Opened in 1978, Rip City is the oldest continuously operated skate shop in the United States, if not the world. The entire history of skateboarding flows through its doorway. The cramped one-room shop at 2709 Santa Monica Blvd. has served as launching pad and clubhouse for punk rock luminaries, skate heroes, and assorted local legends of all kinds. Four generations of Angelenos bought their first decks from owners Jim McDowell and Bill Poncher. They have weathered shifting trends, the rise and fall of competitors, and the looming threat of gentrification in Santa Monica, the birthplace of modern skateboarding. KINDA CRAZY is testimony to the store's staying power and reveals the close-knit community that has sprouted behind its scuffed counters over 45 years.