As part of an ongoing $40 million hotel renovation project, The Turtle Bay Resort announced the opening of two retail shops, The North Shore Watershed and Oakley at Turtle Bay. Both shops officially open May 21.
The industry descends on the North Shore, especially in November and December, when brand executives and their guests come for the Vans Triple Crown of Surfing and the Surfer Poll Awards.
Jodi Wilmott, center, with Chris Overholser and Kathy Miranda of Vans during the Triple Crown of Surfing in December. Shop-eat-surf file photo.According to Jodi Wilmott, who is helping consult on the project, the new management team at Turtle Bay has been working over the last two years to transform the resort into a place where guests can experience the coastal culture and lifestyle of the North Shore.
Besides renovating rooms, partnering with Surfer Magazine on Surfer The Bar and hosting the “Talk Story” series, where surfers and watermen legends, writers, athletes and influencers share their stories with guests and locals, the hotel is now adding two new retail shops, a digital media lab and an in-store events desk as part of that mission.
The North Shore WaterShed is geared toward the Hawaiian waterman lifestyle. It will feature apparel, footwear, accessories, books and gifts from industry brands such as Quiksilver Waterman Collection, L*Space, Miko Swimwear, Vans, Volcom, RVCA, Olukai, Maui Jim, Surfer The Bar, and an exclusive line of Turtle Bay surfwear. The WaterShed features custom fixtures and displays, made locally from repurposed materials whenever possible. Local brands and artists will also be showcased in the store.
One of the most interesting aspects of the shop is the event desk inside the WaterShed, that helps guests learn more about the North Shore, local events and the community in a more intimate setting. Rather that just saying there is the Vans Triple Crown down the road, guests can learn about the event at the events desk from locals who know all about it. Guests can even bring in a beer and just “talk story,” or relax and play around with the selection of Martin & Co guitars and ukuleles the store carries, according to Jodi.
“The luxury we have is that being a resort, we are living with guests for the duration of their stay,” said Jodi. “That gives us a great opportunity to introduce them to the lifestyle we enjoy and the talented people of our community. It’s also a great way to work with brands that have been longtime supporters of the North Shore.”
Since so many brands already work with the hotel for events, it also allows them to showcase their products and athletes, and tell their larger story in a more original format.
For example, during the Quiksilver Eddie Aikau event, the store will feature limited edition event product, imagery, athlete meet-and-greets, and will tie in with big wave riders featured in the “Talk Story” series at Surfer The Bar.
The new Oakley Shop will feature sunglasses as well as men’s and women’s surf, lifestyle and training apparel, including an exclusive resort line of Oakley T-shirts created for Turtle Bay.
Lastly, as part of the renovation, the hotel is opening the WaterShed Lab by GoPro. The Lab is at the pool level and lets guests edit, upload and share through social media their GoPro adventures. The Lab off also offers a full range of GoPro products for sale.
