written by: Tony Gill
Complete silence is disorienting. Standing on a grid of suspended wires, surrounded in all dimensions by a labyrinth of geometric features in the center of an Eckel audiometric testing room, I was mortified at the sound of my own voice with zero reflection to dull the edges, but I was nonetheless awestruck by the sonic void in the heart of Skullcandy’s new headquarters in Park City. Who would think you’d find a chamber of total silence at a company with the motto “Stay Loud?”
The massive, hollow-eyed skull on the side of Skullcandy’s fortress greets motorists on Rt. 224. You know the skull; it’s the one adorning the ears of some of the world’s best action-sports athletes, like motorbike superstar Robbie Madison, who made headlines by jumping his dirt bike off the Olympic ski jumps at the Utah Olympic Park. Those ski jumps are visible from the windows and deck of the new Skullcandy HQ—surely no accident.
Skullcandy was the creation of Rick Alden, who conceived of the perfect headphones that could seamlessly transition from music to phone calls. That idea has grown into an international brand, but Skullcandy will never outgrow its home in Park City.
Underneath the rowdy veneer Skullcandy presents, their new headquarters highlights a serious commitment to technology and great products. Extensive engineering facilities allow for complete in-house prototyping and allow for some of the industry’s most sophisticated product development. Marketing, sales and finance are under the same roof as well. But it’s Skullcandy, so don’t expect all business. Most of the ground floor is made up of a basketball court, a Skullcandy-logoed putting green, a custom skate ramp and a fully outfitted room for impromptu jam sessions.
If you missed the grand opening, you can come in and check out Skullcandy’s full storefront with all the latest product offerings. In the stratospherically likely event you already have some Skullcandy headphones, you can stop in for personalized customer service and warranty help.
6301 N. Landmark Drive, Park City, 888-697-5855, skullcandy.com
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See more inside our 2017 September/October Issue.