A quarter of the way into the year and key industry account BC Surf & Sport’s business is chugging along.
If the multi-store operator is any barometer of how the overall industry is trending, 2023 could perhaps mean a normalization – and a new chapter – that places the pandemic years in the rearview mirror.
“Overall, we’ve been happy with what we have seen for spring break,” owner Bruce Cromartie said. “We were off low-single digits for March, but it’s virtually all from relative weakness in hardgoods and boardshorts.”
“For quite a while now, we have used 2019 as a baseline to measure post-COVID numbers, but four years out, that’s not really valid anymore. I think this year will have a lot to say about what we can expect for trends going forward.”
SES had a chance to visit Cromartie late last month and walk BC’s Fort Lauderdale store on Federal Highway. The location is one of nine stores in three states under Cromartie’s ownership. Seven of those operate under the BC name in Colorado, Florida, and Utah. The other two are Billabong stores in Boca Raton and Deerfield Beach, Florida.
An overview of the Fort Lauderdale store. Photo by SES.
The expansive Fort Lauderdale store carries everything from surfboards and skateboards to wetsuits and men’s and women’s apparel, footwear, and accessories. Large chunks of the floor are dedicated to shop-in-shop buildouts for brands such as Volcom, Billabong, Vissla, Quiksilver, and RVCA on the men’s side. The women’s side plays up some of the same legacy brands, in addition to labels such as Amuse Society and Sisstrevolution.
Cromartie said the juniors’ sportswear and swimwear business is continuing to be “very strong.” On the men’s side, he noted comparable sales are up in tops.
Brands that are performing strongly right now include Vuori, a label retailer after retailer in varying geographies have called out for its performance across age groups and genders. Vuori is one of the newer brands brought into BC on both the men’s and women’s side that has seen traction among consumers. Cromartie called the brand’s performance a “standout.”
Billabong, Quiksilver, and Roxy have been strong among the brands the Fort Lauderdale store’s carried longer term, Cromartie said.
Florida store owners benefited from the state being one of the few open to travel during the height of the pandemic, which clearly impacted businesses in a good way. Now, as conditions normalize, new shifts are being noted among the shoppers at BC.
“Outside of the pendulum swings we’ve seen from the effects of the lockdown and reopening periods, I think we are seeing a wider range of customers these days,” Cromartie said.
Overall, Cromartie said he’s expecting a “very good year, assuming there aren’t any major negative surprises with the economy.”
He added about headwinds and tailwinds in 2023: “The biggest challenges are the wide range of unknowns, like a possible recession, final Boardriders outcome(s), the Ukraine war, et cetera. The biggest opportunity may be that some of those same challenges will keep the playing field from getting a lot more crowded.”
For more from our Florida spring break specialty trip:
- Maui Nix Owner Talks Labor, Pricing and “Pleasant Surprises”
- Ocean Magic’s New Owner Ramps Up Expansion Plans
- Nomad Surf Shop Mixes Rich Legacy with Fresh Business Strategies
- What’s Selling at Island Water Sports
- What’s Selling at Quiet Storm Fort Lauderdale
- Spring Break Specialty Retail Report from Florida
Kari Hamanaka can be reached at kari@shop-eat-surf-outdoor.com.
