Powell-Peralta
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| Industry | Skateboarding, quad roller skates |
|---|---|
| Successor | Powell Corporation |
| Founded | 1978 |
| Founder | George Powell and Stacy Peralta |
| Products | Skateboard decks, skateboard wheels, quad roller skate wheels, bearings and accessories |
| Website | http://powell-peralta.com/ |
Powell Peralta is an American skateboard company founded by George Powell and Stacy Peralta in 1978. The company rose to prominence in the 1980s as skateboarding began maturing as a sport. The company featured the Bones Brigade, a team featuring the era's top competitors. Peralta left the company in 1991 and Powell continued to produce skateboard equipment as Powell, Bones Bearings and RollerBones. The two company founders reunited to produce the company's now classic inventory under the name Powell Classic.
George Powell studied engineering at Stanford University and started making homemade skateboards in 1957. In 1974, Powell's son came and asked for a skateboard. When Powell pulled an old one out of the garage, his son complained it did not ride smoothly. Powell became interested in skateboarding again, as he realized urethane wheels improved a skateboard's ride. With this prompting, Powell started making his own skateboards and wheels. He bought urethane and baked his own wheels. He also used some new materials like aluminum and fiberglass to fabricate his own composite boards. One of the test riders of one of his flexible slalom boards was Stacy Peralta.
When Powell was laid off from his job in the aerospace industry, he moved from Los Angeles to Santa Barbara to start his own skateboard manufacturing business. In 1976, George built the Quiksilver ProSlalom deck which he marketed through Sims. This was followed by the Quicktail.
In 1978, George teamed up with Stacy Peralta forming Powell Peralta. Peralta took over team management and advertising. In 1979 they created a skateboarding team called the Bones Brigade (name unrelated to the wheels).
The Bones Brigade was a skateboarding team that rode under the Powell Peralta, and later, Powell banner. Notable Bones Brigade members throughout the years have included:
Powell Peralta produced the Bones Brigade videos, starting in 1982, and they became some of the most influential skateboarding videos of the era:
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