We were looking at this photograph the other day, and somewhat reminiscing. It’s from years ago, eons before the streetwear explosion in the Fairfax District. These people are standing in front of what would later become The Hundreds Los Angeles. There’s Scotty iLL, Ben, and Tony (ynoT?). Nick Diamond. I’m all elbows. Gomez and Galia. Sal Barbier. Basik. I also see Jon Hundreds and DJ Mike B. Right there on the door, 7909 Rosewood Ave. Everything was a lot simpler then.

So I guess I’ll make this another Flashback Friday post. It’s been awhile since the last one, and you guys seem to like these trips down Memory Lane. I’ve probably posted some of these stories before, so forgive me if I’m repeating myself.

It used to be pretty cool having offices just down the hall from Dennis at Crooks & Castles. We’d knock on each other’s doors during breaks, brainstorming ideas, smoke sessions, and chopping it up in general. KB, on the right there, is with UNDFTD now. That day we were having a roundtable on what would we could get to ignite next in the streetwear marketplace. We came up with cardigans, and over the next few seasons, dropped the knit piece into our lines. Fortunately for us, the customers ended up playing along.

This is maybe the first real photograph I have of Scotty iLL. Even back then he’d give the camera a hard time.

Lazy afternoons back in the day, out in front of the 7909 studio. My man in the boots there is NA, who now runs his own brand, Deadline.

Here’s an old print layout for an early Agenda magazine. Crew shots, buncha vintage graphics in there.. some of those illustrations never made it past sample status. So it’s the first time they’re seeing the light of day. Somebody tried to call me out recently for copying their collage (which is a pretty weird accusation). I guess this is proof that we were mashing up graphics a half-decade ago.

Flowin’ Owen aka Mike Franklin would be bummed that I broke this out the archives. He’s so.. colorful. Our team rider has always gone big.

This was the night before THLA opened. If you look inside, you can see that Tofer’s installation, CORN MOUTH, didn’t even exist at this point. Alex, Morgan, Ben, and Tony trying to get the inventory straight. The next morning, watching Tony swipe that first customer’s credit card.. that was a pretty nervewracking experience.

Chad of Foreign Family sending out smoke signals.

Anyone remember the video? I’ll post it after the photo. This was a fun night. There were a few times where I thought to myself, “This guy Gomez can easily kill me right now.” Thankfully, he didn’t.

Mega and Ben partaking in Mario’s Peruvian on Melrose. Oh man, the green sauce. Maybe I’ll go here for lunch tomorrow.

This was when Mega was still with HUF. Now he has his own line as well, as I’m sure most of you know. It’s called Black Scale.

My friend Maria was visiting, this is before she moved back to LA. I took her down to Undefeated Santa Monica. She was an amateur photographer, who later went on to win VH1’s reality show The Shot. Let’s just say she’s not an amateur photographer anymore.

Speaking of success stories, Wale used to drop in all the time. This afternoon, we were running the BBQ when the rapper showed up with Danny Lee, filming a bit for Current TV. Wale’s debut album dropped this week, Attention Deficit. Go get it.

Our store looks funny without a sign. The Hundreds Skate team parked out front.

This is one of my favorite photographs from the THLA storefront. Morgan and our dear friend from Goo.

Early TH crew shot, courtesy of Tim McGurr aka the 13th Witness.

I shot this one for the first issue of Antenna Magazine. Switch, Morgan, Alex, and Tony. Buncha degenerates.

by bobbyhundreds