Pacific Sunwear of California, LLC is an American retail clothing brand. The company sells lifestyle apparel, along with swim, footwear and accessories designed for teens and young adults. As of 2022, the company operates 325 stores in all 50 states and
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico (; abbreviated PR; tnq, Boriken, ''Borinquen''), officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico ( es, link=yes, Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico, lit=Free Associated State of Puerto Rico), is a Caribbean island and Unincorporated ...
.
PacSun is headquartered in
Anaheim, California
Anaheim ( ) is a city in northern Orange County, California, part of the Los Angeles metropolitan area. As of the 2020 United States Census, the city had a population of 346,824, making it the most populous city in Orange County, the 10th-most p ...
, and operates a distribution center in
Groveport, Ohio. The company's regional directors, district managers and store positions are located throughout the United States. The company went bankrupt in April 2016 and is now owned by
Golden Gate Capital
Golden Gate Capital is an American private equity firm based in San Francisco. The firm makes investments in a number of select industries, including technology, financial services, retail and industrial, through leveraged buyout transactions, as ...
.
History
Initially founded by Jack Hopkins and Tom Moore in 1980, its roots can be traced back to a small
surf shop in
Seal Beach, California
Seal Beach is a coastal city in Orange County, California, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population was 25,242, up from 24,168 at the 2010 census.
Seal Beach is located in the westernmost corner of Orange County. To the northwest ...
. PacSun built its business selling merchandise from established surf brands but later expanded to include
skate
Skate or Skates may refer to: Fish
*Skate (fish), several genera of fish belonging to the family Rajidae
* Pygmy skates, several genera of fish belonging to the family Gurgesiellidae
* Smooth skates or leg skates, several genera of fish belongin ...
and
street wear
Streetwear is a style of casual clothing which became global in the 1990s. It grew from New York hip hop fashion and Californian surf culture to encompass elements of Sportswear (fashion), sportswear, punk fashion, punk, Skateboarding#Culture, sk ...
labels. The company offers products for both men and women that include: jeans, tees, tanks, polos, knits, flannels, hoodies, boardshorts, bikinis, shorts, pants, dresses, rompers, skirts, sweaters, jackets, snow apparel, shoes, sandals and accessories. The company went public on March 15, 1993 and at its height had over 1,300 stores in all 50 states. PacSun opened a second chain of stores called d.e.m.o., in 2000. The last of these stores closed in 2008.
![D](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c9/D.E.M.O._Logo_2000.svg)
On February 23, 2005, the company restated results for certain periods to correct its
accounting
Accounting, also known as accountancy, is the measurement, processing, and communication of financial and non financial information about economic entities such as businesses and corporations. Accounting, which has been called the "languag ...
for
lease
A lease is a contractual arrangement calling for the user (referred to as the ''lessee'') to pay the owner (referred to as the ''lessor'') for the use of an asset. Property, buildings and vehicles are common assets that are leased. Industrial ...
s.
In 2012, PacSun collaborated with celebrity influencers
Kendall Jenner
Kendall Nicole Jenner (born November 3, 1995) is an American model, media personality, and socialite. She is a daughter of Kris Jenner and Caitlyn Jenner, and rose to fame in the reality television show ''Keeping Up with the Kardashians.'' Je ...
and
Kylie Jenner
Kylie Kristen Jenner (born August 10, 1997) is an American media personality, socialite, and businesswoman. She starred in the E! reality television series ''Keeping Up with the Kardashians'' from 2007 to 2021 and is the founder and owner of ...
to produce their own fashion line.
From 2009 to 2017, Gary Schoenfeld was the CEO of PacSun. Following his departure from the organization, James Gulmi became the interim CEO.
In 2016, PacSun filed for
Chapter 11 bankruptcy
Chapter 11 of the United States Bankruptcy Code (Title 11 of the United States Code) permits reorganization under the bankruptcy laws of the United States. Such reorganization, known as Chapter 11 bankruptcy, is available to every business, whe ...
and reorganized through a debt-for-equity restructuring agreement with
Golden Gate Capital
Golden Gate Capital is an American private equity firm based in San Francisco. The firm makes investments in a number of select industries, including technology, financial services, retail and industrial, through leveraged buyout transactions, as ...
, emerging as a privately owned company. At the time of the bankruptcy filing, there were 593 stores with no immediate plans to close any locations.
In 2018, PacSun merged with
Eddie Bauer
Eddie Bauer, LLC is an American clothing store chain headquartered in Seattle, Washington. Eddie Bauer sells its merchandise via retail stores, outlet stores, and online and via phone, with a call center in Groveport, Ohio. Its flagship store is ...
, also owned by Golden Gate, to form PSEB. Mike Egeck, CEO and President of
Eddie Bauer
Eddie Bauer, LLC is an American clothing store chain headquartered in Seattle, Washington. Eddie Bauer sells its merchandise via retail stores, outlet stores, and online and via phone, with a call center in Groveport, Ohio. Its flagship store is ...
, became the Chief Executive Officer of PSEB, with oversight of both the Eddie Bauer and PacSun brands. James Gulmi continued to serve as a PSEB director.
In 2020, Egeck stepped down from his role of CEO, but remained as an active
Board
Board or Boards may refer to:
Flat surface
* Lumber, or other rigid material, milled or sawn flat
** Plank (wood)
** Cutting board
** Sounding board, of a musical instrument
* Cardboard (paper product)
* Paperboard
* Fiberboard
** Hardboard, a ty ...
member and shareholder. PSEB announced that James Gulmi would become the interim CEO, a role he previously held from 2017 to 2018. At the time of the announcement, PacSun was down to 400 stores.
Marketing practices
In May 2011, PacSun launched its first national advertising campaign called 'Dress Irresponsibly'. The highlight of the campaign included television commercials aired across a variety of networks that featured famous athletes from the brands they work with. Appearances by
Rob Machado
Robert Edward Machado (born October 16, 1973) is an Australian-born American professional surfer.
Early life
Machado attended San Dieguito High School. He describes himself in interviews, vlogs and social media as a "soul surfer," or free ...
,
Bucky Lasek
Charles Michael "Bucky" Lasek ( ; born December 3, 1972) is an American professional skateboarder and rallycross driver.
Career
Professional skateboarding
Born in Baltimore, Maryland, Lasek started skateboarding at the age of 12, shortly af ...
, Chris Pfanner, Kelia Moniz,
Ryan Dungey
Ryan Dungey (born December 4, 1989) is an American professional motocross and supercross racer. He competed in the AMA Motocross Championships from 2006 to 2017 and again in 2022. Dungey is notable for being a four-time supercross and four-time (1 ...
and
Leo Romero
Leo Romero (born November 28, 1986) is a professional skateboarder whose early skateboarding influences included Heath Kirchart, Jamie Thomas and Andrew Reynolds.
Early life
Romero was born in Fontana, California, United States and is the son ...
, were significant in helping re-establish the brand among its male audience. Other elements of the campaign included print media in both endemic and fashion publications, and a digital engagement initiative on
Facebook
Facebook is an online social media and social networking service owned by American company Meta Platforms. Founded in 2004 by Mark Zuckerberg with fellow Harvard College students and roommates Eduardo Saverin, Andrew McCollum, Dustin M ...
titled 'Dress Irresponsibly: Style Challenge.' Through a customized Facebook app fans were encouraged to upload photos of themselves that met weekly style challenges in exchange for a chance to win a styling gig at ''
Nylon
Nylon is a generic designation for a family of synthetic polymers composed of polyamides ( repeating units linked by amide links).The polyamides may be aliphatic or semi-aromatic.
Nylon is a silk-like thermoplastic, generally made from petro ...
'' in New York City.
Following the launch of the Dress Irresponsibly campaign, PacSun continued to evolve from just a surf and skate apparel shop into a leading retailer of emerging brands, particularly for women. Collaborations with notable design minded labels Whitley Kros and LnA coupled with a turn to style and fashion focused garments has given the brand an elevated look.
In an attempt to connect to the company's California roots, the brand launched a national digital and print initiative titled Golden State of Mind. Golden State of Mind, or GSOM for short, is about celebrating the creativity and diversity of California and its people. Working with photographers Nicholas Maggio, Harper Smith and Andrew Kuykendall, PacSun has looked to capture the beauty and imagination of California through lifestyle imagery from such places as
Lake Arrowhead,
Los Angeles
Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...
,
Malibu,
Pismo Beach
Pismo Beach (Chumash: ''Pismuʔ'') is a city in the southern portion of San Luis Obispo County, in the Central Coast area of California, United States. The estimated population was 8,072 at the 2020 census, up from 7,655 in the 2010 census. It ...
,
Big Sur
Big Sur () is a rugged and mountainous section of the Central Coast of California between Carmel and San Simeon, where the Santa Lucia Mountains rise abruptly from the Pacific Ocean. It is frequently praised for its dramatic scenery. Big Sur ha ...
, and
San Francisco
San Francisco (; Spanish language, Spanish for "Francis of Assisi, Saint Francis"), officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the commercial, financial, and cultural center of Northern California. The city proper is the List of Ca ...
. As part of the initiative, the retail giant created a lifestyle content website called GSOM.com. The site includes an interactive experience containing: campaign imagery and videos, landscape photography, a series of city videos that highlight the best places and locations in California, an interactive map, a user generated social media feed from Instagram, and a blog focused on: fashion, music, art, entertainment, action sports and brands.
File:PacSun 2003.jpg
File:PacSun 2004.png
File:D.E.M.O. 2003.jpg
File:D.E.M.O. 2004.png
File:D.E.M.O. 2006.png
References
External links
*{{Official website, www.pacsun.com
Clothing retailers of the United States
Clothing brands of the United States
Swimwear manufacturers
Companies based in Anaheim, California
American companies established in 1980
Clothing companies established in 1980
Retail companies established in 1980
Companies formerly listed on the Nasdaq
Surfwear brands