The iconic Pierside Pavilion, which sits across from the Pier on Main Street & Pacific Coast Highway in Huntington Beach, will be rebranded the Huntington Surf and Sport Building after its largest tenant: Huntington Surf and Sport. The Huntington Surf and Sport Building is in its final expansion with plans to construct over 27,000 square feet housed in a 4-story building. The new expansion will be attached to the existing Huntington Surf and Sport Building and will house high-end retail on the ground floor, a 2nd floor upscale restaurant with a rooftop terrace and two floors of office space.
Huntington Surf and Sport was founded in 1978 right on Huntington Beach by Aaron Pai. He was offered an entry level positon for a small surf shop then, only one year after he began, the owners offered Aaron the entire business. He decided to purchase it and thus began Huntington Surf and Sport . Huntington Surf and Sport is a staple in Huntington Beach and an icon in the surf retail world. Huntington Surf and Sport puts extensive thought into their merchandise and retail displays, always keeping a true “Aloha Spirit”. “It’s all about the love of our Sport of Surfing and sharing it with people,” said Pai, “we’re not about the sale; we’re all about helping people and providing what’s right for them. The sale is just the fruit of helping people.” The name change of Pierside Pavilion comes on Huntington Surf and Sport’s 25th anniversary at the Huntington Beach Pier location.
In the new expansion of the Huntington Surf and Sport Building, ground-floor retail shops will allow pedestrians easy access to shopping and offer retailers extra space to display merchandise. This setup will attract more attention to their shops, boosting sales and interest. The additional ground floor retail space at the Huntington Surf and Sport Building will increase the already high foot traffic in the area, bringing more business to the existing shops and restaurants.
The new restaurant space will offer a sprawling 8,000 square feet to a fine dining establishment. It will include a gourmet kitchen, upscale finishings and plenty of attraction allowing a new business to thrive. The seating space includes a large indoor area as well as a partially covered terrace. The most exquisite piece of this space is the large rooftop terrace with a reflecting pool where diners can enjoy the beautiful views that Huntington Beach has to offer.
Over 10,000 square feet of the new expansion are dedicated to office suites, some including balcony space with sweeping views of the Pacific Ocean.
Currently, Huntington Surf and Sport Building is a collection of bustling shops, offices and restaurants in nearly 80,000 square feet of existing space. The new addition will increase the overall square footage to over 100,000 square feet of retail, restaurant and office space. Existing shopping and dining establishments include Huntington Surf & Sport, Subway, Andes Peruvian Arts & Crafts, Gallagher’s Pub and Grill and Surfline, Inc.
“Pierside Pavilion is a well-established shopping center and this expansion is going to bring increased business to the area. We are happy to be filling out the space with upscale retailers and providing improvements to this area of Huntington Beach.” –Gary Daichendt, Founder, Theory R Properties
Other improvements to the Huntington Beach area are happening around the same time frame. Just to the south of Huntington Surf and Sport Building, a 191,100 square foot center is being constructed. This new establishment, called Pacific City, is planned as a communal city with residents, boutique hotels, restaurants and retail shops. Pacific City is expected to bring in a whole new crowd of people to Huntington Beach, increasing popularity and income for the area. In addition, The Strand on Fifth Street is located just north of the Huntington Surf and Sport Building. The Strand was constructed similarly to the hopes for Pacific City. It held its grand opening six years ago and is currently thriving as an authentic beach lifestyle shopping center with fine dining and community events.