Titus Dittmann in the Northern Lights Concept Store
His nicknames are ‘Skateboard Pope’ or ‘Instigator’. For me and the many other skateboarders, he is and remains simply Titus. A person who has undergone a fantastic development but has always remained true to his values.
The skateboarding pioneer is now 77 years old and not a bit quieter. His voice is still skateboard-sounding, albeit a little louder than usual. However, this is due to his hearing, which has deteriorated in recent years, in contrast to his commitment to children and the socially disadvantaged.
But first things first: Sometime in the 70s, Titus travelled to the USA and got to know skateboarding there. It was the time after the Dogtown Boys and the second skateboard wave that swept across the ocean and took young people by storm. In the USA, skateboarding was on the decline. Insurance problems at skateparks and the withdrawal of production companies caused the decline after previous expansion, which has been a part of the skateboarding scene for decades, just like the meteoric rise of individual protagonists. One of these people was Titus Dittmann. But Titus didn't just see the sport - he also sensed the skateboard business. When he started to gain a foothold in the skateboard business at the age of 30, he had already studied to be a teacher and used his contact with pupils to start a skateboard club at school.
This was the start of a career that was unrivalled in any other fun sport up to that point. I would put him on a par with Robby Naish - just without his own sporting achievements. Even back then, he saw himself more as an instigator. He had several cards in his pocket: the skateboard as we know it today was given its final shape at this time. The bent wood on both sides gave the skateboard its iconic shape and made tricks possible that had never been possible before. In addition, the US brands saw a huge opportunity in the European market and wanted to capitalise on it.
Titus Dittmann gratefully accepted this and by 1978 was already selling skateboards that he bought in the USA. In 1980, he opened his skatepark, and it came as it had to: at the age of 36, in 1984, he quit his job as a teacher and dedicated himself to marketing skateboarding in Germany. The force with which he did so was proverbial. Within half a decade, he had built up his small event into the official skateboarding world championships. This took place in the Westfalenhalle in Dortmund. Thousands of spectators made the pilgrimage there, and it seemed as if rollerboarding was growing unstoppably.
However, the crisis in the skateboard market also reached Germany, traditionally a few years later. Titus steamrolled his company and shifted his focus to retail and mail order, with success. With his business acumen and, above all, his winning mentality, he managed to emerge from the crisis and build up a retail chain with over 30 shops and a mail order business that is unrivalled in the industry.
Due to his age, he retired from the operative business in 2009 and from then on dedicated himself to his foundation *Skate-Aid*. In the early 2010s, he became president of the German longboarders and skateboarders. However, following his principles, he quickly gave up - because skateboarding and the Olympics didn't go together for him. So he simply jumped back in time 30 years and started doing what he had been doing all his life: teaching children the fascination of roller sports. His commitment earned him various honours: the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany, various business awards and a teaching position at the Institute of Sports Science.
Much of what has been written about Titus is not true. It's the little things - like the claim to have built the first show team in Europe. That existed years before Titus started selling skateboards. The scene on Sylt was also already on rollerboards in the mid-70s. Jürgen Höhnscheid was one of the pioneers. You can see some old videos on the skateboard club's website. And yet the Münster native's lifetime achievements are remarkable.
He has also been to Sylt a few times. He was involved in the Multipark and also gave readings from his biography. A few days ago, we met him at the *Northern Light Store*. The shop is known for its innovative product presentations - whether cars, bicycles or gadgets: Northern Lights in Norderstraße is always worth a visit.
So it's no wonder that the two owners, Michael Hoppe and Michael Gleissner, contacted Titus Dittmann when he was planning another charity event. His journey took him to our beautiful North Sea island - because as Citroën's brand representative, he was to present the new ‘Qui are Sylt’ concept.
On this occasion, Titus presented a skateboard with gold-plated wheels and axles. This is now to be auctioned on Sylt; the proceeds will go to the *Skate-Aid* foundation. The magnificent piece can be admired in the *Northern Light Store* at Norderstraße 29. And Titus? His quote ‘Find a job you enjoy and you'll never work again’ sums it up perfectly. Even today, at almost 80 years old, he still rolls on the boards that mean the world to him.
Written by sylter-spiegel.de / published on 10 April 2025
Sylt Art Fair 2025: New mobility partner for international art exhibition
The sixth edition of the renowned Sylt Art Fair will once again turn the picturesque North Sea island into a stage for art enthusiasts from all over the world from 7 June to 14 September 2025. In the Neue Bootshalle in List, the fair will present an impressive selection of over 400 works of art on around 600 square metres. The high-calibre project brings together the ‘who's who’ of the international art scene with promising new talents.
Visitors can expect a fascinating range of sculptures and paintings by internationally acclaimed artists such as Gerhard Richter, Erwin Wurm, Tony Cragg, Bernar Venet, Ai Weiwei, Max Ernst, Günther Uecker, Heinz Mack, Gottfried Helnwein, Julian Schnabel, Damien Hirst, David LaChapelle, Jeff Koons, Markus Lüpertz, Mel Ramos and Jiri Dokoupil. Their masterpieces of contemporary art enter into an exciting dialogue with the works of up-and-coming artists, including Dieter Nuhr and Rita Sabo, Dietmar Brixy, Ben Büchner and Juan Amador, Gregory de la Haba and Felix Giesen.
Organised by Geuer & Geuer Art GmbH in cooperation with artstar Verlag, the Sylt Art Fair promises a varied art experience with a wide range of styles, from classic contemporary art to street art and pop art.
A lively supporting programme complements the pure presentation of the artworks. Inspiring Art Nights, artist talks and meet & greets offer art lovers the unique opportunity to learn more about the works and get in direct contact with the artists.
As the official mobility partner of the Sylt Art Fair 2025, the Northern Lights Concept Store will be providing the exclusive VIP shuttle service with its new fleet of Genesis vehicles.
Admission to the exhibition is free of charge.
When & Where
7 June - 14 September 2025
Sylt Art Fair
Neue Bootshalle List
Am Hafen 5
DE - 25992 List auf Sylt
Contact
Michael Hoppe
Phone: 0160 4496 525
Michael Gleissner
Phone: 0178 8288 673
Northern Lights Concept Store Sylt
Norderstraße 29
25980 Westerland / Sylt
info@northernlights-sylt.de
Mark Medlock starts second career as a painter
Press Release dated 12th April 2025
Surprising Turn for DSDS Superstar Mark Medlock: The Frankfurt-born artist, who has lived on the North Sea island of Sylt since 2011, is presenting himself as a painter for the first time. After largely withdrawing from the public eye, the winner of the fourth season of “Deutschland sucht den Superstar” (Germany Seeks the Superstar) has been regularly sharing images of his artwork on social media for around a month. Now, the next step follows: Mark Medlock is presenting selected paintings for the first time in an exhibition in his adopted home. From 14th April 2025, Michael Hoppe and Michael Gleissner will show his works at the Northern Lights Concept Store in Westerland.
The private view will take place on 19th April from 10 am to 4 pm for collectors, press, and interested guests. From 4 pm, Mark Medlock will personally visit the showroom, together with his manager Conny Reckert. Whether the artist will also showcase his musical side as part of the opening event remains to be seen – a spontaneous live show is not out of the question. Art and music fans alike can look forward to the curated collection of Medlock’s works, which reveals a new, creative talent of the well-known singer.
Mark Medlock achieved great popularity in 2007 with his victory on DSDS and repeatedly topped the German charts. The media frenzy surrounding him was enormous. After several years in the spotlight, he largely retreated into private life. However, there were occasional concerts.
Now, the 46-year-old is surprising fans with his artistic reorientation. His recent social media posts hint at a new chapter in his life, and the positive reception his art has received from his over 100,000 followers suggests a promising start for his first exhibition.
Musically, Mark thrilled audiences with danceable pop tracks and modern synth ballads. As a painter, his works reveal an equally vibrant and expressive visual language that moves within the tension between naïve figuration and dynamic colouration. He employs a directness of colour, in which luminous blue, intense red, sunny yellow, or strong green stand in direct contrast, creating a cheerful, surreal atmosphere. Depictions of characters and scenes are characterised by playful abstraction.
Overall, Mark’s style can be described as an unconventional synthesis of cartoon-like quotations, expressive colouration, and a light-hearted interpretation of often maritime themes. His paintings demonstrate an immediate joy in the painting process and an individual artistic signature that deliberately distances itself from conventional modes of representation.
“All the pictures are unique, one-offs that will never exist in this form again. I’m looking forward to seeing you – and hope you’re as excited about the pictures as I am!”
Mark recently announced on his Facebook account.
His exhibition at the Northern Lights Concept Store on Sylt promises to be an exciting event, showcasing an entirely new side to the well-known artist. In doing so, he follows in the footsteps of iconic figures such as Paul McCartney, Ron Wood, and Udo Lindenberg, who successfully turned to painting after their music careers.
Location & dates
Northern Lights Concept Store, Norderstraße 29, 25980 Westerland, Sylt
Exhibition: From 14th April 2025, Monday – Friday 10 am – 1 pm and 3 pm – 6 pm | Saturday 10 am – 4 pm
Opening Reception with Mark Medlock: 19th April 2025, 4 pm – 6 pm
Further information
Facebook @markmedlocksylt
Bentley tours Sylt
In September, the Bentley Team Cologne invited guests to an exclusive three-day tour of the North Sea island. Sightseeing and culinary highlights awaited the owners.
One destination of this year’s Driving Experience was the Northern Lights Concept Store in Westerland. Here, Bentley customers were spoilt with the finest delicacies in the show kitchen. The current models were presented in front of the concept store. We would like to thank Brand Manager Julia Wiedenbruch, Sales Executive Martin Hosdorf and the entire Bentley team for the visit. We are already looking forward to the upcoming spectacular Driving Experience 2025 on Germany’s most beautiful island.
Test drive the Genesis fleet on Sylt
Experience the Genesis difference exclusively on Sylt: from 23 to 28 September 2024.
Convince yourself of the incomparable combination of luxury, performance and innovation that characterises Genesis during a test drive.
Compare six premium models live: choose between the fully electric GV60, Electrified GV70, and Electrified G80 or the combustion models—the luxury saloon G80 and the compact SUV GV70. In the showroom, we will also be presenting the new Genesis G90 luxury saloon, while our show kitchen will be delighted to accompany your visit with culinary delights. Which is your favourite model?
The Electrified GV60 will also be available for test drives in the Northern Lights Concept Store after the campaign week.
The founders Michael Hoppe and Michael Gleissner and the Northern Lights team look forward to arranging appointments with you.
Norderstraße 29 | 25980 Sylt | Tel. +49 (0)160 4496 525 | Monday – Friday 10 a.m. – 7 p.m. | Saturday 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Genesis GV60 – combined energy consumption: 17.0 – 19.1 kWh/100 km; combined CO2 emissions: 0 g/km; combined CO2 class: A; Electric range with full battery (combined): 517 – 466 km
Genesis Electrified GV70 Sport 360 kW (490 PS) – combined energy consumption: 19.2 kWh/100 km; combined CO2 emissions: 0 g/km; combined CO2 class: A; Electric range with full battery (combined): 450 km
Genesis Electrified G80 Luxury 272 kW (370 PS) – combined energy consumption: 19.1 kWh/100 km; combined CO2 emissions: 0 g/km; combined CO2 class: A; Electric range with full battery (combined): 520 km
Genesis G80 – combined energy consumption: 8.3 – 9.3 l/100 km; combined CO2 emissions: 189 – 210 g/km; combined CO2 class: G
Genesis GV70 – combined energy consumption: 7.2 – 10.1 l/100 km; combined CO2 emissions: 190 – 230 g/km; combined CO2 class: G
Genesis G90 3.5T AWD 305.2 kW (415 PS) – combined energy consumption: 11 l/100 km; combined CO2 emissions: 248 g/km; combined CO2 class: G (All values according to WLTP)
Sea Cloud Spirit visits the Northern Lights Concept Store
The guests aboard the elegant three-masted tall ship Sea Cloud Spirit enjoyed a special stop at the Northern Lights Concept Store during their shore excursion on Sylt. This magnificent windjammer, renowned for its blend of traditional sailing romance, luxurious spa facilities, and fine dining, made a stop on its journey from Hamburg to List and back.
At our showroom bar, travellers were treated to a selection of hand-picked specialities from our range. An exclusive tour of the store, showcasing innovative brands, provided inspiration and entertainment for all.
We extend our heartfelt thanks to the team of the Sea Cloud Spirit and look forward to welcoming the crew and their guests back to our store in Westerland in the near future!
