grateful for all the people I’ve got to meet and the experiences I’ve got to have. I really didn’t have many expectations when I started this. I can get really busy and don’t always look back that much, but it’s crazy when I think about it.
Is there anything you have not achieved yet?
So much. I still want the magazine to reach more people and get bigger. I would love to be able to do the magazine full time and take care of the people who help and contribute more. I want to produce more, but it takes help and resources. Managing growth and scaling takes patience and strategy.
‘I think a Porsche ad could be dope.’
What do you like most and least about publishing your own skatemag?
The best part is probably not having to do what someone else says, or follow someone else’s schedule. I have to remind myself that I’m literally doing what I always wanted to, not some miserable job. It’s a dream but also a struggle. The worst part is not making money and working all the time. There are benefits, though.
Your current issue #92 sells for $2 which is not much. How do you finance the mag?
We try to keep the magazine free at shops, events, and wherever possible, but we have to charge for shipping on the webstore. We’ve always relied on advertising, merchandise, events, and whatever else we can do try to survive.
How do you deal with the increasing shipping cost?
Unfortunately the cost of everything goes up, not just shipping. Shipping and the rising cost of everything are big challenges, but they’ve always been there. Shipping rates surge around the holidays, and then go back down, but generally, this cost hasn’t gone up as much as some others. We have to be very careful to track what we spend and try to get the best rates.
What is the biggest challenge in producing 6 issues a year?
It’s pretty nonstop the way we operate, and I’m always trying to scale things bigger with our limited resources. We have to balance planning things for the future while also meeting immediate deadlines. Making each issue is kind of second nature, but there are a lot of other parts of the business to keep up with, and we’re working with very limited resources.
Can you afford to draw a line with paying ads given the current financial environment we are all in? For example, would you allow a nonskateboarding ad to be published like from a luxury car manufacturer?
Unfortunately, we have to do what we have to do / what makes sense financially but there is definitely a line. I think a Porsche ad could be dope, but they would have to make it worth it. I have seen an ad for the US army in a skate magazine growing up and that still seems insane to me. I think that’s clearly past the line.
‘It’s a dream but also a struggle.’
Are there any other zines or skatemags that inspire you?
I love zines and skate mags and definitely get inspiration from them, new and old. As far as skate mags/zines I love Skate Fate, Free, Closer, and Confusion to name a few.
Last question. If you could interview one person?
To make this easier, I’m going to assume alive only. I would love to interview Spike Jonze. He’s had an amazing career, starting in skateboarding and branching out into film and other projects. Another more accessible person I’ve always wanted to interview but somehow haven’t yet would be Patrick O’Dell. I asked him about it before, so I hope I can do that one soon.