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So were you at the Birdhouse Demo the summer of 99? Where you dissapointed by the overall quality of the demo? Most people were. Well Rob Pell, owner of ShadySkates was dissapointed too. Rob pays good money for you all to see demos like Birdhouse. So he took matters in his own hands and wrote out a few emails trying to find out why the demo was so lame. Here is the first of what we like to call “Tony Hawk, the Man or the Myth”
Letter Number One
From Rob Pell, owner of ShadySkates to Tony Hawk, owner of Birdhouse Projects. Sent Tuesday August 10, 1999
Tony,
Last weeks Birdhouse demo sucked! The skatepark was filled with skaters waiting to skate with the pros, and the pros spent nearly the entire day smoking in their car. Our original agreement included the Jones Soda truck, the Sony Playstation van and four pros. I received two pros, no Jones Soda truck and no Playstation van. However, I was charged the original price. That is completely unfair! All day long I answered the same questions from my customers: "Where's the pros?" and "when does the demo begin?". It is not my responsibility to coerce the pros out of their car and into the shop. They are professionals and should want to represent their sponsor. If you could have only seen the way they presented Birdhouse at our demo you would be replacing them with all new team riders.
Sincerely,
Rob Pell
Letter Number Two
From Tony Hawk, owner of Birdhouse Projects to Rob Pell, owner of ShadySkates. Sent Friday August 20, 1999, three days later.
Rob,
I am sorry that the demo went so poorly. We had a number of setbacks with the tour, and you were witness to the bitter end. Many guys got hurt, the others were overworked, Willy had a family emergency, our RV (supplied by Jones Soda) never showed, and I was committed to a big competition in Europe during the time. The tour was subsequently canceled immediately after your stop. I cannot blame anyone in particular, just many forces working against us. We are trying to rectify the situation, and I would like to plan something before next summer (that I would attend). We will keep in touch regarding any plans, and I am truly sorry that you experienced the worst of it.
Sincerely,
Tony
So you may be wondering what we were thinking. Well, from the looks of this letter, Hawk was planning to come back to Shady soon to make up for Birdhouse’s crummy performance. Rob decided that he should find out when Tony was planning to come so that he may inform his unsatisfied customers. The following was Pell’s response to Tony Hawk.
Letter Number Three
From Rob Pell, owner of ShadySkates to Tony Hawk, owner of Birdhouse Projects. Sent Friday September 3, 1999, one week later.
Tony,
Thank you for taking the time to respond to my letter. You mentioned in your response that you would consider planning a visit before next summer. I think a personal appearance from yourself would rejuvenate my credibility with my customers. I have a suggestion which would work within your time- frame (before next summer) and work with my promotions schedule. ShadySkates will host it's 14th Annual Contest next year on Saturday January 15th, 2000. The event takes place on the weekend of Martin Luther King's birthday (long weekend). If you could participate as a judge of this event, or do a demo it would be most excellent. If this event works with your schedule please contact me to work out the details. Also, if you would require a personal bodyguard, or skateboard caddy for this event may I suggest Tory, my favorite B-house salesperson.
Sincerely,
Rob Pell
Ah ha that would be great if it would fit in Tony’s schedule having him judge the contest would be a great way to pay Rob and his customers back for the lame demo. A week went by, Tony didn’t respond, two weeks turned to a month and that month turned into nearly four months of waiting for a response from the great Tony Hawk. After numerous phone calls to the Birdhouse Headquarters Rob decided enough was enough and he had to get down to business on the keyboard and write up Pat Hawk, Tony Hawk’s sister. On Tuesday January 25, 2000, Rob sent an email to Pat.
Letter Number Four
From Rob Pell owner of ShadySkates to Pat Hawk, head of Tony Hawk Productions. Sent Tuesday, January 25,2000, twenty-one weeks and two days later.
Dear Pat,
I have left messages at your office which went unanswered. So now I am trying the e-mail approach. I was told you are responsible for arranging Tony's schedule so I am contacting you to arrange a demo. I was working with Tony directly until he never responded to my last letter, so I am contacting you. Tony had promised a visit to Pittsburgh before spring and I am running out of time. Please contact me to make arrangements.
Sincerely,
Rob
Letter Number Five
From Pat Hawk head of Tony Hawk Productions, to Rob Pell, owner of ShadySkates. Sent Wednesday February 29, 2000, two weeks and a day later.
Hi-
Please let me know all of the details (Venue, city, state, contact) re:demo obligation. Tony's schedule is extremely tight. We will need to see when he will be in your area in the coming year. By the way, all of your communications seem a little sharp, is there a problem I should be aware of?
Thanks,
Pat Hawk
Letter Number Six
From Rob Pell, owner of ShadySkates to Pat Hawk head of Tony Hawk Productions. Sent Sunday March 5, 2000, three weeks and four days later.
Dear Pat,
I sent a response to your letter a month ago with no word back from you. I just want to set up a demo. I have no preset event date or complicated requirements- please just tell me a date when he is coming and I will make it work.
Thanks,
Rob Pell
Letter Number Seven
From Pat Hawk head of Tony Hawk Productions to Rob Pell, owner of ShadySkates. Sent Sunday March 5, 2000, the same day.
Hi again-
Evidently the Birdhouse team was going to try to fit your shop into the Whoopass tour in Dec. 99to make up for the cancellation last summer but it didn't work out. I'm sorry to inform you that Tony's schedule is totally booked up. He'll be on tour with ESPN this summer, you'll be able to see the schedule within the next few weeks on the EXPN site. That tour is not booked by Birdhouse, however. Tony and I are personally sorry for any inconvenience this may have caused your shop. Feel free to speak to Birdhouse about any other tours coming this summer.
Thanks,
Pat Hawk
Tony Hawk Productions
With that, Tony, we understand that Pat works out your schedule. We hope that you will reconsider and go with your committment to visit ShadySkates in the near future. |
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