Three local skateboarders are working hard to ensure their hobby catches air and turns into a money-making business.

Picayune natives Collin Rust, Ryan Hodgson and Will Hinkle founded Urban Boards in 2013. They’re currently studying business marketing at PRCC to learn what it takes to turn their hobby of making and selling customized boards into a profitable business.

“We started out skateboarding with each other, and then when more people started skateboarding in Picayune, we started to customize boards and then make them ourselves,” Rust said.

The trio uses Canadian hard rock maple veneer to build the boards. Rust said they work out of his family garage and borrow many of their woodworking tools from his father.

The Urban Boards team sells their handmade decks via social media and word of mouth. They range from $90 to $125, depending on the deck’s design.

Hodgson said their handmade designs and woodwork set them apart from other businesses.

“We do it all handmade, and the price is still less than those boards that are factory made,” he said.

Friends since childhood, Hinkle said they all work successfully as a team.

“We’ve never had any problems since we’ve been friends for years. We all know how we work,” Hinkle said.

While it’s just a hobby for now, they hope to open a store in Hattiesburg, the Mississippi Gulf Coast or right here in Picayune.

“They say if you do what you love to do, you’ll never work a day in your life. We skate and make skateboards. We’re living the life,” Rust said.

Urban Boards has a GoFundMe account set up at https://de.gofund.me/urbanboards to donate or help spread the word about the business.

Rust said he hopes that one day they can live out their dream and make this business a reality.

For more information about Urban Boards, visit their Facebook page at Urban Boards of Picayune.