Looks like another shop will be biting the dust

[supdiscobay]

Sorry guys, the hats don't say Blame Wardog.  But the way he takes credit for some things you would think it should.  I give him a lot of credit for being a surfer/shaper who was an early convert to this sport, but to use the term "helped to create the entire sport in certain ways".  He has been around a long time and has built some nice boards and was early to the internet with stand up information and sales.  This is what makes his shop successful. 

And to keep this on topic, he also carries other boards too!

Its fun to go into his shop and talk stories with him.  Guys with egos have some great stories. 
I also enjoy his old pictures he posts of surfing. (Not 20 pics of the same board)

[PonoBill]

I'd credit Wardog as much as any other person for the growth of SUP. No sarcasm at all. Wardog evolved into his own brands, he was an early Starboard dealer.  I think single brands work when you control enough of the product mix, and use that control to improve the product which Wardog certainly does.

Then again, I was the first to put the fin on the bottom in the back.

Not good to see shops closing, but business is never easy.

[surf4food]

The hats also don't say Blame Dave, Rick, or Brian.   Anyway, I understand the idea of a one brand shop not being very lucrative while modern day SUP is still young, but Yolo is a pretty reputable brand and this currant location seemed pretty ideal.

[surfcowboy]

I'm not super aware of the brand but did Yolo ever graduate from focusing on all a rounders? They always seemed like a Florida flat water brand to me. (Again, just my perception, I could be way off.) but if that's the case then a specialized store would need to cater more to hard core followers of a sport.

Casual first timers buy at big shops or big box stores and then maybe seek out a specialist. If your shop doesn't cater to the 2nd, 3rd and beyond, boards, I imagine it'd be hard to maintain a following. In the end, I predict a shrinking out here and growth in the middle of the country until a balance is found. This isn't going to be Mountain Biking or something like that. If we're lucky we can be like canoes and kayaks and maintain a slow burn with a section in an outdoor or surf store. If not, local shapers can always make 'em and Pono knows how to get paddles so I'm cool.

[robon]

I'm not super aware of the brand but did Yolo ever graduate from focusing on all a rounders? They always seemed like a Florida flat water brand to me. (Again, just my perception, I could be way off.) but if that's the case then a specialized store would need to cater more to hard core followers of a sport.

Casual first timers buy at big shops or big box stores and then maybe seek out a specialist. If your shop doesn't cater to the 2nd, 3rd and beyond, boards, I imagine it'd be hard to maintain a following. In the end, I predict a shrinking out here and growth in the middle of the country until a balance is found. This isn't going to be Mountain Biking or something like that. If we're lucky we can be like canoes and kayaks and maintain a slow burn with a section in an outdoor or surf store. If not, local shapers can always make 'em and Pono knows how to get paddles so I'm cool.

Yolo has a full range of boards ranging from all-arounders to racing, but their prominence as a brand seems to have fallen way off over the last few years. That's my take anyways.

[surf4food]

This is their 2015 range:    http://www.yoloboard.com/shop/sup-boards.php
I've seen a fair # of them out and around San Diego.  Maybe not as much as Starboard or Naish but still respectable. 

[supdiscobay]

General observation of the shops I like to go to, and who get my business, include range of boards carried and accessories.  Many shops carry few accessories, which causes me to buy online.  The very successful shops also have good rentals and make it easy for customers to rent/carry, including delivery, or their location is so good being walking distance from a break or lake.
As for boards, I have not bought a board I did not ride first, so demo's are a must, and that can be tough for a small shop to carry a lot of demos/rentals.  Especially high end boards and high performance boards.

Customer service is always a huge factor in shop/brand loyalty.
Last year I wanted to demo a Hobie Raw wave board.  I was referred by the shops that carry them, to contact the So-Cal rep.  When I did, it was difficult to coordinate with him, as I was in Encinitas at the time and he was up in Orange County.  Bottom line, I didn't buy a Hobie.

Its still not a good sign when shops close for any reason.  I don't see sup following the same track as windsurfing did.  Too much diversity and market potential.  I got out of windsurfing, because it was a lot easier to just grab my surfboard and paddle out.  I got tired of the equipment hole I put myself in.  Multiple boards and sails, going out with not enough or too much sail etc..  And most of all, my wife didn't sail.  And she is totally into paddling, surfing and cruising.  So I suspect there are a lot more like me out there, that just haven't tried it yet.

[magentawave]

One brand can work if you offer custom and production which is exactly what Infinity does. Plus, Infinity has a substantial network of dealers that sell their boards too. I don't know if Yolo's flat water boards are any good but to not offer a full range of high-performance surf sups in a surf city like San Diego was probably not the best idea. (Yolo's highest performance surf sup is 9-2 and 20 freaking pounds!)

[surf4food]

No one has a crystal ball to SUPs future.  Only time will tell.  Have no idea if this shop closing has anything or not to do with the overall state of the sport or the local scene.  The Facebook page (and to be clear Yolo San Diego, not Yolo the board company which is a separate website and FB page) mentioned to a poster that it is going to close but will remain open until the inventory is gone.  No reason given as to why it’s closing.  The window on their shop says “Moving Sale” but no info to where it’s moving to.    I tried to go in their yesterday but it just had a phone number posted to call.  Maybe the guy was out for lunch.  Still a fair amount of gear.  I certainly hope you’re right about SUP not following windsurfing’s fate (tho windsurfing seems to be making a bit of a comeback).  The reasons you mentioned make plenty of sense.  Then again, why did rollerblading end up the way it did?  It’s relatively cheap, it can be as mellow or extreme and you want it, you can do it anywhere and even right out your front door (personally I was a longboard skater and hated rollerblades).  I am under the impression that 2014 was SUPs peak explosion period and now there is a bit of herding out going on.  My hope is it will reach a healthy plateau and just remain there like several other sports.  We’ll see.

[surf4food]

One brand can work if you offer custom and production which is exactly what Infinity does. Plus, Infinity has a substantial network of dealers that sell their boards too. I don't know if Yolo's flat water boards are any good but to not offer a full range of high-performance surf sups in a surf city like San Diego was probably not the best idea. (Yolo's highest performance surf sup is 9-2 and 20 freaking pounds!)

That makes a lot of sense, but San Diego has tons of flat water options.  Mission Bay, parts of the harbor, La Jolla Cove, etc.  Since flat water is the main area of growth and what is currently most popular, I can see why a company might not put too much energy into high performance surf, even with all surf options San Diego has.

[kayadogg]

One brand can work if you offer custom and production which is exactly what Infinity does. Plus, Infinity has a substantial network of dealers that sell their boards too. I don't know if Yolo's flat water boards are any good but to not offer a full range of high-performance surf sups in a surf city like San Diego was probably not the best idea. (Yolo's highest performance surf sup is 9-2 and 20 freaking pounds!)

That makes a lot of sense, but San Diego has tons of flat water options.  Mission Bay, parts of the harbor, La Jolla Cove, etc.  Since flat water is the main area of growth and what is currently most popular, I can see why a company might not put too much energy into high performance surf, even with all surf options San Diego has.

I've never thought of Yolo as having any kind of offering in the performance surf SUP area and the only team rider that is well-known and does well is EJ (Ingo is well-known but living in HI sort of limits his exposure, unless you watched Dancing with the Stars). EJ is at almost every single race from SD to Tahoe and in between. I've seen a picture on social media of a Yolo surf SUP that he has but obviously it was a one-off custom. I know surf and racing are the two smallest areas of the industry so I think this has hurt them. Obviously flatwater/inflatable/all around shapes and paddling is what will keep you in business and when you're a company that needs to compete in that area, having one brand can hurt you. What if you absolutely hated orange? Yolo is out. At least with different brands being offered, the consumer that is looking for their next purchase has options and doesn't need to look elsewhere and you're maintaining that customer loyalty.

On the flip side, when you almost exclusively care about surf and/or racing, shops like Infinity are hard to beat. On any given day, you can walk in and talk to Dave or Steve and pick their brain on shapes and what you're looking for. Hell, you can just about ask Dave to borrow one of his actual boards and try it in the harbor. He's around, he's very accessible and if he's not, they have a great staff that will step in. They also have a pretty great selection of hand-made boards off the shelf along with their Boardworks lines. And lastly, they always have a great selection of used boards at great prices (sometimes even other brands). They are a niche brand but they do it well and Dave understands marketing and what he needs to do to stay relevant and desired in a small market. Plus they make some killer boards that just flat out work.

[raf]

As a shop owner, here is my take on 1 brand stores:

pros: crazy good margins, easy to brand

cons:  so much great stuff coming out every year from other brands; if you have an issue with anyone at headquarters you are sunk; and if the supply chain fails you are also sunk.  Plus its just not that fun or good for the customer.

1 brand shops are almost by definition a boutique experience. 

[magentawave]

Another good thing about Infinity is that their team riders are all exceptionally good surfers. I just wish they were closer to where I live.

One brand can work if you offer custom and production which is exactly what Infinity does. Plus, Infinity has a substantial network of dealers that sell their boards too. I don't know if Yolo's flat water boards are any good but to not offer a full range of high-performance surf sups in a surf city like San Diego was probably not the best idea. (Yolo's highest performance surf sup is 9-2 and 20 freaking pounds!)

That makes a lot of sense, but San Diego has tons of flat water options.  Mission Bay, parts of the harbor, La Jolla Cove, etc.  Since flat water is the main area of growth and what is currently most popular, I can see why a company might not put too much energy into high performance surf, even with all surf options San Diego has.

I've never thought of Yolo as having any kind of offering in the performance surf SUP area and the only team rider that is well-known and does well is EJ (Ingo is well-known but living in HI sort of limits his exposure, unless you watched Dancing with the Stars). EJ is at almost every single race from SD to Tahoe and in between. I've seen a picture on social media of a Yolo surf SUP that he has but obviously it was a one-off custom. I know surf and racing are the two smallest areas of the industry so I think this has hurt them. Obviously flatwater/inflatable/all around shapes and paddling is what will keep you in business and when you're a company that needs to compete in that area, having one brand can hurt you. What if you absolutely hated orange? Yolo is out. At least with different brands being offered, the consumer that is looking for their next purchase has options and doesn't need to look elsewhere and you're maintaining that customer loyalty.

On the flip side, when you almost exclusively care about surf and/or racing, shops like Infinity are hard to beat. On any given day, you can walk in and talk to Dave or Steve and pick their brain on shapes and what you're looking for. Hell, you can just about ask Dave to borrow one of his actual boards and try it in the harbor. He's around, he's very accessible and if he's not, they have a great staff that will step in. They also have a pretty great selection of hand-made boards off the shelf along with their Boardworks lines. And lastly, they always have a great selection of used boards at great prices (sometimes even other brands). They are a niche brand but they do it well and Dave understands marketing and what he needs to do to stay relevant and desired in a small market. Plus they make some killer boards that just flat out work.