credit crunch downturn, can this lifestyle industry continue its ride into the mainstream?
Amongst surfers, Jack O'Neill is a legend. And his place is pretty special too.
It isn't filled to the rafters with electronics or expensive art or other trappings adorning the home of a successful businessman. This isn't Jack's style. What's special about Jack's house is the view - a beach framed by a perfect surfing swell.
You wouldn't expect anything less from a man known for his love for the ocean and surfing.
"This was built on spec. We used to sleep right down here on the beach," says Jack O'Neill.
"We started out in San Francisco, and I would come down here with the family and we would sleep on the beach and surf, and if the weather got really bad we would get a motel, and there is a park out here, we have a tent, and we'd stay in the park."
"This is kind of a surfers' house. It has a trampoline back here, behind the drum, that goes down to the next floor, and the kids really like that."
"When I used to put my suit on in the morning and jump on the trampoline, and then go in the water, it would be nice and warm," says Jack.
'You're going out of business'
At 88 years old and with some health problems, Jack cannot surf anymore. But it was his love of surfing and wanting to surf for longer that led him to build his first wetsuit and open the very first surf shop back in 1952.
"Surfing for me was a very important part of my life. I'd work downtown in San Francisco and I'd get all screwed-up, and I'd go out and I'd jump in the ocean and everything would be alright again."
"All I wanted to do was surf, and when I opened that shop in my garage, I thought I would have a few guys there to sell suits and have guys to surf with. One of the guys up there told me: 'O'Neill, you are going to sell the five guys on the beach and you are going to be out of business'."
"Nobody is more surprised than I am about how this business has grown," Jack recalls.
Today, O'Neill is a global brand, not just for surfing, but skiing, kiting and other action sports.
Full article on BBC
