WRV - - a service / retail biz that is lost

Freedom. I avoid all business' using that word in it's title. Using an American tragedy to make sales.
But the biggest reason is because they're affiliated with Pete Smith of Pete Smith Surf Shop. They burned me when I was 20. I bought my first wet suit from them. It was a Bailey with legs lined with what looked like shag carpeting on the inside. The legs were coming apart after the first winter and I took it in for repairs in June. Oct came and my suit wasn't ready. the sales man said he'd trade for a new Bailey Licra plus. Space age technology that was warmer and less bulky. only had to pay 20 bucks difference in price. Got it and used it on a big day. I jumped off the pier and the suit split at the crotch and pit. I took it back and said I wanted my other one. He said it wasn't back yet but in the mean time, I was to sew up the tear and apply "Goop" to seal it. I did it, and after curing, the seam was sealed and flexible. BUT after being in cold salt water, the goop became brittle and was like having shards of glass glued to my pit and crotch. I went back and saw my suit on the rack. I brought both suits to the counter to swap out. the guy said, "I can't take it back because there's goop on the seams. Beat it"
After that, everytime I needed a suit, I'd go there, find the most expensive one, and bring it to the counter. After they ring it up, I tell them to jam it and why." I always planned to throw a cinder block thru their window with a note "you deserve a brick today" but I was always in a rush getting in the water, and too satisfied after surfing to care.
So, after I found out Pete was with freedom, I went in, found a beautiful wooden long board, $1500, took it to the counter, and after they rung it up,I told them why I wasn't buying it and to tell Pete to blow me.

 

For what it's worth, I've known Shane at WRV for close to 20 years. He is not the most gregarious, "hey, how ya doing? How's the wife and kids?", type of guy. Sometimes I'm even lucky to get a "What's up?" out of him. He's not a bad guy though. I've seen him many times go out of his way for what I can tell is a tourist or some surfing newbie. He's worked there for what seems an eternity by surf shop standards, so he might be in need of some customer service refresher. Working anywhere gets stale after a certain time.

As for Freedom, I get the vibe there that he got from WRV. They act like they're doing you a favor by trying to sell you their overpriced boards. No thanks dude, I don't need your sick, 5 fin bonzer that totally rips Malibu.

 

You may be the only person I have ever heard trash Pete Smith. And I think you spent way too much effort in sticking it to him! Just don't go back.

I haven't really seen their customer service be good or bad really, just sort of "meh". But I can tell you, a bonzer is an ideal board for Virginia Beach most days. In case you haven't looked out the windows, our waves suck. Malibu may actually be better.

I wouldn't really ride a bonzer though.

 

I went back a lot. just never spent another dime there.
Yeah, like you, a lot of people consider pete a god. I consider him a rip off azz wipe.
There was an article in the paper about him and mentioned his email (or face book, I don't recall) So I contacted him, to let him know he wasn't forgotten. Surprisingly, no response.

 

HAHA, You hold quite the grudge huh! Funny stuff about the brick though.

 

At what point did I say I consider him a god?

And why the hell would you waste time going back? Dude, you got a finite amount of time on the planet, why waste it on that!?

 

Epic grudge!

 

Best way to settle these disputes is with a set of over-sized boxing gloves and a slip and slide surface

 

I concur. I wish more people understood this.

 

I wish we would take this approach in our interactions with international politics.

 

I like rock em sock em robots. Not as satisfying as strapping on the gloves though.

 

they need to bring back dueling

 

Well, Malibu is better, but I don't ride a long/funboard, which is what most here associate to bonzers for some reason. Bonzers can be and are of any length really.

 

I can never understand why I can't find a springsuit at any of the shops when I need one. I was looking for a large/tall spring this past may. Started at whalebone and worked my way east through freedom, wrv, coastal edge and finally found 1 (yes just one) at 17th st. At every shop the guys looked at me like I was asking for a RoyS board. Why the hell wouldn't you have a normal guy sized spring suit when the water is springsuit temp???

/Rant over thanks for listening

 

My guess is that your grudge, and all of the associated anger and frustration, is seriously misplaced. You, like most people, may not realize that Pete sold his shop and therefore his name way back in 1976 to a couple of non-surfer investors. From that point forward the place spiraled downward into a tourist-driven retail outlet.

They kept the name "Pete Smith's Surf Shop", milking Pete's reputation, until the business finally died in the 90's.

Hold a 20 year grudge if you must, but make sure you know who really owns the window before you throw the brick!

 

Certainly.

 

I was sort of waffling between "This guy is 60 years old" and "He doesn't know Pete Smith hasn't had a shop in 40 years" myself.

 

Whalebone is the one next to Fresh Market right? That store barely had anything. There were maybe 10 used boards in the second level. But everything else were flip-flops, sunglass, watches.

 

I haven't bought anything from them, but last time I was looking around in there, they had probably 2 dozen Channel Islands boards, 30 or so Lost, and a couple dozen assorted other new and used boards.