Conceived by College of Communications and Design Dean Cesar Santalo, an artist and a former TV reporter, he wanted to push students to try something new and handed out 25 blank skateboard decks.

Tri-Star Skateboards, which started in 2004 selling boards out of the back of a van, grew into a large store offering an indoor skatepark and, at one time, a memorabilia museum. The owners plan to ...