The Man Who Lit the Molotov
College Street became set ablaze with the introduction of a new venue, tailored to misfits, outcasts, and rebels. It was created to fill the gaping chasm that was the lack of a skate shop in a community ridden with skaters.
Michael Portugal, better known as Portugal or Port, owns Molotov Skateshop, which is located at 425 College Street in Bowling Green, Kentucky.
Molotov Skateshop has skate products for purchase, a small skate park, and serves as a venue for local punk and hardcore concerts.
Portugal moved to Bowling Green after meeting his wife and found the community was severely lacking in a space catered towards local skaters.
“One day, me and my friend Wes were just talking about the lack of a skate shop in town, and we were like, man, should we do it? Should we just open a skate shop?” Portugal said, “We were like, fuck it. Let's do it.”
Michael Portugal, Owner and Founder of Molotov Skate Shop
He explained that Molotov is more than just a store that sells products for skaters. Portugal said he wants the store to be a communal space for people in the community to gather.
Portugal said that for him punk culture and music are tied to his political beliefs. The first band he formed in Bowling Green was a response to the killings of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor.
“We (Portugal and his friend Derek) were both involved in organizing and protesting and one day, we were both like, we need to start a band. We need to start a punk band," he said
Portugal stated that having Molotov as a communal space for young people is especially important.
“I haven't really seen too many spaces (in Bowling Green) for the youth to express themselves freely and feel safe,” he said.
Expression within the skating and punk community are aspects Portugal said he values. Portugal said Molotov is a place where people can be free to be whoever they want to be.
He said, “I get to live out the things that I believe, which is that everyone, everyone should be able to have their own freedoms to be who they want to be.”
Portugal continued that Molotov means a lot to people in the community. He emphasized that it is a place where people who don’t normally feel welcome in other spaces can feel welcome.
“Molotov is a place for misfits, obviously everyone is welcome, but the people that call this place home, who come to shows every time there's a show, who hang out here almost every day and have found a community here or family or friendship, this is something very special to them.”
Portugal admitted that he was hesitant to meet WKU students out of respect for the community he has cultivated.
“I've had experiences where photojournalists have come in and they did their story, got their photos, and left.”
To Portugal, he said that felt exploitative, and like it was taking advantage of a community close to his heart.
Inside a 'Molotov Show'
Thursday, Nov. 7 Molotov Skateshop hosted one of their semi-regular concerts, dubbed ‘Molotov Shows’. Molotov Shows serve as a display of underground punk and hardcore bands.
Treyton Brock, guitarist, said that Dungeon originally started as a solo studio project but he soon brought on Bradford Harris, drummer, Aaron Fields, bassist, and Grant Robinette, the vocalist.
Dungeon, with vocalist Grant Robinette, open the show on Nov. 7, 2024.
“Me and Trey cannot start a band without each other. So we’ve been in like 1,000 together,” Harris said.
Dungeon band members said that they were impressed with the size and enthusiasm of Bowling Green’s underground music scene.
Fields said spaces like Molotov Skateshop are important, especially for young people.
“It’s a place they ain’t gotta worry about all the problems of the world, all they gotta focus on is what matters, having fun with your friends and digging on good rock 'n' roll music.”
Robinette also expressed a feeling of reverence for spaces like Molotov, “Some people go to church, I go here.”
Attendees of the Molotov Show also expressed excitement for the music and sense of community.
“It feels like family” attendee Harlie Anderson, 21, said.
Colten Ram, 19, also said “Music is great, people are nice.”
In the pit during a band's set in the garage of Molotov Skate Shop on Nov. 7, Ian Wincer and Jessica Evans mosh as the laughs and chants echo throughout the room and crowd-goers begin to become physical dancing across the floor. Moshing is a pivotal part of the punk/rock music scene, and despite seeming odd to an outsider looking in, it is a spiritual experience for those taking part, allowing them to express and release pent-up energy. "It's always so awesome, being apart of the crowd, feeling the energy in the pit, and just being able to be unjudged during that time," Wincer said.
“Man it’s fucking awesome,” Syd Collins, 21, said “The dude who runs it, Portugal, he’s like the best ever, he does everything to make sure we have super sick bands play here.