Thrasher Magazine

CAL'S PHARMACY IS A CERTIFIED PORTLAND INSTITUTION. It served the city as a real pharmacy since the 1930s and transitioned to skateshop in 1985. Over its history, the shop has put out full-lengths, housed one of the best indoor parks in the country and held down the scene with a brick-and-mortar location for generations. If you've been in the game long enough, you might remember The Pharmacy Video, which set a high bar for local shop vids and even featured a young Tyler Bledsoe. He’s been with ‘em through eras and is back with another full part along with an incredible crop of new Northwest talents. Our guy Joe Brook was on many of the sessions while they put urethane to weathered pavement and came back with a grip of quality flicks. Check the record and read a few words from a few of Portland's most notable and quotable. 


From Emile's opening line to Sebo's closing performance, the Cal's Pharmacy crew serves up a sublime portrait of Portland street skating

The pandemic opened up the plazas and Tyler Bledsoe shut them down. Back Smith    Photo: Brook

This was the most fun I’ve had filming for a video. The young dudes were really inspiring to watch and skate with. It was a trip, ‘cause I was a young kid in the last video so the roles were reversed this time around. So cool that I still get to do this and have so much fun with it. Very thankful to be in a video with this crew. Everybody was ripping. Michael McCloud really did a good job on it. It makes you wanna go skate. Thank you, Cal’s Pharmacy, a true core skateshop. —Tyler Bledsoe

Sebo and Bledsoe keep the spirit of Kurt Hayashi close with some Jim-Henson-esque magic

Working on a video project, specifically for a skateshop, was really special. It reminded me of when I was younger and when making videos was paramount. It was a different time, when full-lengths were everything—where you got your inspiration, where you discovered your favorite skaters, where you saw new tricks to try and learn or good styles that just made you want to get outside and push down the street. I’m thankful for McCloud being willing and able to roll with us, and for being down to try just about anything we came up with. It also helps that he’s a truly talented skater and came up with his own ideas and spots for us to hit. 

We were also lucky to skate Portland in a very unique period of time. During the early pandemic, there were so many plazas and downtown spots that we had never really been able to skate without getting kicked out, and they were essentially unlocked and good to go. This video heavily showcases downtown Portland, which has so many different textures and spots that have gotten weathered over time. It makes it significantly harder to skate, but all the more rewarding when you land the trick.

It’s an honor to be in the video with Enzo, Anthony, Emile, Jake, Tyler and Finn. Everybody is unique, loves skateboarding and has a different approach. Seeing it all come together and watching the skate scene of Portland embrace the video is the best. Kurt Hayashi (RIP) was originally working on this video with us. He was a dear friend to us all, as well as a pillar of support for the shop. We miss him dearly. His camera was passed down to McCloud and the entire video was documented with it. I hope you all enjoy it. Long live skateshops and full-lengths. Land! —Sebo Walker

Sebo switch backside 50-50s a famously sketchy schoolyard out ledge     Photo: Brook

Addicted to the thrill, the young father Sebo switch front crooks over the judgemental eye of a cautious commuter    Photo: Brook

Quick feet, wicked flick, that's Sebo's M.O. 360 flip to fakie   Photo: Brook

Emile throws a mute to fakie where the Winnebago Man's hiding out     Photo: Brook

I was fortunate enough to have tagged along on a lot of the missions for Land. From the early days when filming Emile, Enzo and Anthony was referred to as “babysitting the kids,” to rooting on a determined and inebriated Aidan’s impromptu “man” drop-in, to seeing Sebo knock out a three-city-block line in a handful of tries, a few things became clear to me: all these dudes love this shit for all the right reasons and wouldn't know how to present it otherwise. Tyler Bledsoe is a gift. Finn Pope will be a household name. And, finally, Mike McCloud’s ability to showcase what makes Portland skateboarding special feels impossibly accurate. I couldn't be more hyped to see this thing out in the wild. —Aesop Rock

Finn Pope finds the angle from crusty bank to even chunkier asphalt. Frontside flip    Photo: Brook

When I heard this video was close to an hour, I was like, Wow! But once the first screening in the incredible Portland Science Museum was done, I wanted to see it again right away. However, the second screening was sold out also. There was a huge turnout. The Portland scene is somewhat divided and spread out. Still, at moments like these, everyone comes together and you realize how massive it is. It’s so rad.

Mike McCloud did a fantastic job showcasing both new and familiar talent situated in the typical setting of Portland. It’s raw. The spots aren’t easy. The weather is challenging half of the year. Also, downtown has gotten pretty rugged over the last two years. You’ll see.

I got so pumped seeing spots I didn’t know and that I want to hit now. I also saw spots I know get completely destroyed, and it made me feel I am not good at skating. And I saw stuff being skated that I never considered spots. All this is to say, the lineup of the video is solid and these guys are pretty fucking good.

Let's go over a few: Enzo, his hype makes me smile. Emile, his magic and unpredictability is always a spectacle to watch. You can see the reason Polar picked up Big T. Skating is too easy for Tyler. Finn reminds me of GT. Jake has been working full time for years but has no issue doing SSBSTS 360 shoves on his days off. And is there anything Sebo cannot do?

The video is a tribute to the one and only Kurt Hayashi—RIP. Mike actually filmed it all on Kurt’s Camera that he inherited, which makes it all extra special. I am proud to be part of the Portland scene and beyond honored to know these heads. Mike, you killed it. Kurt would be so proud. Much Love. —Kaspar Van Lierop

Jake Gascoyne, hippie through an obstacle course    Photo: Brook

Enzo was down to get broke off for the cause    Photo: Gascoyne

The mind behind the vision, Michael McCloud      Photo: Gascoyne

Big T goes upstream on a big O   Photo: Brook

Let's have another round for these gents

Now, let's see the scene at the premiere night

Our first look at the official sign in the aforementioned Oregon Museum of Science and Industry. What a venue!

 

Portland OGs were in the house: Kharma Vella, Joe Davis, Miles Grube, Mark Goldman of Vans and Northwest masterlensman Jon Humphries

 

Aesop Rock copped one of the complimentary Kurt Hayashi beanies

 

Sebo Walker and Aesop Rock about to watch one of them close the curtains

 

Mackenzie Moss from Maple OX caught up with the Northwest’s favorite nomadic artist Jess Mudgett

 

Mackenzie also brought flowers for Mike. Cal's Pharmacy head honcho Kyle Reynolds admires the blooms too

 

Hunter Okana rolled up with the fam

 

The legacy! Mike McCloud flicked up with Mike Richardson who filmed the first Cal's Pharmacy video 16 years ago

 

Northwest connect, Seattle's finest Finn Pope chopped it up with Portland’s son Emile Laurent

 

The Fixer Skateboard fam: Johnny Turgeson, Ultimate Phil, his son Silas and Tim Coolidge 

 

More rad dads on the scene, Jake Olsen brought his son Ezra and crew

 

Jake Gascoyne and Mark Goldman started out as shop kids and turned into skate-shoe gurus

 

The Murrells: Cham, Alex and Sid. Sid rips Burnside and helped cater this thing. Good looks!

 

Ben Mohr from Mohr Custom Ramps and Matt Milligan from the Three Stripes—not to mention his illustrious pro career

 

Slappy god James Alby was joined by wife Ariel

 

The future of this town, Aiden Caruth and Milo Demons

 

Enzo and Big T held it down, but you already know that

 

Cross-shop love from the Tactics crew, Alex Lobasyuk, Romel Torres and Nacho

 

Spotted John Vitale from The Killing Floor skateboards and Leah Brown

 

Salem’s sons Sebo and Bledsoe giving their town a good reputation in the new feature

 

More Aesop Rock?! Of course! Linked up here with Kaspar Van Lierop and one of Burnside’s all-time best Brent Atchley

 

Jake Gascoyne with the Kurt Hayashi muppet and artist behind it Birte Von Kampen

 

We miss you, Kurt

 

Forever in our hearts

 

Cal's Pharmacy went with the biggest screen possible. Kyle Reynolds is in there for scale

 

One more of the gang. Amazing video, guys! Stoked everyone can see the fruit of your hard work. Here’s to another one sooner than 2039!