Hurley Tests First Retail Store in Huntington Beach
Huntington Surf & Sport opened the first Hurley International boutique on July 30 in a 578-square-foot-space connected to its main store in Huntington Beach, Calif. Though HSS owns the space, Hurley is using the boutique as an experimental showroom, said HSS Manager Dean Bradley.
Representatives from Hurley regularly tinker with the deacute;cor and pointof- purchase items. Soon they will add music events and one-of-a-kind apparel offerings, said Bradley. The fast-growing apparel company is testing concepts in the HSS store that it will later unveil in the boutiques it plans to open in New York, London and Tokyo, Bradley added.
HSS continues to stock Hurley merchandise in the main store.
“That [boutique] store is more of their showroom, and we’re going to put the cashcow pieces out on the main floor,” Bradley said.
He did not offer sales projections for the boutique.
“I don’t think anyone’s looking at it as a high-volume retail space,” he said. “For us it’s a good addition, and for Hurley it’s a marketing and showroom space.
“But it could surprise us,” he added.
The boutique came about as the result of a 25-year relationship between Bob Hurley and HSS owner Aaron Pai. Pai used a similar strategy some 15 years ago to launch the first Quiksilver boutique.
Huntington Surf & Sport’s 6,000-squarefoot retail space features apparel and equipment targeting the surf and skate communities. Estimated gross sales for the company exceed $10 million. —Christian M. Chensvold
