diff --git a/src/pages/CrewsPage.tsx b/src/pages/CrewsPage.tsx
index f49f366..1178a1e 100644
--- a/src/pages/CrewsPage.tsx
+++ b/src/pages/CrewsPage.tsx
@@ -11,13 +11,14 @@ import { Avatar, AvatarFallback, AvatarImage } from '@/components/ui/avatar';
 import { CrewRepBadge, CrewActivityPulse } from '@/components/CrewBadge';
 import { EmptyState as SharedEmptyState } from '@/components/EmptyState';
 import { useCrews } from '@/hooks/useCrews';
+import { useLocalStorage } from '@/hooks/useLocalStorage';
 import { useCrewsActivity, crewCoordinate } from '@/hooks/useCrewActivity';
 import { useGeolocation } from '@/hooks/useGeolocation';
 import { crewAccent, crewDistanceKm, formatDistance, type LatLng } from '@/lib/crewHelpers';
 import { CREW_VIBE_LABELS, CREW_FOCUS_LABELS, type SkateCrew, type CrewFocus } from '@/lib/types';
 import type { CrewActivity } from '@/lib/crewHelpers';
 import { cn } from '@/lib/utils';
-import { Users, Plus, Search, MapPin, X, HardHat, Camera, GraduationCap, Sparkles, Navigation, Loader2, Music, Palette, Dumbbell, Film } from 'lucide-react';
+import { Users, Plus, Search, MapPin, X, HardHat, Camera, GraduationCap, Sparkles, Navigation, Loader2, Music, Palette, Dumbbell, Film, ChevronDown } from 'lucide-react';
 
 // `label` is the full name (used for the tooltip + screen readers); `short` is
 // what the compact toggle shows, to keep the filter bar to a single row.
@@ -159,6 +160,8 @@ export default function CrewsPage() {
   const [query, setQuery] = useState('');
   const [focusFilter, setFocusFilter] = useState<CrewFocus | 'all'>('all');
   const [nearMe, setNearMe] = useState(false);
+  // Remembered preference: compact short labels vs. the full filter names.
+  const [filtersExpanded, setFiltersExpanded] = useLocalStorage('crews-filters-expanded', false);
 
   const userLoc: LatLng | null = geo.coords;
 
@@ -275,16 +278,19 @@ export default function CrewsPage() {
           )}
         </div>
 
-        {/* Filters: one compact focus toggle group (scrolls on mobile) */}
+        {/* Filters: compact focus toggle group; "More" expands to full names */}
         <div className="mb-5 flex items-center gap-2">
-          <div className="scroll-container min-w-0 flex-1 overflow-x-auto">
+          <div className={cn('min-w-0 flex-1', !filtersExpanded && 'scroll-container overflow-x-auto')}>
             <ToggleGroup
               type="single"
               value={focusFilter}
               onValueChange={(v) => {
                 if (v) setFocusFilter(v as CrewFocus | 'all');
               }}
-              className="inline-flex w-max items-center gap-0.5 rounded-xl border border-white/10 bg-white/[0.04] p-1"
+              className={cn(
+                'items-center justify-start gap-0.5 rounded-xl border border-white/10 bg-white/[0.04] p-1',
+                filtersExpanded ? 'flex flex-wrap' : 'inline-flex w-max',
+              )}
             >
               {FOCUS_FILTERS.map(({ key, label, short, icon: Icon }) => (
                 <ToggleGroupItem
@@ -299,12 +305,24 @@ export default function CrewsPage() {
                   )}
                 >
                   <Icon className="h-3.5 w-3.5" />
-                  {short}
+                  {filtersExpanded ? label : short}
                 </ToggleGroupItem>
               ))}
             </ToggleGroup>
           </div>
 
+          {/* Expand/collapse the full filter names (remembered across visits) */}
+          <button
+            type="button"
+            onClick={() => setFiltersExpanded((v) => !v)}
+            aria-expanded={filtersExpanded}
+            title={filtersExpanded ? 'Show fewer filters' : 'Show full filter names'}
+            className="inline-flex h-8 shrink-0 items-center gap-1 rounded-lg border border-white/10 bg-white/5 px-2.5 text-xs font-bold text-gray-300 transition-colors hover:border-teal-500/40 hover:text-teal-300"
+          >
+            <ChevronDown className={cn('h-4 w-4 transition-transform', filtersExpanded && 'rotate-180')} />
+            <span className="hidden sm:inline">{filtersExpanded ? 'Less' : 'More'}</span>
+          </button>
+
           {/* Near me — mobile only; on desktop it was just clutter in this bar. */}
           <button
             type="button"
@@ -343,7 +361,12 @@ export default function CrewsPage() {
             ))}
           </div>
         ) : filtered.length === 0 ? (
-          <EmptyState query={query} onNearMe={handleNearMe} hasLocation={!!userLoc} />
+          <EmptyState
+            query={query}
+            focus={focusFilter}
+            onClearFilter={() => setFocusFilter('all')}
+            onClearSearch={() => setQuery('')}
+          />
         ) : (
           <div className="grid grid-cols-1 gap-3 lg:grid-cols-2">
             {filtered.map((crew) => (
@@ -364,24 +387,53 @@ export default function CrewsPage() {
 
 function EmptyState({
   query,
-  onNearMe,
-  hasLocation,
+  focus,
+  onClearFilter,
+  onClearSearch,
 }: {
   query: string;
-  onNearMe: () => void;
-  hasLocation: boolean;
+  focus: CrewFocus | 'all';
+  onClearFilter: () => void;
+  onClearSearch: () => void;
 }) {
+  // 1) A search with no hits — offer a way straight back out.
   if (query) {
     return (
       <SharedEmptyState
-        icon={Users}
-        title="No crews match"
-        hint="Try a different search."
+        icon={Search}
+        title="No crews match your search"
+        hint={`Nothing found for “${query}”. Try another name or city.`}
+        actions={[
+          { label: 'Clear search', onClick: onClearSearch, icon: X, variant: 'secondary' },
+        ]}
       />
     );
   }
 
-  // Rich empty state — never feels dead. Prompts to claim the local scene.
+  // 2) A scene filter with no crews in it — there *are* crews, just not here.
+  // Saying "no crews planted here yet" would be flatly wrong, so offer the way out.
+  if (focus !== 'all') {
+    const label = CREW_FOCUS_LABELS[focus];
+    return (
+      <SharedEmptyState
+        icon={Users}
+        title={`No ${label} crews yet`}
+        hint={`Nobody's flying the “${label}” flag here yet. Show every crew, or start this one yourself.`}
+        actions={[
+          { label: 'Show all crews', onClick: onClearFilter, icon: Users, variant: 'secondary' },
+          {
+            label: 'Create Crew',
+            to: '/create-crew',
+            icon: Plus,
+            className: 'bg-teal-500 text-black hover:bg-teal-600',
+          },
+        ]}
+      />
+    );
+  }
+
+  // 3) Genuinely no crews at all — make it a recruiting loop, not a dead end.
+  // (No "near me" CTA: with zero crews, sorting by distance does nothing.)
   return (
     <Card className="border-2 border-dashed border-teal-500/30 bg-gradient-to-br from-teal-500/[0.06] to-transparent">
       <CardContent className="p-0">
@@ -396,18 +448,6 @@ function EmptyState({
               icon: Plus,
               className: 'bg-teal-500 text-black hover:bg-teal-600',
             },
-            ...(!hasLocation
-              ? [
-                  {
-                    label: 'Find crews near me',
-                    onClick: onNearMe,
-                    icon: Navigation,
-                    variant: 'secondary' as const,
-                    className:
-                      'border-orange-500/40 text-orange-300 hover:bg-orange-500/10',
-                  },
-                ]
-              : []),
           ]}
         />
       </CardContent>