Located on the corner of South Grand and 11th in Springfield, IL, the city block of Southtown holds volunteers and business owners that dedicate their time to creating a unique experience for all those who enter. It started with Sk**ks Skates International, an indoor skate park that opened in 1988 and has since developed into one of the longest running indoor skate parks in the world. Known for it
's friendly atmosphere and D.I.Y ethics, Sk**ks Skates has brought in a numerous amount of skateboarders from all corners of the world. This space was used not only for skate boarding, but for live music as well- which created an immense spark of inspiration that eventually led to the opening of a separate music venue called the Black Sheep Cafe (now permanently closed) located next to the skate park. Here in Springfield, there are a good number of local bands that filter in and out. Many of their albums are recorded in Southtown Studio, a recording studio located on the premises that works with bands to create well done recordings of their music that sound amazing, which gives them the ability to share the music they create. Along with Sk**ks Skates and Southtown Recording Studio, located right across the back parking, lies a well loved, hands on, organic community garden which continually blooms with vegetables and buzzes with bees during the warmer months. Volunteers, tenants and visitors of Southtown all enjoy the benefits of this garden and work hard to keep it- and the bees that maintain it so consistently- alive and well. The practices and businesses that reside in Southtown hold all of the elements that make it a unique, compact compound of culture located in central Springfield. Thanks to the hard work given by business owners and volunteers alike, it holds an irreplaceable importance to those who care about it as well as to the larger Springfield arts, music, gardening and ramp riding communities.
