Lakai footwear was once one of the most respected core skate shoe brands around.
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Back in the good old days, before the industry got flooded with corporate giants like Nike, Adidas, and New Balance, Lakai held its ground as a true skater-owned company.
It had its own identity, its own style, and a loyal following that appreciated everything it stood for.
The shoes were not just made for skaters. They were made by skaters. It was a brand that felt personal, creative, and for the soul of skateboarders. But as the skate shoe scene started to shift, things behind the scenes at Lakai began to change too.
In a recent interview on The Bunt Live, Mike Carroll opened up about Lakai’s corporate sale. He stayed calm throughout the conversation, but anyone listening could sense that the topic hit a nerve.
Lakai was something he and Rick Howard built with their own hands. So talking about the sale was clearly not easy for him.
Carroll shared that Lakai was actually sold back in 2015.
That may come as a surprise to many who assumed he and Howard were still involved in running the brand. He explained that by that time, the market had become extremely difficult for smaller skate companies.
With massive corporations stepping into the skate world and taking over the shoe game, it became harder for independent brands to stay in business.
He did not dive too deeply into the details of how the sale happened. He focused on how personal it all felt.
Carroll said that they were the ones who made the logo and designed the entire look and feel of Lakai. They gave it its soul. Handing that over to someone else is not just a business move. It is something that sticks with you.
When asked how he would describe the experience, Carroll compared it to breaking up with a girlfriend or going through a divorce.
That kind of comparison says more than any technical explanation ever could. It is not about paperwork or deals. It is about letting go of something you cared about and helped grow from the ground up.
The skate shoe world continues to change quickly. Pro skaters like Chris Joslin switched from Etnies to Lakai. Some brands are going under. Others are being taken over by larger companies.
The competition is heavier than ever. And for many skaters, watching core brands disappear or change hands brings up a lot of mixed feelings.
Even though Carroll and Howard aren’t running Lakai anymore, you can still see their touch all over it.
It reminds you of when skateboarding felt more tight and less taken over by big companies. Hearing Carroll talk about the sale shows how much these brands really mean to the people who started them. It’s not just some business move. It’s something way more personal.