BSE Skateboarding + Coffee Bar
HELLO.
Do you like skateboards?
Do you like yummy-in-your tummy situations?
Do you like being happy?
Then buckle up, partner, because BSE Skateboarding + Coffee Bar is about to hit you with the three-hit combo of wheels, tastebud confetti, and the kind of feel-good atmosphere that makes you forget what time it is.
Established in 1997 by photographer and skateboarding enthusiast Jay Bridges, BSE has spent decades being cool without making a big deal about it. Then in 2020, Jay and his partner Jenna moved into a larger space at 225 Princess Street and added a coffee bar, which was a bold move because now people have even fewer reasons to leave.
Seriously.
You walk in thinking:
“I’ll just take a quick look around.”
Next thing you know it’s 45 minutes later and you’re holding a latte, examining a photography print, and considering whether it’s too late in life to become a skateboarding prodigy.
(It is not. Believe in yourself.)
Inside BSE, you’ll find a collection of things that make you look cooler just by standing near them: decks, hard goods, apparel, shoes… whether you’re an actual skater or you just want to dress like you could kickflip your way out of a minor emotional setback. Plus, there’s a selection of Jay’s photography prints for when you want to take home something that says, “I support local art,” while your brain says, “Also this looks sick on my wall.”
The coffee bar is the cherry on top of the already-perfect sundae: tasty sweet treats from MAC’s Bakeshop, enough caffeinated goodness to dramatically improve your outlook on life, and seating by the front window for elite-level people-watching (a sport, honestly). During the summer, however, the real hidden gem is the wonderful back courtyard.
It’s an absolutely magical little oasis where you can sit and sip like you’re in a film scene called Main Character Learns to Relax. It’s whimsical. It’s bohemian. It’s chill. Imagine discovering a secret garden, except instead of finding fairies you find goodies galore and a comfortable place to sit. It feels like accidentally wandering through a portal into a much calmer dimension where nobody is asking you to hurry up because they made lunch reservations three hours ago.
Speaking of which, this is usually where you’ll find Zap set up during Art After Dark, Kingston’s annual celebration of art, creativity, and roaming around downtown saying things like, “Ooooh, that’s neat.” Galleries and art-loving shops stay open late, special surprises pop up throughout the city, and perhaps most importantly, it offers a rare opportunity to browse records after hours while your family temporarily loses the ability to ask how much longer you’re going to be… *glances knowingly into the middle distance.
If you love supporting local businesses, genuinely cool humans, skateboarding, photography, rad clothes, beautiful spaces, or simply treating yourself like the legend you are… BSE is a must-see. Go get caffeinated, become one with the courtyard, and reward yourself for being alive in a world where places like this exist. Treat. Yo. Self.