RIP CURL UNVEILS SANTA MONICA STORE; ALTHOUGH IT'S "A REAL SURF SHOP," CEO JIMMY OLSSON SEES APPAREL ACCOUNTING FOR 80 PERCENT OF SALES.

Daily News Record, December, 2003 by STEWART, AL

SANTA MONICA, Calif. -- With the soft opening of its new concept store on a busy pedestrian mall here, just a stone's throw from the Pacific Ocean, Rip Curl has planted its flag on a spot that seems just right for the company's aggressive new U.S. management team.

The 4,500-square-foot unit debuted with little fanfare the day after Thanksgiving and sits on the southern edge of Santa Monica's 3rd Street Promenade, where it is sure to benefit from heavy traffic including many international tourists. But even if those strolling the three-block retail hub carry more cameras than surfboards, the Australia-based brand's second store in the U.S. is still close enough to the waves that management feels it can retain its real-McCoy heritage yet still cast a wider net...

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