Thalia Surf Shop

When did you start your business?

2001

Do you consider the location of your shop a key factor to the business’s success?

Yes absolutely. We are right off of the PCH, walking distance from down town and to the beach in Laguna.

Who is your average buyer?

We hit all across the board. We provide to the locals as well as the tourists. Guys and girls of all ages.

If a total Barney walks in do you treat him with the same respect as a full on loc?

Yes of course. We treat everybody equally.

What is the dumbest question a customer has ever asked?

People waxing the bottom of their board and trying to paddle the board out upside down and putting their wetsuit on backwards, asking if this is the correct way to go about things.

Do you have a mascot (ex. - An animal that roams freely throughout the building)?

Not really no. Just different employees.

What is the craziest return a customer has ever tried to make?

People trying to return a surfboard or skimboard that they used, or a shirt that is a couple years old that they want to trade in for a new one.

Does your store support any local surfers or have a surf team?

We support our local surf community.

What is your most annoying grom story?

Groms coming in and taking our free stickers and plastering them everywhere around town.

Have you ever had any type of celeb roll in and make a purchase?

Robert Downey Jr, Jimmy Buffet, Bette Midler, Julie Lois Dreyfuss, Adam Sandler, Benicio Del Toro, Gerry Lopez, Heather Locklear, Richie Sambora etc etc the list goes on.

Have you ever pulled a hot chick/guy solely due to the fact that you own/manage a surf shop?

Not me I’m married, but it definitely goes on with the other employees here.

How many days a week do you surf now compared to before you owned/managed a surf shop?

I used to surf way more as a kid. Now that I have a family and kids so it’s much less. When the waves are good I’m out there though.

Who is your favorite surfer and why?

Rasta & Bill Hamilton- because they both have rad style.

Has a customer trying on clothes ever walked out completely naked?

Darn close. We have had a lot of pretty crazy girls come through the shop thru the years.

Has a person ever walked in totally blitzkrieged (really intoxicated) and tried to make a purchase? If so elaborate.

Oh ya. Tons. For the most part there haven’t been any problems. Most of the customers that come in wasted or buzzed usually make a large purchase so it’s all good. We’ve had a few drunk bums come in and not wanna leave and disturb other customers, but all in all the drunk customers are usually alright.

Every store has to deal with shoplifting. What is your most memorable experience and what is your shoplifting policy?

Some girls came in once and went into the dressing room and stuck a bunch of bathing suits in their bags and walk out real casually. We tried to grab one of the girls before she walked out and she freaked out and kinda peeled out of her jacket and ran off. They both got away. Bummer. For the most part we don’t have much shoplifting though.

And last but not least tell us one of the craziest shop stories you can remember?

One time we dared a friend to put on a girl’s purple bikini bottom and cross all 4 sides of the street by the shop 4 times with just the bikini bottom on (it was a super skimpy one too). After he successfully completed his 4th round an adult male jumped out of his car and started chasing him. He chased our friend all the way back into the shop. The male continued to yell “yer a friggin gay!!! Yer a friggin faggot!!!!” Our friend ran into the back dressing room and the unknown adult male chased him all the way to the back and tore down the dressing room sheet, continuing to yell the same stuff. He then began to destroy the shop by knocking products off of the shelves and ripping the stuff off of the racks etc etc. The unknown adult male had to be restrained until he calmed down. Fortunately no punches were thrown, but it was darn close. I guess the unknown adult male was a bit homophobic.