Hurley opens on Forest

A nameless store has opened in downtown Laguna, to be known only by its address, 225 Forest.

The doors opened for business without much fanfare at 10 a.m. July 3, in what entrepreneurs call a soft launch. The high-end store carries clothing designed and manufactured for Hurley International, headquartered in Costa Mesa, and Nike and Converse shoes. The premise is that modern surfers also love fashion, music and art.

“It is our only store,” Hurley spokeswoman Reenie Benzinger said.

Still, it is another clothing store on the Avenue, and Hurley had to convince Planning Commissioners that it would be sufficiently different to overcome City Hall’s aversion to shops that don’t add to the preferred “diversity” standards.

“Commissioner Linda Dietrich and I visited the Hurley warehouse, and the breadth and depth of the merchandise and the display talent convinced us that they could create a unique venue,” said Anne Johnson, newly seated commission chair.

However, the company hasn’t quite met all the conditions the commission placed on the conditional use permit, Commissioner Norm Grossman said. He is reserving judgment on the store’s compliance with the CUP until the merchandise is stocked.

Merchndise is deliberately sparse, Benzinger said.

“But it is artfully displayed,” Benzinger said, pointing to six T-shirts in six different colors hanging on a wall.

On another section of wall: Hurley’s signature plaid board shorts.

“They are almost part of the décor,” Benzinger said. “You don’t see stacks of products on shelves.”

Stock is replenished weekly, more often if an item is hot.

But it is “The Workshop” that really sets the store apart.

“The Workshop is unique in a retail store,” Benzinger said. “Customers can choose from three experiences: Nike Custom-designs, Converse Ink and Hurley Heat.”

Ever wanted a pair of sports shoes that had more “swash” than just a swoosh? It’s just a matter of choosing the shoe model and a design from a catalogue and 30 seconds later: custom hightops.

“It takes longer to pick the shoes than to print them,” Brian Cuffi said during a demonstration of the T-shirt digital printer he reprogrammed to hold shoes.