• 

  A rendering of the new Vans by Thalia Surf Shop store.

Vans and Thalia Surf Shop are partnering on a new store in Laguna Beach that will be adjacent to and connect with the existing Thalia Surf Shop.

 

The store, called Vans by Thalia Surf Shop, will open next week.

 

Thalia is known for its “boutiquey” approach and its cultivation of brands that are not found in many surf shops.

 

The new store will highlight Vans surf apparel and footwear, in addition to some lifestyle pieces, and will showcase some marketing projects as well.

 

Vans is making a big push in surf and feels it has a rightful place in the category with its history and its longtime sponsorship of events such as the Triple Crown of Surfing.

 

I asked Vans Vice President of Marketing Doug Palladini some questions about the new store.

 

Who will operate the space day to day?

Vans by Thalia Surf Shop will be operated on a daily basis by employees of Thalia Surf Shop. Vans and Thalia management will work together on product mix, merchandising, store appearance and marketing.

 

Why take this route instead of opening a regular Vans store in Laguna?

Vans took this route for a couple of reasons. First, we were able to join with an existing retail partner in Thalia Surf Shop who we consider as the leading innovator in surf boutiques and has been, at the same time, very supportive of Vans and our surf programs.

 

Second, we are exploring all forms of retail, and partner stores have been very successful for Vans in other regions globally, so why not at home?

 

Is this a long-term commitment or more of a pop-up store?

This is a long-term commitment. Vans is working hard to have a meaningful role in surf, and we have always over-invested in our key wholesale partners. This opportunity provides a path to continue to do both. Nick and his team have done strong work in becoming part of the Laguna community, and we hope to add another layer to the foundation he has built.

 

Is this something Vans is looking to do with other surf shops?

In short, yes, but it’s not limited to surf shops. Where we have key wholesale partners interested, and a business model that works for both our brand and our partner, we will consider those opportunities.

 

That said, we have much to learn from this experience and we look forward to testing many different things with Nick and his team in Laguna.

 

See Page 2 to see the full press release with more details

---

 

 

Press Release:

 

Vans and Thalia Surf Shop are pleased to announce Vans’ first ever boutique surf partnership, Vans by Thalia Surf Shop. Opening November 23 in Laguna Beach and adjacent to Thalia Surf Shop, expect to find Vans’ pinnacle surf and lifestyle footwear and apparel as well as special projects only available at Vans by Thalia in a setting that melds Vans’ heritage with Thalia’s bohemian beach culture. The store will open with the spotlight on Vans’ classic and progressive surf styles including the limited edition Vans Triple Crown of Surfing collection and signature Joel Tudor apparel.

 

Vans and Thalia will host a kick-off event on Thursday, December 2 with a photo exhibit chronicling the inaugural year of the Joel Tudor Duct Tape Invitational in Virginia Beach and Montauk.

 

“With the beautiful space and the savvy clientele already shopping at Thalia in Laguna Beach, Vans by Thalia Surf Shop is the perfect opportunity to share the many stories we have with Vans Surf,” said Doug Palladini, Vans Vice President of Marketing. “This retail and marketing space will allow us to showcase Vans Surf product and content and broadcast them worldwide.”

 

The partnership between Thalia and Vans is a natural as Thalia is one of Vans’ most influential surf accounts and owner Nick Cocores has long been a Vans brand supporter.

 

“Working with Vans has been amazing. With their focus on surf, it has been a match waiting to happen,” said Thalia Surf Shop owner Nick Cocores. “The Vans by Thalia Surf Shop will be an amazing space for our customer to experience the California surf lifestyle.”

 

Vans by Thalia Surf Shop features a constantly evolving mix of Vans surf product, Vans Classics footwear, and marketing projects that connect the Vans Surf line to the brands’ 44-year heritage and authenticity in art, music, action sports and street culture.

 

Cocores went on to describe Thalia’s philosophy as believing “that a surfing lifestyle is one that goes past big logos and senseless graphics that pander to the norm, so instead we’ve searched high and low for those companies that agree with us and focus more on art, real graphic design, and the true surf culture. These are the creators, not imitators, and they help to define what our surf shop is all about: style, originality, and soul.”

 

About Vans

Vans, the original action sports footwear and apparel company, is a brand of VF Corporation (NYSE: VFC). Vans collections include authentic footwear, apparel and accessories, snowboard boots and the Pro-tec line of protective gear and are sold in the United States through more than 230 company owned stores as well as independent retailers. Internationally, Vans sells its goods in approximately 70 countries through a network of subsidiaries, distributors and foreign offices. Vans promotes action sports lifestyle and youth culture through support of athletes on boards and bikes all over the globe and through progressive events such as the Vans Triple Crown of Surfing®, the Vans Downtown Showdown, the Pro-tec Pool Party and the Vans Warped Tour®.

 

For more information, please visit vans.com or vanssurf.com.

 

About Thalia Surf Shop

 

Established in 2001, Thalia Surf Shop has been at the forefront of an underground movement in the surf industry. Focused on creative arts and alternative surfboard designs, they’ve been able to help support a growing need for individuality and less commercialism. By dealing directly with the artists and small, independent companies, they’re able to showcase this movement better than any other surf shop around. “We believe that a surfing lifestyle is one that goes past big logos and senseless graphics that pander to the norm, so instead we’ve searched high and low for those companies that agree with us and focus more on art, real graphic design, and the true surf culture. These are the creators, not imitators, and they help to define what our surf shop is all about: style, originality, and soul.”

 

For more information, please visit thaliasurf.com.