They moved to a newer a way bigger location a few blocks away in more central part of downtown Los Gatos near Hwy 9 in around 1991 and dropped the No Control and just went by NC. And it was at this location in the following years that NC became the giant force in the skateboarding shop team department, grooming up and sponsoring some of skateboarding biggest stars. In 1996 NC released the underground, yet groundbreaking and such an important video in skateboard history, “Montage”. It introduced the world to a 14 year old Jerry Hsu, and had a team that except for FTC in SF, had arguably the best shop team ever. Marc Johnson, Gershon Mosley, Jerry Hsu, Paul Sharpe, Panco Moler, Doug Showmaker, Hideo Sakaraki and others. It was a great video with mellow beats, sick artsy photos before each guys part, and an amazing cover that is a big painting that Marc Johnson did of all the teams faces, made specifically for the cover, which is amazing in itself. Marc is such a sick artist and was really exploring his painting and art back then while at the same time progressing skating like no other, so it’s really cool he did the cover. The video is historic for the area and for skateboarding in general, and needs to be re-released on DVD/Blue Ray and celebrated! (Hint-Hint)

During that time and in that location, if you lived in the South Bay and wanted to link up with the ripping-est skaters on a weekend, you’d just go to NC, and watching as video on the couch or setting up a board and laughing with the crew would be MJ, Jerry, John Old, Chris Avery, and all the team riders and just about everyone in San Jose who was all about skating all the time with their friends. They had some demos in the parking lot there that were legendary. OG team rider and Los Gatos local Paul Sharpe had the cover of 411 Video Magazine ollieing a huge water pipe right in front of the shop, and the fun boxes and skate obstacles in the back were where MJ, Cab, Jerry and all the SJ and local area skaters would practice when there were no skateparks around. NC was simply the skate Mecca for the skaters back then. 

NC always had (and still has) a great clothes, with really quality and nice hoodies, pants, hats, etc, and in the late 90’s the went all in and started NC Clothing, and took the cut and sew out of the shop and around the world. Making their own clothing brand expanded their visibility, and they were running 2 page spread ads in Thraher and the skate mags, going on tours and demos, and had a sick team of Jerry, Paul and Gershon from the shop, but also other ripping dudes at the time who weren’t from the are like James Craig, Phil Mackie, Tommy Budjanec, and Jason Masse. After a few years they stopped doing the NC brand as a global clothing company and focused on doing it on a smaller scale and continue to have such sick gear. I should know, half my shirts, hoodies, hats and gear I wear daily are NC shop.

A few year after that they moved again, to their current location just down the road on Los Gatos Blvd in a way larger building. There they had way more space so they spend out everything. They have hosted Red Bull sponsored skate jams and contests at the new location, and have continues to support and sponsor the new batch of skaters like local rippers and big time pros alike, such as Fnan Tesfay, Joey Guevera, Jose Rojo and Louie Barletta. They have been the best shop in the area for so many years, and as some others have come and gone, they continue to be the areas main source for all things skatebaording, clothing, shoes, surfing, scooters, longboards and great employees and customer service. It’s so rad to have a business like NC around for 33 years, because they hold such history in skating and locally and have always supported skaters. Thanks NC! -Erik Olsen