Back when skateboarding exploded into a full-on sport in the 1970s and '80s, you usually had to go to your neighborhood bike shop to get decks, trucks, wheels, bearings and grip tape. Mike's Bike and Skateboard Shop in the traditionally African-American Wilshire Vista neighborhood of Mid-City brings you back to that special place. “You're going to walk into my shop and smell that smell,” owner Michael Lohr says. “I've watched grown men turn into 15-year-old boys in front of their wives and girlfriends.” The visuals — rare, reissued and vintage decks from the likes of Dogtown, Powell-Peralta and Santa Monica Airlines — tend to inspire some nostalgic time travel. While Mike's is known for its four-wheeled collectibles, it also has contemporary, complete street setups starting at about $100. You'll find decks from the usual suspects: Baker, Girl, Chocolate and more. So bring the kids, too, big man.

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