Huntington Surf and Sport gets industry nod

Huntington Surf and Sport was nominated for two national industry awards for the best retailer of the year.

Celebrating its 35th year as one of Huntington Beach’s action sports retailers, HSS was one of five nominated for Men’s Retailer of the Year and Women’s Retailer of the Year for the upcoming Surf Industry Manufacturers Assn. (SIMA) Image Awards, according to a statement from the company.

“We are stoked and humbled to be nominated for the SIMA Image Awards,” HSS owner Aaron Pai wrote in the statement. “It’s truly an honor to be considered among the elite surf shops in the world and a testament to our family at HSS, especially the amazing women’s team of Ashlyn Pai and Latisha Tavarez that perfected the merchandising and product mix.”

The surf retailer’s last win in both the men’s and women’s category for Retailer of the Year came in 2011. The business has won a total of four Image Awards since its inception in 2003.

SIMA nominated the retailer’s men’s section for its plans to expand its flagship store in Downtown Huntington Beach on the corner of Pacific Coast Highway and Main Street. The nod to HSS’ women’s section was pinned on its variety of brands on its sales floor, according to the statement.

Winners for the 2013 SIMA Image Awards will be announced Feb. 13, 2014 at the Grove in Anaheim.

—Anthony Clark Carpio

Twitter: @acocarpio