Award : Huntington Surf & Sport Nominated for Both SIMA Image Awards’ Men’s and Women’s Retailers of the Year

HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif. – In the midst of its 35^th Anniversary celebration and a major renovation project at its Pierside Pavilion location, Huntington Surf and Sport has been nominated for both Men’s Retailer of the Year and Women’s Retailer of the Year by the SIMA Image Awards.  The prestigious surf industry honor underscores HSS’s re-dedication in 2013 to striving to be the “best surf shop in the world.”  

Since Aaron Pai purchased Huntington Surf and Sport in 1979, he has worked tirelessly to ensure that HSS Pierside (along with the three other stores in HB) captures the essence of surfing culture at its retail best.  HSS is “surfer owned and surfer operated” by Pai and his family; all the Pai kids (Lindsay, Trevor, Taylor and Ashlyn) are working or have worked at HSS, along with Aaron’s wife Sher.

“We have a great team of over 125 workers—a very strong Retail Team, Admin Team, Buying Team and Warehouse Team—that are very loyal and hard-working, said AP.  “Some have been with us for 15, 20 and 30 years like Lee Gatlin, Mike Sheldon, Mark Reeder and Chris Saenz.  I am very grateful and thankful to all of them for all their hard work this year,” Pai said.

Considered the busiest and most influential surf shop on the planet prior to the renovation, more than 3,000 square feet and a new energy will be added to this iconic store upon the project’s completion in 2014.  Already boasting Hurley, Volcom and Vans stores within their shop, HSS will offer the largest inventory and best selection of hardgoods in the entire surf industry; a haven for real surfers to get authentic gear.  Over the years, Huntington Surf and Sport has carried every top brand in surfing.  The shop prides itself on a huge selection of surfboards by all the top shapers, while sprinkling in renowned locals as well. 

Established in 2003, the SIMA Image Awards identifies the surf industry’s most influential companies and recognizes them for their efforts to advance and grow the industry over the past year. SIMA listed the following reasons for Huntington Surf and Sport’s 2013 nomination on its website.  

Men’s Retailer of the Year:

“In its 35^th Anniversary year, HSS is adding more than 3,000 square feet to the downtown flagship store at PCH and Main.  In the reconfiguration they added a Vans Store to the already existing Hurley and Volcom Stores, and expanded and relocated the “Wetsuit Cave” to offer the widest range of rubber in Orange County.”

Women’s Retailer of the Year:

“The HSS Women’s Store is the “store within the store” in the flagship downtown Huntington Beach shop.  Under the stewardship of founder/owner Aaron Pai’s daughter Ashlyn, the women’s store added a fresh new mix of lines to the floor like Patagonia and Brixton, and brands Herschel, Eastland, Beach Riot and Seea.

Final voting by SIMA member companies and 200 of the nation’s top specialty retailers takes place from Nov. 13 to Dec. 6.  The winners will be announced on February 13 at the Grove of Anaheim. 
“We are stoked and humbled to be nominated for the SIMA Image Awards,” said AP.  “It’s truly an honor to be considered among the elite surf shops in the world and a testament to our family at HSS, especially the amazing women’s team of Ashlyn Pai and Latisha Tavarez that perfected the merchandising and product mix.”

Aaron thanks the entire surf industry for all of their support this year and wished, “Much Love and Aloha to you all!  I am very thankful to the surf industry and company’s like Hurley, Vans, Surfline, Volcom, Channel Islands, Quiksilver, Billabong, RVCA, Reef, Oakley, O’Neill, Rusty Surfboards, Electric to name a few,” he said.  “And to people like Bob Hurley, Sean Collins, Tom Holbrook, Richard Wolcott, PT, Bob McKnight, Jim Watson, Tom Ruiz, Paul Naude and Fernando, thank you for believing in us and helping to advance our surf industry and our sport of surfing.”

Aaron first surfed the Huntington Pier 46 years ago at the age of 12 and still surfs today (he loves going on surf trips with his family to Tavarua, Mentawais and Cabo).  “When I was a kid my dream was to own a surf shop and owning HSS is a dream come true,” he said.  “I’m stoked to be able to put dinner on the table for my family and all the others at HSS along with being able to keep surfing and the surfing lifestyle alive all these 35 years!  And to this day, I still love walking into HSS and smelling the resin from the surfboards, the wax and the wetsuits.”

History, community and love of surfing run deep at HSS; before warranties even existed, HSS would offer repairs or replacements on faulty products.  Java Point provides the best coffee in Huntington Beach and fuels many a dawn patroller.  For years the store has supported the Huntington Beach High School surf team and local rippers from Jeff Deffenbaugh to Brett Simpson and Courtney Conlogue.

Among AP’s most heartfelt achievements is the Surfers’ Hall of Fame, a surfer’s version of Grauman’s Chinese Theater, which is famous for featuring handprints of iconic celebrities.  Annually, tens of thousands of visitors walk among the hand and footprints of legendary surfers like Kelly Slater, Laird Hamilton, Jack O’Neill, Sean Collins and Lisa Andersen.

One final reminder from the HSS family….  “If you are on the SIMA voting team we would greatly appreciate your vote for Men’s Retailer of the Year and your vote for Women’s Retailer of the Year!”

By press release