Board Retailers Association organizes and expresses the views and concerns of independent board specialty retailers to industry associations, major trade show organizations and others in an effort to help promote our industry, support the board sports specialty retailers and protect our Lifestyle.
View board sport specialty retailers from around the United States speak about how they are managing these challenging times, the resources they have leaned on and new opportunities that lie ahead. This remarkable Retailer Roundtable Panel Discussion initially aired at the Surf Expo Connect virtual tradeshow on September 17, 2020
Host:
George Leichtweis, BRA Chairman and Owner of Modern Skate & Surf (Royal Oak, MI)
Panelists:
Ferguson Herivaux, One Gig (Boston, MA)
Coco Tihayni, Surf Diva (La Jolla, CA)
D. Nachnani, Coastal Edge (Virginia Beach, VA)
Paul Erickson, Management One
This is a video of an interview conducted on September 28, 2020 by Vipe Desai of PropagandaHQ.net with Doug Works (Executive Director of the Board Retailers Association), who shared updates with Vipe on what the organization is doing to help its retail members as well as insights as to how retailers are managing during the pandemic.
Be sure to visit PropagandaHQ.net to view valuable Industry News and Resourceful Articles regularly.
Special Educational Webinar hosted by Board Retailers Association and presented by Dan Jablons of Retail Smart Guys on May 21, 2020 and now available on demand via this channel and www.boardretailers.org This outstanding webinar provides some guidance for independent retailers, to help them open their stores after Covid-19. This super informative webinar will cover store layouts, staffing, marketing, selling, merchandising, and financial steps that retailers need to take in order to successfully reopen their stores after having been shut down.
Here is an cool overview video of the BRA Retailer Roundtable that we hosted at The Outdoor Retailer Snow Show on January 31, 2020. The Distinguished Panelists included Jason Strubing (Skate Works in Santa Cruz, CA), Teddy Schiavoni (Locally) and Dave Pankratz (Exchange Collective). George Leichtweis (BRA Chairman and Owner of Modern Skate and Surf in Royal Oak, MI) moderated and Doug Works (BRA Executive Director) opened and closed this outstanding open forum discussion event. Shane Thomas filmed and edited this remarkable piece.
Here is a more bite size version of the mini ramp action at Surf Expo in January 2020 featuring some ripping skateboarding that happened during and after the BRA “Battle of the Shop Bosses” (a shop owners / managers mini ramp contest) on the show floor. BRA Vendor Partner, Office Depot supported this super fun event by providing prizes and gift cards to reward ripping skateboarding.
Our good friend, professional skateboarder, on-air personality and brand owner, Anthony Shetler announced the event.
Filming and editing by Sam Curran.
At Surf Expo in January 2020, Board Retailers Association hosted a shop owners / managers mini ramp contest called “The Battle of the Shop Bosses” on the show floor. BRA Vendor Partner, Office Depot supported this super fun event by providing prizes and gift cards to reward ripping skateboarding.
Our good friend, professional skateboarder, on-air personality and brand owner, Anthony Shetler announce the event.
Filming and editing by Sam Curran.
BRA would like to sincerely thank Glenn Brumage and the epic staff at Surfing Heritage and Culture Center for hosting the event as well as each of the Supporting Event Partners including Solite Boots, Exchange Collective, Locally, Action Watch and Sambazon. Board sport specialty retailers from throughout Southern California and beyond as well as board sport related manufacturers and trade organizations participated in this open forum solutions-oriented discussion about the issues and opportunities facing our industry today and in the future.
BRA Retail Membership – Why you should choose either Regular or Distinguished Retail Membership
Regular Retail Membership
As a Regular BRA Retail Member you will have a voice, you will benefit from BRA relationships and you will have access to BRA programs. All Regular Retail Members will be included in periodic member surveys, receive regular communications (Bi-monthly newsletter and exclusive partner emails detailing the latest issues, products and services affecting the industry and independent retailers), receive a number of BRA Vendor Partner discounts (including the exclusive Office Depot Preferential BRA Member pricing program) as well as limited Brand Partner offerings, quarterly educational webinars and free access to most BRA sponsored Gatherings, Trade Shows and Retailer Roundtable Events.
This Membership is absolutely free to board specialty retailers but does require completion of this simple form.
Distinguished Retail Membership
As a Distinguished BRA Retail Member, you will have all the benefits of Regular Membership and so much more. You will receive even more discounts on the latest vendor services and products that as an individual shop you might not otherwise be able to access. Our Distinguished Members are provided with training and education opportunities and occasional invitations to exclusive industry events. We also provide you with industry and retail statistics via BRA Supporting Vendor Partner Action Watch—and the opportunity to participate in action-sports specific research programs. We stand together as a voice in the industries that we serve to ensure our members are a part of the innovation and evolution of the board specialty retail.
Distinguished Retail Member Benefits:
BRA Distinguished Member Window Sticker
All Distinguished BRA Members will receive at least two of the BRA Distinguished Retail Member Window stickers (shown above) that can be displayed prominently in the front window or door of your storefront(s).
Tax Deductible Member Dues
Since Board Retailers Association is set up as a 501(c)(6) non-profit organization, the already low Distinguished Member Dues of $99 per year (the equivalent of $8.25 per month) are completely tax deductible.
Introductions to professional service providers in your region
Any Distinguished BRA Member can contact the BRA Executive Director with any professional service need(s). The Director will identify the best professional service provider who has the capacity to perform the service at a competitive price then make an introduction to the Member even if the provider is not yet a BRA Vendor Partner.
Access to our Private Label Program
Select BRA Vendor Partners offer fleece, board-shorts, headwear, t-shirts, socks, hard-goods (decks, wheels and more), custom clothing tags and other OEM shop branded products at lower minimums and lower unit costs to our Distinguished Retail Members.
Member Communications
Quarterly newsletter and exclusive partner emails detailing the latest issues, opportunities, products and services affecting the industry and independent retailers specifically for Distinguished Members.
Distinguished Member Discounts
Special offers and exclusive Member cost breaks on POS systems, credit card payment systems, POP and signage services, marketing and shipping resources, rental insurance, health insurance, accounting and much more. Stay tuned for specific details on BRA specific POS systems, health insurance and shipping programs.
Trade Show Special Networking Events
Our trade show partners including Surf Expo and Outdoor Retailer often recognize Distinguished BRA Retail Members with special luncheons, dinners and networking events, in addition to VIP retailer access at their shows. Surf Expo even provides access to its Premier Buyer Club Lounge at both the September and January shows.
Retailer Roundtables
Distinguished BRA Members receive invitations to participate in any BRA Retailer Roundtable Events, which will be scheduled on a variety of dates in various regions and/or virtually throughout 2020 and beyond.