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Circle-A The Shop
Categories: Shopping Fashion Sports Wear Shopping Sporting Goods Sports Wear Shopping Fashion Men's Clothing Shopping Fashion Women's Clothing Shopping Sporting Goods Outdoor Gear Shopping Fashion Shoe Stores Sports Wear, Men's Clothing, Women's Clothing, Outdoor Gear, Shoe Stores [Edit]
108 Paseo De San AntonioSan Jose, CA 95113
(408) 995-0677
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 11 am - 7 pm
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
About This Business:
At Chico's, it's all about making women look and feel fabulous--all the time. We've helped millions of customers look chic for over 25 years with a… read more »
38 reviews for Circle-A The Shop
Review Highlights
38 reviews in English
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Review from Steven R.
Fremont, CA
6/13/2011
Legit.
For skateboarders, by skateboarders; none of that Zumiez mall poop. Being one of the few Vans syndicate accounts in the area is a definite plus in my book. -
Review from Jeremy O.
10/21/2011
Stopped in to Circle-A while I was walking around downtown San Jose just killing some time. As others have mentioned, this play is really tiny and sort of sits off the road a bit by a movie theater making it easy to miss. I actually walked by it a few times not even realizing it was a skate shop.
During my visit I was the only person in the store other than a man I believe was the owner and a younger girl who worked there, both of whom were very polite and offered to help me with anything I needed. Unfortunately however, everything at Circle-A is fairly overpriced and I personally didn't think their selection was anything to write home about. I did find some cool Nike SBs but I wasn't about to shell out what they were asking for them when I knew I could just grab them elsewhere for $20-30 cheaper.
Overall, I think this place is being a little overhyped but from what I could see it was the only skate shop in the area, although I could be wrong about this. Thumbs up for being polite and independent, thumbs down for bad prices! -
Review from Chris E.
San Bruno, CA
9/2/2011 1 Check-in Here
Trying to kill time before class, I stop by this place today to check it out.
Don't know why I never went in there but this place is pretty sick. Tons of custom decks I have never seen before. Skater apparel and a nice collection of shoes. Plenty of different Vans I haven't seen before as well.
Cool architecture on the whole store. Definitely will stop by from time to time. -
Review from Elaine T.
4/16/2011
Back in the day when I was trying really hard to defy gender norms, I was adamant on getting a skate board and learning how to skate. My parents weren't so pleased. Anyhow, thankfully that skater-girl phase is over, but at least I got a pretty cool experience out of it!
The owner, Bob, is one of the coolest guys I've ever met. We randomly had a conversation about Buddhism once while I was visiting the shop on how it's more of a way of life than religion. Haha. Anyway, he was really nice and helpful, guiding me through the basics of getting a board. He also said that if I ever saw anything that I liked elsewhere (in a catalogue or online), he'd try his best to bring it in the shop.
The shop itself is pretty small, but it has all that you'd need. They carry some pretty sick boards as well as a huge collection of shoes that you probably won't find elsewhere. This place is truly a gem, I'll say. Anyway, if any of my friends ever need a recommendation, this is the place.
Nowadays, it's all about purchasing online for a cheaper price. But I assure you that this kind of personal service will not be found anywhere else. -
Review from Lauren H.
San Jose, CA
5/18/2011
Called Circle A @ 6:30 Wednesday night to see if they mounted quad roller skates, not expecting anything to come of it. To my surprise, Bob got on the phone and said he could mount them and to come down as he would be there till 7pm.
Got there, Bob immediately started the process of mounting my already twice mounted roller skates. Two hours later I'm back in business, ready to roll. He stayed till 9pm mounting my skates, and didn't even charge me.
He was super knowledgeable, and straight forward when it comes to gear.
I will definitely be referring my friends and fellow skaters for all/any skate needs. -
Review from Joe L.
San Jose, CA
10/17/2011
I've known Bob since he had his old shop back in the day, before skating became big, back when everybody looked down at the skater and shook their heads. Dude had some stories & some decent Merch.. I don't like buying from Circle-A anymore though because eveything is overpriced, nobody there realizes they're being ripped off and I see to many hipsters there as well as posers.
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Review from Casm L.
San Jose, CA
10/15/2011
I guess this place is cool, for San Jose. Nothing really special here but in a city with virtually no skate boutiques this is pretty much as good as it gets. I walked in and the dude at the desk was talking orders with some other guy. They didn't say hi or ask if I was looking for anything, which is usually fine for me cuz I hate that shit, but they both looked me straight in the eye when I walked in, then went about their old douchey business. Kinda awkward in a tiny little store like that. I think the main reason it's popular is because it's right by SJSU, same reason nasty ass La Vic's is popular.
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Review from Jenn L.
San Jose, CA
8/28/2011 1 Check-in Here
cool place in the middle of DTSJ, nice collection of stuff.. not my style though. I like their limited edition back to the future air max's. (not for sale)
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Review from Brendan H.
Bay Area
1/3/2009
Circle A is teh DOPE. I love the glass architecture of the shop building from the outside, right across the street from SJ State University. Prices are mid-range but they have wide selections on Addidas, Vans, and Nike's. They have the skateboarding essentials. They have these really nice top hats where I got one of mine from. And they have reallly artistic and sick skateboard pieces. That's what I like about this place, the abundunce packed into a small place. Support local bizz!
It's true, there's not as much stock for females but Azuki is a few buildings down the alley. -
Review from Jaye C.
12/27/2007 1 Check-in Here
If you're looking for your skate goods, get them here. Shoes are also a notable collection in this location (Nike dunks, Adidas, Vans, etc) I found me some great looking Vans high tops that I haven't seen in any shoe store.
Stop by here if you're a sneaker aficionado!
They carry a few standard skater brand clothing like Volcom, RVCA, Krew Denim - you know the stuff you can see at Zumiez. But the most endearing and familiar brand that I saw was Konscious Klothing. I thought that was cool because I know the person who started the brand (you can also see his art work at the Giza hookah lounge).
I'm coming back here to get a long board so I can ride it around school, walking is soooo overrated.
P.S. Across the street from here is another must-stop boutique that just opened up not too long ago. -
Review from Cristobal T.
San Francisco, CA
4/8/2008
I'm not a skater, but the shop that Bob runs over here at Circle A has gear for everyone. They have a Nike SB account and they get some of the harder to find Adidas and Vans sneakers here too. Only retailer I've been to that actually sells Supra's too. They also get the Nike SB clothing line here. They got a good selection of t-shirts and jackets. Other popular clothing brands they carry off the top of my head include Stussy, Diamond, Volcom, Obey, Zoo York, Upper Playground, Alphanumeric, Altamont, RVCA, Rebel 8, Krooked Skateboards, etc. They also carry wallets, belts, hats, and even jeans. And yeah they got decks, bearings, wheels, trucks, and all them skateboard parts here too. The staff is really helpful and nice.
I was going to give this place 4 stars for not being so big and having to pay for parking in downtown during particular times, but Bob the owner has the best loyalty to his customers. He's hooked it up with a discount for buying shoes a size bigger since they didn't have my size, he's let me return a shirt that was a size medium tagged shirt printed on a small shirt, and he's even got me a new jacket after there was a zipper problem. Customer service is way above par here.Listed in: Born to Shop, Shop Like A Hypebeast
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Review from Aileen A.
4/7/2008
Shoe collection is quite the satisfactory.
Love that you can see almost everything from the outside, but it still makes you want to come in.
I don't know if Bob still does it, but they do alot of shoe releases. Good shit like SBS or limited edition Adidas. Stuff that people wait outside overnight for.
Quite an improvement from it's old location across from Ben and Jery's. Circle A has a lot of products to offer. However, it's kind of cramped. I've seen a couple of items that are just not moving. A sweater that's been in the same rack for a year!
Customer service is friendly. And the owner Bob is pretty awesome and really knows his stuff. He's pretty fair and does not sell just to make money. He once refused to sell a pair of SBs to a girl who was just buying to profit because he wanted to make sure that someone who really wanted the shoes would get them. That's pretty dope.
He sells boards, skate videos, accessories, etc. None of that 10 Deep, Crooks and Castles stuff. Strictly skating is his deal.Listed in: hype beast city
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Review from Cali C.
San Jose, CA
4/25/2009
Great skate shop! Building looks cool and it's located in a nice area.
Employees are helpful. They have a decent, usual Nike SB collection. Definitely a place to check out -
Review from Sean C.
San Jose, CA
5/5/2008
I don't care how small this shop is, or how much I have to pay for parking every time I go there. Circle-A is an awesome skate shop in downtown San Jose that you should turn to for all of your skateboarding needs. Bob carries shoes, clothing, decks, trucks, bearings, and anything else skate related. All of the girls that work there are super friendly, and bob is an awesome guy. He's got tons of stuff to choose from, so take your pick and get stoked on your new gear!
I just recently built up a new cruiser style skateboard. The girls were super helpful, and set me up with a SICK enjoi deck, and some smoooooothe Sector-9 wheels, even hooked it up with a little discount.
BOTTOM LINE: go to Circle-A now... seriously, stop what you're doing, put on some pants, and go downtown and check out Circle-A. Bob deserves your money! -
Review from Aljon V.
San Jose, CA
9/4/2006
Great place in San Jose for sneakerheads and DunkSB collectors, because it is the only authorised*SP retailer in San Jose..
they have a great selection of shoes,Skateboards,Shirts,Pants,Hats,Etc.
i ALMOST,always get something.
great shop. -
Review from Aloysius V.
San Jose, CA
2/13/2009
Circe-A the shop for skaters and hypebeast. hehe
The store its self it really small. i mean SMALL. It has a strange building layout, like overhead it looks like a shoe print maybe. It may be small, but they have a lot of good things in stock.
The store layout is really simple as all the shoes are on the right side. Speaking of shoes, they have a GREAT selection of skate shoes. You don't get that mainstream stuff that they have at zummies or other skate stores.
On the left side are the clothes. Pretty alright, but i don't really get anything, but they do have a good selection.
Pros:
+ Have stuff that are "different" from normal stuff
+ Dig the layout of the store
+ People that work there are really chill and helpful
Cons:
- Really small
- Somestuff is a bit overpriced ( sorta worth it i mean, who else is a nike sb retail seller) -
Review from Justin A.
San Jose, CA
6/4/2008
Circle A is pretty dope. The place is more of a boutique then an actual skate shop though, so some skaters may be turned off by that. Circle A is definitely somewhere I go to get a new pair of shoes or some fancy clothes, although everything is a bit more pricey than usual due to the shop being fully independent. Bob (the owner) is a pretty cool guy, and Johnathan, one of the workers, totally rips. I've seen the dude skating with some high profile dudes, so he definitely knows what he's doing as far as setting up a board goes. Decks are plentiful in the shop, although its a bitch to rummage through the piles just laying against the shop walls because they don't hang them all like most skate shops do.
Circle A has a fantastic shoe selection, offering not only skate shoes, but a lot of laid back chill shoes. Bob seems to have a fetish with Adidas and carries a lot of the non skateboarding styles which is a plus. I probably purchase shoes the most above everything from this place.
All in all Circle A is a pretty rad place to go after (or in between) classes (its about two blocks away from SJSU) or after a skate session around downtown San Jose. Minus one star for the hypebeasts that loiter around here. -
Review from Sara C.
San Jose, CA
7/7/2010
I really like Circle A. The employees are really friendly, and make you feel very welcome. Since it is a skateboard shop, I was hesitant at first because I doubted that they had anything in there for a girl who didn't skate. They have cute girly clothes as well as a wide variety of shoes. If you like sneakers, this is definitely a place to check out. It's small, but not too small, and very unique.
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Review from Dale F.
Willow Glen
5/25/2010
This is, by far, my favorite skate shop in the bay area. The owner and employees are knowledgeable and passionate about skateboarding. In addition to the service, they have a great selection of decks and the shoes ... oh, the shoes. They have Vans Syndicate, Nike SB, Adidas Skateboarding and anything else you could ever want for your feets. This is the spot.
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Review from jereme s.
San Jose, CA
9/20/2009
i swear the girl who works there knows me by name. sweet stuff there esp. the SB's. they stock rebel 8, the mike giant brand which is always hard to find as well as an array of different brands. their vans selection is top notch- they had the taka hayashi's which are a b*tch to find, but they had a big stack of them. stuff is a little pricey, but it's stuff that's supposed to be pricey....? so i dont really care.
the bad: hella small so tere's always stacks of shoes on the side, stacks of decks on another side. it's not cluttered, just cramped. -
Review from gregchill g.
San Jose, CA
7/5/2008
Nice selection of skate shoes, adidas sb vans an more. More like an boutique than skate shop. Which cool with me. Thing that sucked is The two ladies that work there did know jack. I mean nothing there cute though. Bob the owner knows what up but he is not there all the time so your left with crew who do not shit. Hire some one who does. An some one who can grip an board. Other than that anyone who carries krooked an shut is in the real. Peace
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Review from boo v.
San Francisco, CA
9/3/2008
I went here first when I was looking for my first board. I didn't have a clue about what I needed but had an idea of what I wanted. There were two girls working there that didn't know much. They were pretty and all but I felt like they were catering to the University more than skate customers. The shoe selection is quite impressive and if you want clothes but as far as skate knowledge I was disappointed. I guess Bob is the guy you need to see but he wasn't around.
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Review from Michael H.
Hayward, CA
11/8/2008
The thing I like about this place is that you don't have to go inside. I don't typically like skateboard shops mostly because I can't skateboard worth a penny. After a few minutes of being inside a skateboard shop I feel like an over age poser. Yet the glass encased store offers window shoppers and casual glancers the luxury of an outsider's presence. In fact, that just how I discovered my infamous DC Avengers. I was walking by when the green sneakers caught my fancy. It took me a couple of weeks until I finally broke down and bought a pair. Feel free to roll on by with those traveling eyes.
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Review from Vu C.
Milpitas, CA
3/10/2006
The aesthetics of the store is tight-like. The glass makes the store look transparent. The shop might be a little small, but the gear is styling. I was kinda creamin' off the Adidas footwear they got. The color combos were pretty fresh. I have yet to buy something though. The temptation is so hard to control. I just want to splurge on some of the gear, but my money keeps going to food.
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Review from Joe A.
Santa Clara, CA
3/26/2008
I like how this building is structured. It stands out alot. I like how this place supplies Rebel 8. Which is usually hard to find. Its hard to find a pair of dunks thats your size because they're hot. Customer service here is awesome, im not sure if they're workers but they're was a few cute girls working here ^_^.
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Review from rj s.
Santa Clara, CA
9/8/2008
Circle A has something for everybody. The have a nice variety of decks, wheels, etc for the skaters and they also an assortment of clothes and shoes for non-skaters. What makes this place different from the typical skateshop in the south bay is the quality of shoes they carry (Nike SB and Vans Syndicate) and the customer service is top notch.
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Review from Marvin N.
Milpitas, CA
9/11/2008
so originally i only went in cuz there was a hot girl workin. just being honest. my friend brought me along but im not interested in skating but she was worth it. and impressive. according to my friend rob she knows her stuff. she wasnt pushy when it came to selling stuff and gave my friend ample time to decide on which set of wheels he wanted. afterwards Bob (not my friend, the owner) put the new wheels on my friends longboard and asked if he could also test it. he makes it 5 stars.
and if you were the girl workin tuesday afternoon and you happen to read this... HOLLA!!! -
Review from Carla C.
Austin, TX
4/3/2007
I had heard of Circle-A for years and finally went a couple years ago when I had to buy some parts for my board. The staff is very knowledgeable and is super-friendly. Even if you're not there to buy anything but to ask skate questions, they'll answer 'em for you in a jiff. Aside from decks, parts, and tools, they sell shoes, skate clothing, stickers, and other accessories relating to skate culture.
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Review from Tony P.
Campbell, CA
7/4/2008
Its a great skate shop with a great staff! They carry a lot of the Vans and Nikes that I like so i try and come by every month for a few pairs. The Nike SB accessories that are sold out else ware are still in stock here which is very surprising. 5 Stars for great service and great products!
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Review from V D.
San Jose, CA
2/11/2010
Good place for shoes, particularly for girls who want mens sneakers in their size, esp new SB releases that are really hard to find in smaller sizes. Unfortunately, the clothing section for girls seemed a little smaller than what I remember. That's my only gripe. Great selection for the male species of course. Other than that, really friendly chill staff who are always helpful.
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Review from Anthony P.
San Jose, CA
4/4/2007
Whenever I'm at Circle A, I find something I like. I'm picky when it comes to clothing, but for some reason Circle A always has something dope. They're the only NIKE SB authorized store in San Jose so don't sleep on the limited shit. Same thing goes for the rare Vans stuff. These guys are awesome and the owner is really friendly. He knows his stuff and is always there to help.
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Review from Alvin N.
Danville, CA
10/3/2009
Great local shop, prices seem to be quite reasonable compared to many online shops. Friendly staff and decent selection of parts. Bought some bones bearings for my longboard. They they helped me install them, as well as put on some nuts and bolts that seemed to have fell off while riding.
Great shop! Definitely check them out if you dont want to wait for shipping. I always thought that it would be cheaper to buy things online, but even after tax this place was less expensive and I got them right away. -
Review from Tyler L.
San Jose, CA
3/15/2009
Damn, this place is the shit. Well first off, this is the only place in San Jose that carries Nike Sb's. I went here today to buy some sb's, and the service was great. The lady who helped me was very nice, and she didnt seem to get pissed that I was trying on like a bunch of shoes and asking questions. I guess the owner wasnt there today, but it was all goood. Actually, they do pretty good business, considering it was a sunday today. Remember to support your local skate shop :D
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Review from Hilda W.
San Jose, CA
5/3/2007
im somewhat a sneaker head. i buy many pairs of sneakers and i end up not wearing a lot of them or just wearing them once. i just like to stare at them sometimes. Oh....so what does this have to do with the review? i buy shoes here. i can find some of the stuff that TRUE carries here w/o heading to SF which is awesome. and its right next to school, i even bought a pair of the prison issue vans last week during my lunch break. this place got all the good shit. Nike SB, limited dunks, and such. 5 stars because they sell shoes in my size. size 5. hahaha
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Review from Reese F.
San Jose, CA
3/29/2008
If you're looking for a good shoe/skate/urban apperal boutique in San Jose, look no further than Circle-A. If you're looking for, practically, the only legitimate skate shop in San Jose, again, Circle-A. Located right across from the Rep, it's that curvy shop encased in glass, one block west of San Jose State. Bob, the owner, is a really cool cat. Always helpful, he goes that extra mile to keep future business. He looks for sizes you need, suggests styles you may like, tells you about future releases, keeps you updated via website. Yumi, one of the associates, is also very friendly. She's a sweetheart and a joy to shop with. Looking for Nike SB's? They got 'em. Vans, Lakai, DVS, Adidas... The whole gang's here, just be up on release dates or be disappointed. One of the biggest drawbacks of Circle-A, hence the 4 star rating, is pricing (the markup starts at $5 and it may go up to ridiculous levels, depending on hype) and availability (seems like each release they have is one size run). I rationalize the pricing by saying to myself, "I can either get these at Circle-A for such-and-such amount right now, or I can spend the $40 in gas and pick 'em up at HUFs/Atlas/510..." Their brand selection in clothing and accessories is right on. RVCA, Stussy, Nixon, Alphanumeric, SB, just to name a few... It's enough to set them apart from mall retailers, but on par with other skate shops in the Bay. Just think of Circle-A as a skate boutique. It looks the part, and definitely feels the part everytime I shop.
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Review from Marc M.
Los Gatos, CA
6/3/2009
After visiting here many times, Circle A has become my favorite source for shoes, and other clothing related things in San Jose. It is smack in the middle of downtown, right next to a movie theater. Outside you can usually see people on bicycles or skateboarding, even some of the staff skateboards out there I believe. Inside, Circle A has sort of a modern layout, with all of the shoes one side of the room, and all of the clothes and other skateboard products on the other. They seem to have the coolest shoe selection of any store in San Jose, and all of their shoes are pretty reasonably priced. The employees are also really helpful, and talkative. If you're looking for neat finds on shoes or anything else like that, skip 'Zumiez' and come down here instead.
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Review from Eduardo A.
San Jose, CA
11/29/2009 1 photo
this is a great shop & the only one I know to carry Wesc Headphones not a lot of selection but most definitly worth checking out if you go downtown
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Review from ellen s.
San Jose, CA
7/16/2009
Not a big fan of the clothing but if you're on a mission to find some limited editions this should be one of the first places you check out. They have a bomb shoe selection housed in some cool architecture. The owner and employees are awesome. Support local businesses and good people!
