Car-Freshner Corp., the company that makes the little trees that hang from people’s review mirrors and soak up that dank weedy smell, has filed a trademark infringement suit against Burton Snowboards according to a story in the Watertown Daily Times.
Car-Freshner claims that the company offers a line of five “Fix” snowboards using the allegedly unauthorized tree design and that it has sold the boards through its Web site and at Sports Authority, Zumiez and Ski Co. stores in the Syracuse area. . . The Watertown company is asking a judge to, among other things, order Burton to recall and stop selling the disputed boards. It also is asking for an unspecified amount of damages.
Hard to believe anyone would mistake a snowboard for an air-freshner. . . but anything is possible.
A plan to move their distribution warehouse from Everett, Washington to Southern California will have 170 of Zumiez’s Northwest employees looking for new jobs according to a story in The Seattle Times.
The chain of youth-oriented sports apparel stores said in a statement Monday that the majority of its vendors are in California, and the move will cut transportation costs and improve its efficiency. . . The company said its headquarters and e-commerce operation will remain in Everett, next door to the leased warehouse it is closing. . . Zumiez said it expects to hire 180-200 people for its new distribution center in Corona, Calif.
Like the swallows returning to Mission San Juan Capistrano surf fans return to their computers each spring waiting to see whether Kelly Slater will drift off into free surfing or rally his strength to take one more stab at a world tour title. Quiksilver owning the first event always give them hope and this year is no different. According to the ASP:
Kelly Slater (USA), 38, former nine-time ASP World Champion and current ASP World No. 6, will return to the singlet this season, challenging for an unprecedented 10th ASP World Title against the world’s best surfers in the world’s best waves. Coming away with an ASP Dream Tour win in Brazil last season, Slater made a mid-year challenge for the crown, yet fell short of the Australian onslaught.
This year also sees the return of Andy Irons to the world tour. The Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast run February 27 through March 10, 2010. Hard to believe the new season is already on, but we’re ready.
After these photos of a girl kissing and biting Scotty Lago’s Olympic bronze medal surfaced on TMZ.com today, Scotty reportedly apologized to the U.S. Olympic Committee and the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association and “volunteered” to go home.
In a strange twist it seems TMZ actually feels badly about this one, according to the site.
TMZ published the photo and apparently it didn’t sit well with someone. He’s a snowboarder for cryin’ out loud. They should have cut him a break.
As we tweeted earlier in the week, we’re glad Scotty was there, stoked he won the bronze, and we’re bummed he’s not still in town interacting with those “hot Russians.”
It’s not the official US Snowboarding Olympic Team uniform, but these Analog pants are as close as anyone can get apparently. Burton says they will not be selling the uniforms no matter how many people beg for them. (Hard to believe we know.)
New photo-real sublimated products in Analog’s Outerwear Winter 2011 collection include the Gravel Pant – a faux look of worn in denim jeans. . . The Gravel Pant, which is very similar to what two of the top 3 snowboarders, wore—when they placed at the most recent half-pipe snowboard contest in Canada (available in October 2011, $250 retail). and the Andros Parka – a faux vintage military parka style jacket with oil, paint stains and patchwork also available October 2011, $300.
You won’t get mistaken for Shaun White or Scotty Lago in these, but they will allow you to look like a grizzled, dirty lift maintenance worker minus that oily, diesel smell.
Sport bra maker Kalyx has just named surfer Holly Beck as “Kalyx Woman of the Week on their blog Busted. We’re not exactly sure what that means, but we think Holly Beck deserves it. If nothing else it’s a great way to check in with the surfer with abs of steel.
Currently, Holly is working on a book about her globe-trotting experiences as a pro surfer. You can keep tabs on her latest adventures by following her blog, “Holly Beck Surfs.” Interested in learning how to ride like Holly? Check out her newly opened surf camp & yoga retreat for women – Suave Dulce – in Nicaragua.
Follow the link for the rest of the interview. You might learn something. We did.
Hypebeast dives into the beast behind the hype with SF designer Benny Gold. His work for HUF, Carhartt, and Gravis has always confounded us with it’s simplistic, lo-fi lines. Then again, making good design look simple is one sign of genius.
Peter Glenn of Vermont, the 16 store medium box East Coast snow sports retailer has announced they are closing their original Berlin, Vermont location after more than 50 years, according to a story in the Time Argus.
“After more than 52 years selling Skis, Snowboards, Skateboards, Accessories and Outerwear clothing in Vermont, 20 years at this location, Peter Glenn of Vermont, will close their doors,” the press release stated. “Peter Glen (sic) operates 15 other stores in the southern United States which will not be closing.”
Billabong sales in the US dropped by 6 percent but CEO Derek O’Neill says that’s actually not that bad considering the economy and currency fluctuations, according to a story in The Australian.
“There are a lot of other companies in our sector which wouldn’t have minded a drop of only 6 per cent in America,” Billabong chief Derek O’Neill said yesterday. “It got better in November and December, but in the early months — July and August — conditions were very tough in the US.”
But none of this has caused Billabong to cut back on the 5 percent growth they are estimating for the year.
Mr O’Neill said the company did not expect a strong sales burst but it was counting on increased margins for it to meet its profit guidance after cost-cutting in the second half of last year, particularly in the US.
The battle between Quiksilver’sRoxy and Kymsta Corp’s Roxywear has been rolling on in court for nearly a decade and the back and forth wins in US District courts have kept lawyers for both companies working overtime it seems.
“After all these years, we’re finally done,” said attorney James Nguyen, who represented Kymsta. . . “This is very positive for us,” said Art Pereira, who with his wife, Roxanne Heptner, owned Kymsta. . . “Hopefully this is the end of it,” said Charles Exon, Quiksilver’s chief administrative officer, executive vice president, secretary and general counsel. “From our first meeting, Quiksilver was happy to have Kymsta live within the parameters that were ultimately set forth.”
Apparently, the little guys occasionally win some.
Car-Freshner Corp., the company that makes the little trees that hang from people’s review mirrors and soak up that dank weedy smell, has filed a trademark infringement suit against Burton Snowboards according to a story in the Watertown Daily Times.
