Birling the Charlie Bowins Collection

Charlie Bowins, the absolute legend of a human behind the name of the beloved McNabb skatepark in Centretown, was a staple of the Ottawa skate scene. His adventurous spirit, effortless style on a board, and infectious smile were positive forces that live on to this day. We’ll never forget the day Charlie pulled up to Antique (Birling’s origin shop) with an old motorcycle tucked in the back of his infamous Dodge Caravan. Charlie was stoked on his new bike—he was quick to point out that its Florida plate read “Antique” and that he was able to get it across the US-Canadian border without a hassle. On what would have been Charlie's 32nd birthday, five years after his passing, we fired up his '72 Suzuki TS on the first kick. After filing a stack of paperwork to import his Florida-smuggled relic into Canada, we took a photo of the mileage, gave it some CPR in the garage, and off it went to continue its life with Kyle, Birling co-owner, who rides it as his commuter. This stinky, dangerous—yet beautiful—old bike keeps Charlie’s spirit alive with us in a way that he would have loved. See it parked in front of the shop on most summer days, or listen for it crackling like a popcorn machine down the streets of Centretown.

This year marks 10 years since we lost Charlie. This collection celebrates all that he was and continues to be in our hearts.

We love you and miss you, Chuck.