Despite having only been established in 2008, Toronto’s Sanction Skate & Snow has a long history of being Thornhill’s go-to place for skateboards and snowboards. It’s actually the third incarnation of a business that’s made north Toronto its home for years, first as Riordons and then as Board Zone before eventually passing into the hands of Charles Javier and Malcolm Vaughan.
The pair have since been running the store together as Sanction, partnering up with another Board Zone alum out in Waterloo and opening up another location downtown in 2011. The two-level Thornhill store is where they keep their vast collection of equipment along with men’s clothing (the downtown location is where they stock their women’s gear). The store also lays claim to being the “best and only snowboard shop in Thornhill.”
“We just took over for the previous owners, because we absolutely love it,” co-owner Malcolm says about the decision, before asking, “Why wouldn’t you want to sell snowboards all year long?”