latest stories
 
Beach Décor Grows Up

As beach lovers age, turning a house into a coastal home has become a stylish décor choice thousands are flocking to.
08/20/2008

ISM Community And Surf Expo Present: Sk8ology An Art Deck Collective

More than 170 artists from the fine art and skateboard communities have generously contributed their talents to the largest ever original art on skateboard decks showing.
08/20/2008

A Few Minutes With Michael Brooke

Concrete Wave’s owner and publisher weighs in on the health of the niche skateboarding market, the luxury of choice, and Slap magazine going Web only.
08/14/2008

The Best Sellers Of 2008

Which items were selling best at boardsport retail stores during the first half of this year? The ActionWatch Retail Panel reveals the top sellers in fourteen categories -- items that kept the register ringing all year. Were you carrying the right assortment?
08/13/2008

Top Ten Tips for Successful Exhibiting

Wondering how to plan your exhibit program to maximize your show results? Candy Adams, aka the "Booth Mom," lays it out in ten simple tips everyone can follow.
08/13/2008

Boothmanship 101

Successful communication -- both verbal and non-verbal -- with attendees at a trade show isn't just helpful, it's fundamental to your entire sales effort.
08/13/2008

How to Select and Train Your Booth Staff

Somehow show logistics hog our time and resources, and when it comes to staff training, it gets buried in a pile of undone “to-do’s”. But nothing pays off in qualified leads and positive company image as well as a well-trained staff!
08/13/2008

Catching Up With Float Designs

After making its Southeast debut at Surf Expo in January of this year, a lot has been happening at Float Designs. We caught up with owner Ramona Senese for an update.
08/11/2008

Seminar Schedule For Surf Expo September 2008

Hone in on the tactics and skillsets needed to move your business forward during Surf Expo's full roster of educational marketing, merchandising, and industry overview seminars.
08/06/2008

Ray Underhill, 1962-2008

Widely respected and much-liked pro skater Ray Underhill dies after a long and courageous battle with a brain tumor. Here is a message from his friends and family
08/05/2008



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Syndicate  

 
Travels With Fish: Virginia Beach Day 2

By Steven Fisher, Surf Expo Boardsports Buyer Relations Manager


The surf came up a bit today, but it’s still waist to tummy high. A little choppy, but some sandbars look pretty good. Rumors of some surf by the weekend have ears buzzing and fingers fumbling for the remote control for The Weather Channel. We’ll see!

Nothing but pit stops this morning. Stopped by Corner 24, RK’s, and Hotline. Chatted up the staff at each location for the pulse and all seems well: slow during the weekdays, but better on the weekends.



Wave Riding Vehicles
Visited with the Zen Master himself—Les Shaw of WRV (Wave Riding Vehicles). As some of you know, I cut my teeth in the industry at WRV and spent a ton of years here at the flagship in VB as well as the old location on Norfolk Ave. It’s always cool to share a moment with Les. He took me on a nice trip using the “way back” machine and gave me a peek into the beginnings of Surf Expo—some of which I knew and some was new to me. Good times.

Way back then, Les and the boards of Wave Riding came kicking and screaming into the trade show business. But he says Surf Expo has been very good to the gang here. WRV is an oddity to Surf Expo, as they are both an exhibitor and a retailer with shops in Kitty Hawk and Hale‘iwa, Hawai‘i too.

Stop by the booth and see some of the best sticks in the biz, but also be on the lookout for the buying staff who are also some of the best in the biz. I know. I had been coming as a buyer with WRV back in the late 80s. Again, good times!

Spoke with Wes Laine, Jim Lockie, and Mike Shaw too. Wave Riding Vehicles has a strong local following and one of the most recognizable logos on the planet. They’ve got support from the troops stationed here in the world’s largest military town, too (Have you ever been inside a hornet’s nest? The Navy’s F/18 Super Hornet??? Wow is it loud here!). The store and the brand drips “core”—much like Les. And it don’t get much more core than this.



Whalebone Surf Shop
I stopped by Whalebone’s VB store over at Hilltop. Hollis Gwaltney is the new store manager who has just relocated from the Nags Head shop. The crew here is super chummy and took a time-out to give me the lowdown—and pose for some pix. (Thanks ladies!) The shop’s juniors category is doing well and the kids business is doing great! Lots of moms shop here and they’re taking care of the groms. Billabong, Quik and Volcom are the key brands. A nice tight little shop.



Mt. Trashmore
A trip to VB is not complete without spending a little time at Mt. Trashmore over by the Windsor Woods neighborhood where I grew up. It’s an amazing 165 acre site and one of the first landfill “mounds” of its kind. The top “peak” is over 60 feet. Apparently quite a few of my diapers are in this hill! The park boasts a 24,000 square foot skate park and a nice halfpipe. Check out the photo of the little grom here. His name is Noah and he’s the future of the VB scene.



Ciao for now!!! More tomorrow. Off to Ocean City…



fish

 

 

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Author: Sean Obrien
 
 
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Comments
Comments
Creative Director, Ra Brunning , 7/17/2008 3:57:41 PM
Would like to take a moment to tell everyone straight from my heart how much I love this guy. Luke, you ARE my son...

anyway, love the updates, shows SOME schoolin, couple of the big words I didn't get, but it's well known I'm a pictures guy, and THEY were awesome! Pics of the ladies could have been alot closer - always like those... all the stores look merch'd out pretty well, exciting, shoppable... all in all velly eenteresting stuff... would be helpful to add the addresses so's us travelers might could GoogleMaps their where-abouts...

Peace and Light to all - take care
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  press releases
 

Loop’d Network Kicks Off Action Sports ‘Sponsorship Season’ By Asking: “Are you Sponsorable?”

Campaign to Drive Connection, Gear, and Support between Athletes and Brands through Sponsorship.
08/20/2008

Snoloha Inks European Distribution Deal

Snoloha, still an infant in the U.S. market, finalizes a licensing deal that will introduce the brand into Europe.
08/20/2008

Ernst & Young Names Skullcandy CEO Entrepreneur Of The Year

Rick Alden, CEO and Founder of Skullcandy, named 2008 regional Entrepreneur of the Year.
08/20/2008

Nathaniel Curran Wins 6-Star Sooruz Lacanua Pro

WQS ratings leader moves one step closer to ASP World Tour qualification.
08/20/2008

Team Nautique Wins Big At 2008 Wakeboard And Water Ski Nationals

Team Nautique athletes had impressive performances at the Air Nautique WWA Wakeboard Nationals, the 66th GOODE Water Ski Nationals, the Canadian Wakeboard Championships and the Canadian Water Ski Nationals.
08/20/2008

Surf Expo Named “Best Overall" Web Site By The Society of Independent Show Organizers

surfexpo.com has been named “Best Overall" Web site by the Society of Independent Show Organizers (SISO), The Jordan Edmiston Group, and Tradeshow Week.
08/15/2008

Rip Curl Brings 4 icons, 2 World Champions On East Coast Tour

From New York to Florida, Mick Fanning, Tom Curren, Taylor Knox, and Pancho Sullivan will be making appearances at select surf accounts, select surf locations, and select nighttime venues during Rip Curl's East Coast Tour.
08/15/2008

New AWSI Directors Announced

AWSI would like to announce its new executive directors: Katie Crafts for Windsurfing and Tonia Farman for Kiteboarding.
08/15/2008

Nautique’s Own Mindy Bates Wins Water Ski Tricks National Championship!

Yesterday, at the 2008 US National Water Ski Championships, Mindy Bates took first place in the Women’s 2 Trick category with a score of 3390 points.
08/15/2008

Katin Pro-Am Team Challenge Returns To North Side Of Huntington Beach Pier

Coinciding with Surf City USA’s centennial celebration, the city has permitted Katin to stage the legendary event at its historical home, January 20 to 24, 2009.
08/15/2008

Fishin’ Chix Prepare Baytowne Marina Docks for Fishing Rodeo Series

Pink rubber boots and sequined tank tops aren’t exactly what you would expect to see at a typical fishing tournament, but there isn’t much about the Fishin’ Chix that is typical.
08/15/2008

Skullcandy Announces Key Executive Appointments

Skullcandy announces the addition of five industry leaders -- Luke Edgar, Todd Finney, Tom Brady, Clarke Miyasaki and Chris Cooper -- to its executive team, reinforcing the company’s strategic focus on the core and specialty markets.
08/14/2008



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