There’s a bit of irony that Will Murillo ended up in a career making ice skates. In his childhood growing up on a small island near Honduras, ice was just something that went in drinks.

“I never wore a jacket in my life,” Murillo laughed. “I didn’t even know what a coat was.”

After tumbling into the ice skate making trade, Murillo is now the head of perhaps the only company in the world making solely custom ice skates. Avanta Boot Labs in Hayward has crafted skates for everyone from Olympians to regular folks taking a crack at a triple salchow down at the local ice rink.

“It’s a beautiful sport, not really known for us Latinos,” said Murillo above the shop din where a trio of workers was stitching and pounding leather.

Murillo’s island childhood would not have foretold a life in the ic

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