L.A.
MANUFACTURER BRINGS BIG
SAVINGS TO LOCAL SURF MARKET
by Elizabeth
Anderson
Board
shorts, 2 for $15? At this price, guys literally stop
in their tracks when they pass the C-Ya in California
booth at Kobey's. But not only the price gets the attention
of local beach goers. Rick Ouziel, a clothing manufacturer
working out of Los Angeles, uses remnant fabrics of
high-end surf brands in his goods.
Of course first quality board shorts at
two pairs for $15 can't fail to become an instant hit
with Kobey's bargain hunters. His observation: "You
never see the guys shop until they hit the C-Ya booth!"
Rick identified Kobey's as the best place
to turn his close-outs, over-runs and samples back into
cash. He says Kobey's has been a crucial ingredient
in his success recipe. In addition to building his company's
revenue, Rick says he's able to identify the winners
in his line before they ever hit the street because
of the feedback he gets from Kobey's shoppers.
"San Diego is a good cross section
of America and it's a testing ground for lots of products,"
he explains. "Southern California is also the home
of beach and surf. Styles are decided here and the rest
of the world follows. To me, Kobey's attracts your puritan
beach and surf person. I find out what people like."
Rick test markets everything from pre-season
to small cuts of proposed styles. According to sales,
he can determine whether an item will be a winner or
end up a dog before going into full production. In the
course of the summer, he brings up to thirty different
styles of board shorts to Kobey's. Most are for men,
but C-Ya also carries a large line of women's board
shorts at the same low price.
"Beach and surf is the standard uniform
for every guy and girl in this community," he insists.
C-Ya in California's shorts are a functional
surf short, but the styling offers versatility. They
are machine washable, don't shrink or fade, are triple
needle stitched with salt water resistant thread and
are slightly oversized in fit which makes them even
more comfortable. Besides attracting a slew of customers,
Kobey's has helped Rick make contacts with the International
Male catalog and he now supplies surf shops in Mission
Beach, Ocean Beach, Pacific Beach, North County and
shops in Rosarito, Mexico.
Sales from Kobey's connections and his booth
are just the tip of the iceberg. C-Ya in California
is a multi-million dollar business which ships over
350,000 units a year. The company now boasts a line
of over 57 items. Despite his growth, Rick says he would
never let go of his exposure at Kobey's.
"I actually built this business from
swap meet and street sales," he says. "You
have to remember what brought you ino your initial success."
A
third generation clothing manufacturer, Rick made his
mark in the clothing industry by launching the once
popular beach baggy pant in 1989. Initially he made
a killing, but once the pant went out of style, he was
left with lots of fabulous memories, but an empty bank
account. It wasn't until 1995 that Rick was able to
resurrect C-Ya in California by getting into board shorts.
He remembers, "I was working weekends
at a retail outlet. I bought my wife a pair of board
shorts and she wore them one day at a nearby water park.
We noticed everyone was looking and pointing at them.
That is a true clue to a hot item."
With this observation and much encouragement,
Rick got a hold of his old buddies and the sewing machines
were back in business. Rick feels his biggest accomplishment
to date has been restarting his clothing company and
bringing it back to a level of success and profit.
WhatÕs in Rick's future? Besides delving
into new fabrics and styles, he's also developed a line
of graphic skim boards and carry bags. Over the years,
he's benefited from niche markets and so is always on
the lookout for new ones.
He says, "It's a three to five year
project, but I'm going to have a t-shirt made that says:
I bought my mansion at KobeyÕs."
Visit Rick of C-Ya in California in space
D13 every Saturday.
(Article taken from Kobey's
Magazine, June, 2005.)
