Apparel Maker Volcom Opening Hip Los Angeles Store
By JENNIFER BELLANTONIO
Costa Mesa-based Volcom is opening its first U.S. retail store in a trendy part of Los Angeles.
Volcom, one of Orange County’s hottest apparel companies, already has stores in France, Germany and Indonesia. The Los Angeles store, slated to open in November, is set to be the brand’s flagship, said Richard Woolcott, Volcom’s founder and chief executive.
“L.A. is a healthy place for Volcom, especially because of all the apparel and creative energy up there,” he said.
The 1,200-square-foot store is on La Brea Boulevard alongside restaurants and stores such as Stussy, Undefeated, Union, Lucky Brand and American Rag Cie.
Volcom has no plans to open any other U.S. stores, Woolcott said.
“We’re experimenting with one store,” he said. “This would be our take on a Volcom store. At this time, I don’t have plans to have this big retail operation.”
The store is set to showcase Volcom’s men’s and women’s apparel, as well as limited-edition pieces, Woolcott said. It also plans to offer music and movie releases by the company’s in-house record label and film studio.
For the store, Volcom worked with consultant Billy Stade, who owns The Closet, a sportswear retailer in Costa Mesa and Huntington Beach that sells Volcom.
“We’re not retail guys,” Woolcott said. “He’s been doing it. He knows.”
Volcom added a new brand manager to watch over the store and other projects. Thom McElroy recently moved to Volcom from McElroy:FCB, the youth marketing arm of Irvine-based advertising agency FCB Southern California.
It’s a homecoming of sorts for McElroy. Back in 1991, when Volcom was first starting, McElroy helped develop the company’s name and diamond logo, Woolcott said.
At the time, McElroy ran McElroy Designs, which evolved into a teen marketing agency. Woolcott said he and cofounder Tucker Hall worked from McElroy’s studio at night.
“Thom’s been a longtime friend,” Woolcott said. “He has been with us since the beginning.”
Volcom is the latest apparel maker to dabble in retail.
Foothill Ranch-based Oakley Inc., Huntington Beach-based Quiksilver Inc. and Irvine-based Billabong USA also run stores.
Apparel makers have to strike a delicate balance: displaying their brands the way they want without stepping on the toes of their big retailers.
Industry watchers back the moves.
“As we say in the action sports industry, ‘It’s all about the kids,'” said Kevin Flanagan, show director at Laguna Beach-based Action Sports Retailer Trade Expo. “This store guarantees that the diehard Volcom grom (young fan) has a place to find more Volcom vibe and apparel.”
