The four-day Lido Yacht Expo, held this past week at the Lido Marina Village in Newport Beach, was slower than usual.
Attendance was down about 20%, according to Duncan McIntosh. His company, Duncan McIntosh Co. of Irvine, puts on the Lido show.
Some 250 boats were on display, many of them 2009 models. The boats at the show typically are 50 feet or larger.
Other companies displayed boating gear and services.
“It was a decent show,” said Ron Hendrickson of Johnson Marine, based in Ontario.
Hendrickson didn’t make any sales but said there were some “nice leads” that could turn into sales.
Boat dealers and manufacturers are prepared for a poor economy, he said.
Nick Adams, president of Skipjack by Invader Marine LLC, a boat maker based in the California high desert, said: “We plan for these kinds of things.”
Yachting is a pricey hobby. Just renting a slip to house a boat could cost as much as a one-bedroom apartment, with prices ranging from $8 to $10 per square foot per month in Southern California and $20 to $25 per square foot per month in Newport Beach.
Some of the local companies at the show included Phantom Marine of Newport Beach, which sells electronics gear for boats, Baltimore-based Scott Financial Services, Orange Coast Yachts of Newport Beach and Crow’s Nest Yachts of Newport Beach.
Duncan McIntosh also puts on the Marina del Rey Boat Show and the Newport Boat Show. The Newport show, to be held next year, is larger than the Lido show.
The company also publishes boating magazines Sea Magazine and Go Boating, as well as the Log, which tracks Southern California boating and fishing news.
Auto Shows
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Balenciaga bag: company opening store at South Coast Plaza |
Two auto shows are on tap for this weekend.
The 9th annual Cruisin’ For A Cure, which raises money for prostate cancer research done by the University of California, Los Angeles’ Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, is set for Saturday at the OC Fair & Event Center in Costa Mesa.
About 4,000 hot rods, vintage and custom cars are expected.
Sponsors include Orange County Harley-Davidson, Orange Coast Jeep/Chrysler, Tustin Hummer, Orange County Dodge, Connell Chevrolet in Costa Mesa, Guaranty Chevrolet of Santa Ana and the Automobile Club of Southern California, based in Costa Mesa.
Thomas McKernan, chief executive of Auto Club, is a car collector.
The Newport Beach Concours d’Elegance is Friday through Sunday at the St. Regis Monarch Beach in Dana Point. The show kicks off with a 50-mile tour along the coast, starting at Dana Point Harbor. Up to 100 vintage autos are expected to be part of the show.
The event usually brings out the auto aficionados, such as Gen. William Lyon, founder of Newport Beach-based William Lyon Homes Inc., and Jack Croul, former owner of Behr Process Corp.
Sponsors include Family Classic Cars in San Juan Capistrano and Mercedes Benz Classic Center USA of Irvine.
Proceeds of the event go to the Assessment & Treatment Services Center and the Mary & Dick Allen Diabetes Center at Hoag Hospital.
Store Openings
French shoe boutique Christian Louboutin has opened at South Coast Plaza. Designer Louboutin’s fancy shoes, which go for around $500, are well loved and well known for their red soles. The shoemaker has a few other stores, including locations in New York, Las Vegas and Beverly Hills.
Balenciaga, a 2,231-square-foot wo-men’s handbag, shoes, clothing and accessories boutique opened last week at South Coast Plaza.
Balenciaga is part of the French retail holding company PPR SA, which owns Gucci, Bottega Veneta and other luxury brands. It also owns a stake in German sportswear company Puma AG Rudolf Dassler Sport. PPR is the third largest luxury goods company.
Nordstrom Rack has opened at Laguna Hills Mall and DC Shoes is expected to open at the Irvine Spectrum Center this week. Skateboarder Rob Dyrdek, star of MTV’s reality show “Rob and Big,” was expected to kick off DC’s store opening.
New Web Site
Irvine-based St. John Knits International Inc. has launched a Web site tied to its rebranding campaign and redesign of its stores, according to Women’s Wear Daily. For now, the Web site’s e-commerce store will link to the Neiman Marcus store but later, St. John intends to launch its own online store.
Sandella’s Expansion
West Redding, Conn.-based Sandella’s Flatbread Cafe is opening three restaurants in Irvine. Jerry Phim, the franchiser of the Irvine eateries, is working with Irvine Company to find locations. The first one is expected to open by the end of the year.
Sandella’s are about 1,000 square feet to 1,500 square feet.
