Austrian board sports and lifestyle specialist Blue Tomato, part of the portfolio of US retailer Zumiez since 2012, is exclusively bringing the snowboards and snow and streetwear from US company Forum back to Europe. The brand went off the market in 2014 and relaunched exclusively online in 2022 in the US. In Europe, the products are now available in Blue Tomato’s webshop and in selected brick-and-mortar stores.
Forum is very well known in the snowboard scene and enjoys a certain cult status. The company was founded in 1996 by Four Star Distribution and professional snowboarder Peter Line. Forum was particularly popular in the late 1990s and early 2000s and was appreciated by the community for its innovative designs and influence on snowboard culture. The brand made a name for itself with high-quality snowboards and was also known for its successful team riders. A year ago, original founders Mike “Mack Dawg” McEntire and Line, along with Jeremy Jones, revitalized the company.
“After a successful relaunch in the US, we are thrilled to be working with Forum as part of their global expansion and bringing such an influential brand back to the European market,” said Will Reddin, Senior Hardgoods Buyer at Blue Tomato. “To ensure that all customers have access to this iconic brand, Forum will be available in numerous Blue Tomato stores as well as online as part of an exclusive partnership.”
Eco-friendly production in Austria
In addition to the now exclusive European distribution via the Styrian-based partner Blue Tomato, Forum has another strong connection to Austria: The snowboards are handmade in “The Mothership” at Capita in the Carinthian town of Feistritz an der Gail using 100-percent clean energy. The Mothership is regarded as the most technologically advanced and ecologically responsible production facility in the snowboard industry.
Watch Mack Dawg Productions’ Forum Snowboard Team Video “The Resistance” from 2000:
