RETAILING : Action Sports Moves Its Trade Expo on Surf and Skate Wear to San Diego

Wondering where to find the latest in boomerangs, skateboard hubcaps or shred wear (collars) for dogs and cats? Through Friday they’re all at the Action Sports Retailer Trade Expo, which is the nation’s largest collection of surf, skate and ski wear and snow-boarding apparel.

Action Sports Retailer, the South Laguna firm that produces the trade show and magazine of the same name, is holding its semiannual show in San Diego this year for the first time, after 10 years in Long Beach.

The switch allowed Action Sports to add 66% more booths--to a current total of 1,950--and 47% more exhibits, bringing the total to 900, said Brad Bonhall, senior editor of Action Sports Retailer.

One thing that hasn’t changed is the involvement of Orange County manufacturers--about two-thirds of the exhibitors are locally based. And as always, the show is a must in terms of making sales for Orange County-based surf wear industry heavyweights.

One of the more unusual exhibitors is California Sun Tattoos of Orange. The firm is just beginning to market “sun tattoos”--stick-on decals of lips, scorpions, hearts, surfers and bats. The idea is to paste a decal on your arm or leg, go sit in the sun, and soon--a sun tattoo.

And Bagz, the Newport Beach firm that last year brought us lobster- and fish-shaped beach bags, is back with beach pillows with hidden Velco pouches.