AI-assisted summary

Burlington skate shop Ridin’ High is closing its location of 25 years and moving to Montgomery Center.

The owner, John Van Hazinga, stated he was evicted for sleeping in the shop, which is not zoned as a residence.

Van Hazinga has a notable history, including a federal conviction for distributing marijuana and surviving a serious skateboarding accident.

Ridin’ High — Burlington’s eccentric longboard skate shop at Battery and Pearl streets — is departing the Queen City to lay down roots in Montgomery Center after 25 years. Its last day here is Oct. 31.

Owner John Van Hazinga, often known by the folkloric moniker “Big John,” attributed the abrupt move to his landlord kicking him out for sleeping in the shop, which in a building without a shower posed a legal risk. S

See Full Page