by Board Retailers Association | Mar 30, 2020 | Corona Virus, Industry, News, Retail Strategy, Surf
IT’S FAR FROM BUSINESS AS USUAL AT OUR CULTURAL WATERING HOLES Many surf shops that have been around for decades, like Hansen’s Surfboards, have taken a big hit in sales this month due to the COVID-10 outbreak. Photo credit: Hansens It’s hard times all around as we all batten the hatches and hunker down for the storm caused by the novel Coronavirus. Small businesses, in particular, are feeling the devastating effects of the COVID-19 crisis we’re in. And surf shops — our culture’s brick-and-mortar watering holes — are no exception. Shop owners in the U.S. are bracing for the long haul, turning to their e-commerce sites and offering free shipping and sitewide discounts to remain afloat — but they’re not losing hope just yet. “It’s like Groundhog Day around here. A few of us come to work, we get some work done,” says Josh Hansen, of Hansen Surfboards, one of San Diego’s oldest surf shops. “We’ve been shut down now for seven days, and quite frankly, the seven days prior to that we were seeing maybe an 80 percent falloff in business. Our March business will be down probably 60 percent, and we’re anticipating probably not being open in April. So, yeah, it’s challenging. We’re rationing our cash and just trying to understand the small business loan that’s coming out through this new bill that Congress just signed. We should have details on that soon, and be able to make a decision on which direction to go from there. But, we’re blessed to be financially strong, so we feel like we can get through this. If we can’t get through...
by Board Retailers Association | Mar 24, 2020 | Competitions, Corona Virus, Industry, News, Olympics, Surf
Photo Credit: Moran Kolohe Andino might have to wait another year to chase gold. Just a month ago, at the end of February, rumors began circulating about the possible cancellation of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics Games if the coronavirus continued to spread worldwide. A long-time senior official at the International Olympic Committee by the name of Dick Pound estimated that the committee had until the end of May to decide whether or not to call off the Games. A spokesman for the Japanese government, however, said that the IOC was continuing with preparations for the Games as scheduled. But much has changed over the past few weeks, with countries going on full lockdown, sporting events of all sizes canceled and the number of COVID-19 cases climbing each day, and now it seems that the IOC is having to make a difficult decision. In response to the ongoing outbreak, Pound told USA Today that the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games are going to be postponed, likely to 2021, with the details to be worked out in the next four weeks. “On the basis of the information the IOC has, postponement has been decided,” Pound told USA Today in a phone interview. “The parameters going forward have not been determined, but the Games are not going to start on July 24, that much I know.” Pound’s comments came on the heels of the IOC’s announcement Sunday that they were considering postponing the event to a later date. A complete cancellation of the Games was ruled out, with the board noting that doing so would “destroy the Olympic dream of 11,000 athletes”. According to CNN, the IOC has been...
by Board Retailers Association | Mar 16, 2020 | Corona Virus, Industry, News, Retail Strategy, Skateboard, Snowboard, Statistics, SUP, Surf, Wakeboard
Please click on the following link to view this informative Shop Eat Surf Article: Updated: Store Closures Mount, Independents Get Creative Be sure to visit the Shop Eat Surf website to view valuable Industry News and Resourceful Articles regularly via this link: Shop Eat...
by Board Retailers Association | Mar 13, 2020 | Awards, Industry, Resources, Surf
WINNERS FROM THE 16TH ANNUAL SIMA AWARDS More than 300 attendees from surf companies, specialty retail shops and friends of the industry attended the 16th Annual SIMA Awards on March 11, 2020 to cheer on and celebrate the outstanding innovations and contributions made to the industry by the 86 finalists. Be sure to scroll to bottom of page to see PHOTOS of winners, finalists and attendees of the awards ceremony. Congrats to the Winnersfrom the 16th Annual SIMA Awards! PRODUCT CATEGORIESAccessory Product of the YearWINNER: Surf Sessions by SurflineOther Category Finalists:FinPuller by FinPullerSearch GPS2 Watch by Rip CurlSurf Boot Mid by VansThe 4ocean Bracelet by 4ocean Environmental Product of the YearWINNER: The 4ocean Bracelet by 4oceanOther Category Finalists:Billabong Recycler by BillabongMen’s & Women’s Yulex Wetsuits by PatagoniaAlgae Traction by Slater DesignsUpcycled Coconut Boardshort Collection by Vissla Footwear Product of the YearWINNER: UltraRange Hi DL MTE by VansOther Category Finalists:Alapa Li by OlukaiRivi Slide by QuiksilverCushion Bounce Collection by ReefPair O Dice by Sanuk Eyewear Product of the YearWINNER: JJF12 by ElectricOther Category Finalists:Sampan by Costa SunglassesRob Machado Resin Collection by DragonOMAR by Otis Eyewear Wetsuit of the YearWINNER: Infiniti LTD by XCEL WetsuitsOther Category Finalists:Hyperfreak Series by O’Neill WetsuitsFlashbomb Heat Seeker by Rip Curl7 Seas Wetsuit Collection by Sisstrevolution7 Seas Wetsuit Collection by Vissla Surfboard CategoriesPerformance Shortboard Model of the YearWINNER: Cymatic by Slater DesignsOther Category Finalists:Seaside by Firewire SurfboardsBlack Baron by JS IndustriesAstro Pop by Pyzel419Fish by Rusty Surfboards Alternative Surfboard Model of the YearWINNER: Shadow by PyzelOther Category Finalists:Monsta Box Hyfi by JS IndustriesThe Blade by Rusty SurfboardsFRK by Slater DesignsDisco Inferno by Surftech x Sharp Eye...
by Board Retailers Association | Mar 12, 2020 | Competitions, Corona Virus, Industry, Surf
ALL OTHER WSL EVENTS IN MARCH WILL ALSO BE CANCELED AS COVID-19 FEARS ESCALATE MARCH 12, 2020 BY ASHTYN DOUGLAS Photo Credit: Chachi The World Surf League just announced that due to the quickly escalating situation surrounding the COVID-19, all events slated for the month of March will be canceled, including the first stop on the ‘CT, the suddenly-ironically-titled Corona Gold Coast Open. The decision came as a preemptive move out of “caution for the safety of our athletes, fans, and staff.” Continue reading for more from the WSL on their recent decision: This decision is based on guidance from the World Health Organization, who has declared that COVID-19 is now a global pandemic, as well as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, governments and local public health authorities where our events are being held. “Coronavirus is having massive consequences for sporting events and gatherings of all kinds around the world, and we are no different,” said WSL CEO Erik Logan. “We did not take this decision lightly as we are aware that it has a significant impact on the surfing community. However, the health and safety of our athletes, fans, and staff are paramount. From the standpoint of social responsibility, we also take very seriously the role our events might play in accelerating the spread of the virus. We’ve been in close contact with our athletes and we feel strongly that this is the right thing to do right now.” “The fluid nature of this situation is forcing us to evaluate things day-by-day, and even hour-by-hour,” Logan said. “As this continues to evolve, we’ll continue to adapt, endeavoring to make the...
by Board Retailers Association | Mar 8, 2020 | Competitions, Corona Virus, Industry, News, Olympics, Surf
Photo Credit: Craig – Kolohe Andino The Tokyo Olympic Games are scheduled to open in five months on July 24. Japan is reportedly spending at least $25 billion to put the games together, twice what they budgeted for the events. 11,000 athletes are gearing up for Tokyo. Housing has been built, media camps are in planning stages, billions of bucks in broadcast contracts long ago signed and budgeted. Surfing, finally for some, regrettably for others, will have its largest mainstream audience, maybe, just maybe, taking its place along snowboarding and skating as an action sport with a handful of marketable names and the occasional weekend contest on network TV. Then along comes the virus. Fears of a coronavirus spread into Japan from neighboring China is on the minds of the International Olympic Committee, prompting one longtime senior official at the IOC to say the unthinkable: The games may have to be canceled. “I’d say folks are going to have to ask: ‘Is this under sufficient control that we can be confident about going to Tokyo, or not?’” said the IOC’s Dick Pound. Pound estimates that the IOC has three months to wait and see what happens with the virus, meaning they could put off their decision about what to do until late May. He figures two months would be sufficient to ramp everything up in time to put the games on appropriately. A refresher: As of this week, over 77,000 cases of coronavirus have been reported worldwide with more than 2,600 dead, the vast majority in China. Japan has, thus far, seen 5 deaths. Though the virus and the illness...
