Orbit Skates Boutique

by Mariela M.

Orbit Skates and Boutique is always a great place to pick up different gifts for friends.  At first I went in to buy insense and sage, but then I was intrigued by their constant positive change in items.  Its always great stuff.This past saturday I got 2 piercings from Shayna.  She did a beautiful job.  It only hurt for a few seconds.  I've been getting wonderful compliments on them.  I highly recommend Shayna to everyone.

by Michael S.

Hey Orbit and staff.. GREAT job on the customer service.. Nice to know it still exists.. I went to Orbit the fist time 6/18/2007 for a skate board for my son. It was really amazing to see the selection of over 150 decks available to choose from. The staff was very friendly and knowledgeable about the product. My son who has been skating for years spent about 45 minutes asking all types of questions and not once did they make us feel like it was too much. They took their time and responded to all his questions and even treated me to a free drink from the cool while I was waiting patiently. Not once was I pressured into buying or even feel like I had to spend a dollar. My son finally decided on a boards with all the accessories. The staff was great and even gave my son a Orbit T-Shirt.. HIGH QUALITY I must say. The shop has everything for everybody. I got lost in all the goodies that were there. They literally had EVERYTHING. It was like a toy store for kids of all ages. Everything from clothing to skate equipment.. Even a Chess board that was hand made from pewter with a really HIGH price tag. Definitely a collectible for those members of your high school chess club ;-) My favorite though was their selection of fine gift items in these tall showcases, everything from crystal to Faberge eggs..

by Janet P.

I keep coming back to Orbit for various and sundry things iike piercings. I have to say that I don't appreciate arguing the merits of needles v. guns with my piercer, but I finally convinced them that personally for ear piercings my track record is zero infections with guns and one nasty infection with the needle. I had to let the hole close up and re-pierce with the gun and then I had no problem.

by Sean M.

I live right down the street, but have only had a chance to stop by twice so far. Both times were great, though. I originally stopped in to get a new complete skateboard after my last was stolen out of my truck. Bummer. Still, they were really helpful and hooked me up with one of the Orbit decks and some generic trucks and wheels. Rides great.I just stopped in today to have my septum ring removed, now that it's devoid of any and all meaning it might have originally held (a conclusion I came upon when my friend's 13 year old niece had it done). They did it free of charge, super quickly. Couldn't have been easier.With that said, there is a ton of stuff in here, but I mainly just plan on coming for the skate stuff. They seem to cater to the long-haired, all over print t-skirt-wearing, hip, young skaters that apparently rule the streets these days, but I imagine that's the only way they could stay in business. Besides, they still carry stuff for us shredders that don't really listen to E-40 and worship Ryan Sheckler (i.e. Anti-Hero).Besides, the girls working there are cute. Stop by if you're looking for a new rock.

by Miss Brenna T.

Like many people, I spent quite a bit of my childhood practically raised by my grandma.  I don't have any siblings other than I half-brother who I wasn't raised with, and she unfortunately wasn't all that encouraging of me playing with neighborhood kids and I was never allowed to have friends over to her house with me after school.  Sad to say more often than not I sat around with my grandma watching afternoon soaps, Phil Donahue and Oprah, the evening news, and 70s/80s stuff like Dynasty and Cannon, when I was a little older it was all about Walker Texas Ranger (my grammy loved her some Chuck Norris!).When it came time for me to go to high school, I had just moved to Oakland the summer before 9th grade and would be going to a junior high school, then subsequently Oakland High School.  My grandma kinda wigged out about the location and who I'd being hanging out with, etc., so I guess she thought she'd get me to stay inside more by buying me a TV.  Nothing fancy, but it was a decent 19"er.Years later I still have no life, but have graduated from the TV screen to the computer screen (and wonder of wonders I actually went out and made some friends, too)... I have seen the glory of the mighty Craig and worship daily at the temple of the List.  Under the guise of doing busywork at my job I am stealthily perusing the Barter section, and I come across a posting for hookas.  Hmm, I'd been a cig smoker for years but had never tried a hookah, and I was wondering what I had that would be worth trading for a hookah, and it dawned on me that I had a TV that I never used.  I emailed hookah guy and he asked me what color I'd like, came over and we made our exchange, and I was the proud owner of a dark purple, gunmetal, and black hookah.Fast forward another couple years and said hookah's collecting dust.  The bowl I originally got with the hookah never really fit quite right and it didn't smoke that well.  On a recommendation from my partner I went and checked out Orbit, and was pleasantly surprised they actually had a few options for bowls that would fit my hookah.  I was even more pleasantly surprised to learn recently that they carry lemonwood charcoal, which I've come to find is a much better alternative to those little round cakes.  They've also got all kinds of different flavored tobaccos, and some naturally-flavored additive-free stuff that I haven't seen elsewhere.  I like Orbit.  It doesn't have that overpriced smokeshop feel to it, it's clean and organized and the people that work there are genuinely friendly and helpful.  The owner's a great guy that remembers the names of his regulars.  And well, it's down the street from Thrift Town ;-)In an effort to smoke processed cigarettes less, I've been able to cut back by only smoking from the hookah at the end of the day instead of cigs periodically through the day.  It's quite a relaxing little ritual of sorts, and I don't feel nasty or guilty like I do when I'm puffing a cancer stick.  Now I've got a functioning hookah with a properly fitting bowl, and some really nice apple-flavored tobacco.  I can go turn into a caterpillar!And uh, my grandma still doesn't know I traded that TV for a hookah.

by anthony m.

if you lose the hookahs, porn, zippo lighters, gothic medieval statues, the Osiris D3s and the other bullshit, you might have a skateshop.....  now to the review of the skateshopoverall this place sucks. they only have hardgoods. the skate softgoods are over 10 years old. for god sakes they still have the D3!!! theyre very inconsistent with there board selection. one day they might have some banging brands, the next time they might have all bland skate brands like Plan B, Zero. the dude who works the skate section is pretty cool. he reminds me of the comedian bobcat just cause of the looks. i remember one time the City team came to hold a demo for the store, i remember thinking like wtf are they going to skate flatground? they ended up skating a box and a rail. but it was kind of weak cause jimmy coa didnt show up. and you know Atlas had a City demo too but at the shoreview park that totally shitted on Orbits demo. you know, if you live outside of san leandro its a real drag getting there. you either have to get on the 80 and san leandro is like the dead epicenter of traffic, and parking for it is the smaller than the size of a basketball half-court. its fucking retarded, the drive aint even with coming to this place thinking of the price of the gas these days.theres been so many cases where i had to buy a board i didnt really like, or wasnt my size here. that should never happen

by Juan B.

Ok, I brought my brother in law here last year to get his very first skateboard and we had a lot of fun picking it out.  The guy was really helpful and answered every question we had.  Only thing is, I heard recently that when your purchase is over $100 you get a free soda and a free shirt...the total was almost $200...We didn't get shit!!!  Next time I go, I'm expecting to get SOMETHING for free, damnit!!!Oh, and they also sell clothing and they do piercings.  They got statues and posters and all kinds of crazy stuff.But yeah, I recommend this place.  It's a really cool atmosphere, really laid back.  I could hang out in that place all day.

by Thuyvi F.

They have a pretty wide selection of body jewelry.  My husbands been coming here for years.  The first time he took me here they boss dude was really nice.  Before we left he told us we could get some drinks on him. He didnt have to do that but he did so I got some Orbit Water! hehe anyways the hubby needed some new plugs so we bought some and the chick was nice to go ahead and gage him and put them in without charging us for it.  Theres tons of little gidgets and gadgets so shirts stickets, and skateboarding stuff for your pleasure.

by Rachel Ann A.

I had such a terrible experience here and if it were up to me I'd shut the place down and turn it the available space into a parking lot. Eugh.. HORRIBLE!Rather than driving out to Berkeley (which is where I normally go for all of my piercing needs) I decided to try Orbit Skates and Boutique out after a girlfriend of mine told me that she got her naval done there it she loved it. Considering I lived a whole 5 minutes away I figured, "Heck.. why not..how bad could it be?" I'd later be hitting my head into the wall after making that statement aloud.I pierced my naval and decided to get an industrial done since I had always wanted one. The naval was just like getting my ear pierced.. nothing painful or out of the ordinary. When I got my industrial done I just knew as soon as she screwed on the bottom ball that something wasn't right.  The lady had bent my ear in such away to make the bar bit that it began to "cauliflower" within minutes. She swore it would go away and to put an ice pack on it when I got home. Hours later my ear began to turn purple and the pain throbbed like crazy.I endured the pain for another 2-3 days until I just couldn't take it anymore. I went back to Orbit and insisted on seeing someone else. A new person who was in charge of piercing that day took a look and instantly advised me to take it out. He said, "she didn't do it right. wow.. I'm surprised you kept it in that long!" I spoke to the manager and demanded a refund but he said that he couldn't do a thing about it and sometimes piercings turn out like you want it to and sometimes it doesn't.After arguing with him for a solid 10 minutes I stormed out with no resolution.DON'T THROW YOUR MONEY AWAY HERE! VERY UNPROFESSIONAL AND UN EXPERIENCED PEOPLE WILL SPOIL YOUR DAY AND POSSIBLY YOUR BODY!

by David R.

lengthy review but i need to get this off my chest. if you want the abridged version, scroll to the last sentence at the bottom of my post.When I first walked in to Orbit I was transported back through time when skateshops were mom and pop affairs and sold not only skate stuff but punk records/tee's and other subculture trimmings. This was awesome!! I spent the next month there, dropping lots of cash on Orbits great selection of skate stickers and Famous Stars and Straps shirts. Eventually, I befriended John, the main skate tech who was very personable, as is Sal the manager.things were going great until i asked Sal to order in a complete Sector 9 City Crusher. nothing fancy, just a complete. It would take about a week to get in-which wasnt too long-and the price was only $20 higher than Skates on Haight so i was stoked to support a local shop! John gave me a Sector 9 catalog to look through but since i had owned the City Crusher previously, and had recently seen it on Sector 9's website, i didnt need to look at the catalog. "here, take a Sector 9 catalog with you anyway, we have tons!" John helpfully offered, and i left after making the order.A week passed and John called me to let me know it was in. I went to go pick up my complete. As i entered the store, John didnt immediately present me the board-we just made small talk until i had to ask "soooo where is it?" as i was eager to go skate! "Here it is Dave" John says, as he *picks it off the display rack that holds the other boards* . i notice the board has been ridden/has dirty griptape..."why would they ride my new board?" i think to myself...hmmm. something fishy here. "Thats it Dave, thats your board-i swear" John tells me convincingly as i flip the deck over AND NOTICE THAT ITS NOT THE SAME GRAPHIC OR SHAPE OR EVEN MODEL THAT I ORDERED. Because (i thought) John and i were cool w/each other i'm confused, but willing to give him the benefit of the doubt-maybe they changed the graphic/shape? Well, no problemo, lets just check the catalog.Mysteriously, the ton of Sector 9 catalogs available a week ago had conveniently dissapeared. "Some kid took the whole pile" John says, causing me to now put 1+1 together. I start to get a sick feeling in my gut. listen. mistakes happen. i know this. but don't try to tell me that the board that i saw in the new 2009 catalog has, IN ONE WEEK, changed graphics, changed shape and grew two inches??!! The worst thing about it was that I felt like an idiot with John there telling me it's the board i ordered when i know its the shops mistake and i know he knows it as well. What were you thinking John? What a douchebag. By the way, he's the skate tech with all the hipster tattoos and large gauges-just so you know.The manager Sal tried his best to do right by me...he found a Sector 9 catalog immediately (guess there was one around after all, huh John?) and verified the mistake. John went and hid in the back like a little bitch. Sal tried to accommodate me by  knocking off a bunch of money on the wrong deck, but by that time i was too soured on the whole deal from John's lack of integrity and ethics. When John called me two weeks later to tell me my correct board was now  in, i couldnt bring myself to go back.I ended up going to Destination 1440 and buying one of their complete Sector 9's. Sorry Sal, you can thank your employee John for the lost sale and continued loss of my business. If he still works there you can tell him honesty is always the best policy.despite the above HORROR STORY, it's a good store but just buy whats on the shelf.