With snow falling in the eastern mountains, you could say Sports Basement has well-timed its official debut in Southern California.
The outdoor equipment and apparel merchant with the motto “We sell the best brands at basement prices” is officially opening Saturday, Dec. 3 in Fountain Valley.
Locals will recognize the address at 10800 Kalama River Ave. as the former Fry’s Electronics, which closed in 2021.
So, what is Sports Basement? The outdoor retailer operates 11 stores in the Bay Area and is known for its wide inventory of sporting and outdoor gear. (Locals on the company’s Facebook page have already expressed their disappointment, however. The store carries no fishing or hunting gear. For that, they’ll have to wait for the Bass Pro Shops’ Outdoor World to open next year in Irvine.)
On its website, the company shared a little bit of the Sports Basement experience ahead of its “welcome party” on Saturday:
“We’ve got outdoor gear and apparel a-plenty, rentals in all sorts of categories, bike and snow shops, lots of couches (’cause we like being comfy and so should you), and plenty of space for you to host your next birthday party. Not kidding. “
Key for newcomers to a sport: Sports Basement rents gear and apparel and sells used merchandise for folks who don’t want to spend a fortune on a hobby they might try once. The company says that endeavor is part of its sustainability goals of upcycling goods instead of throwing them into a landfill.
Similar to REI’s membership club, Sports Basement has a loyalty program called Basementeers offering its members 10% discounts on all its goods. The company sends 10% of profits from member purchases to local charities, nonprofits or schools. Each store typically has a community space where events can be hosted such as yoga, meetings and more.
The company suffered a blow in 2020 when its chief financial officer, Tom Trauger, was killed in an accident near Las Vegas after a truck barreled into a group of bicyclists. Five cyclists, including Trauger, died. The truck’s driver, Jordan Barson, 45, cut a plea deal in which he admitted to two counts of driving under the influence resulting in death. He was sentenced to 16 to 40 years in prison.
All Sports Basements operate seven days a week. Find more details online at shop.sportsbasement.com
The company is hiring at the Fountain Valley store. Find job details at shop.sportsbasement.com/pages/jobs
New eats, 1 new shop at Outlets at Orange
The Outlets at Orange has three new dining options and one new store open just in time for holiday shoppers thronging the outdoor retail center.
Here’s a rundown of the new stuff:
Blaze BBQ Mediterranean Fusion: burgers and authentic Afghani and Turkish kebabs, wraps, salads and appetizers among other tasty platter offerings.
Suki Hana: Opens this month and features sushi, tempura and teriyaki.
La Michoacana: Also opens this month with myriad ice cream flavors, shakes and slushies and other sweet concoctions.
Chrono Toys: This shop for anime enthusiasts includes Funko POP, Squishmallow and other collectible items.
Salads, fruit bowls in one San Juan Capistrano eatery
What happens when salad and a fruit bowl hook up?
You get Saladworks and Frutta Bowls, a co-branded restaurant concept at 31876 Del Obispo in San Juan Capistrano.
The restaurant features salads and Açai bowls with lots of customizable options for salads, wraps, soups, bowls, smoothies and protein bites.
Saladworks and Frutta Bowls in SJC is owned and operated by two husband-and-wife teams: Rod and Shannon Markum and Nick and Michele Vernola. The foursome became friends courtesy of their children who attended the same schools.
San Juan Capistrano locals will recall that Rod Markum’s grandfather “Shorty” Markum owned the first grocery market in the area from 1950 to 1975 in the Franciscan Plaza (where Selma’s is located today).
Markum said the business partnership plans to expand further into the area.
Skin Laundry opening at Bella Terra
Skin Laundry, a skincare concept born in Orange County and known for its laser facials, has opened at Bella Terra in Huntington Beach.
The El Segundo-based company recently shifted from its Newport Beach hub to be closer to transportation hubs, including LAX.
In addition to a number of laser treatments, the company offers a “Thermo Fractional” facial which applies heat and motion to the top layer of skin, treating “fine lines and wrinkles, acne scarring, hyperpigmentation, dullness and texture.”
The company was founded by Yen Reis in 2013. She wanted to bring affordable “no downtime” skin treatments she had in Singapore here to the U.S.
Reis began in the greater LA market where she lived and soon added Orange County resident Chris Carey, previously a vice president of retail operations at Costa Mesa-based RVCA, to Skin Laundry’s executive team. Now acting CEO, Carey was key player in the company’s expansion to its second location at Fashion Island. The company has 33 clinics worldwide, including four in Orange County and 10 in LA. It recently expanded to Del Mar Highlands in San Diego County.
What’s Skin Laundry, you ask? The company provided some details for us. Those answers have been lightly edited for length considerations.
Q: How long was the company in NB before shifting to El Segundo? And why leave OC?
A: Skin Laundry was in Newport Beach for three years and, prior to that, was in Los Angeles. As Skin Laundry geared up for the rapid expansion of its footprint across the US, it also needed to increase production of its skincare line, which had been reformulated.
In order to support both sides of the business, which included bringing its US e-comm distribution in-house, finding the most accessible combination of warehouse and office space was paramount. It also needed to be closer to LAX, so that East Coast and international employees could easily get to and from HQ.
Q: Who performs the procedures on customers?
A: In the US, Skin Laundry’s facial treatments are all performed by registered nurses or nurse practitioners. Its protocols and treatment plans are designed and approved by board-certified dermatologists, physicians and physicians’ assistants.
Internationally, Skin Laundry’s facial treatments are performed by licensed laser specialists, per local governing requirements.
Before administering a single client treatment, every RN, NP and laser specialist goes through expensive training and completes a three-phase medical onboarding program.
Q: What’s the price range for treatments?
A: A la carte pricing for non-members ranges from $250 for Skin Laundry’s Signature Laser facial to $700 for its Ultra Duo facial, which combines two treatments to address below-the-surface and fractional resurfacing.
Q: Are there package options available for those with stubborn issues?
A: Yes, but better! Skin Laundry offers monthly membership tiers within its “Laundry Club.” Options include Rejuvenate ($350) for three facials per month and can be shared, Renew ($250) two facials per month, and Refresh ($150) includes one laser facial monthly.
Q: What’s the most popular treatment for clients?
A: Skin Laundry’s Signature Laser facial is their “creme de la creme” treatment.
Jobs available at Burke Williams
Burke Williams is hiring for a variety of jobs at its two locations in Orange County, and one comes with a $2,000 bonus.
Positions at the day spa include a guest experience manager, massage therapist, overnight cleaning crew and spa attendants.
Certain applicants for massage therapist positions in Mission Viejo could land that bonus money, depending on their experience. The company is offering a $1,000 signing bonus to recent massage grads. That goes up to $2,000 for applicants who have at least one year of massage experience. (Restrictions apply, so be sure to ask when applying.)
The company says it offers competitive pay along with other benefits.
For more information on job positions available, go to burkewilliams.com/careers.
On the move
Christopher Page is a new partner at Irvine-based Hardesty LLC. He joins a team of 15 Hardesty partners, who oversee the recruiting activities and deployment of 50 executive partners nationwide. Page will help Hardesty as the firm continues to expand its nationwide network providing executive and financial management solutions to private equity firms.
On board
Orange County Business Council has added three members to its board of directors. Julianna Barnes, chancellor of South Orange County Community College District; Ricardo Lorenzana, dean of the School of Extended Education at the University of Massachusetts Global, and Eric Morgan, vice president of community affairs at Irvine-based FivePoint Holdings.
Status Update is compiled from press releases by contributing writer Karen Levin and edited by Business Editor Samantha Gowen. Submit items and high-resolution photos to sgowen@scng.com. Allow at least one week for publication. Items are edited for length and clarity.
