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, reflects this. Located in the musty row of old one-story storefronts on Newport Boulevard in Costa Mesa, The Black Hole's neighbors include such local favorites as the sawdusty Goathill Tavern and Hollywood's Barber Shop. Around the corner is The Closet. Across the street looms Triangle Square, a mostly empty relic of the 90s, it's white plaster walls and terra cotta tiles crumbling.
“It's underground, not a mainstream surf shop. It's the anti-mainstream surf shop,” says Tanner. Tanner and the others at the shop envision a place where kids from the underground can pop in and hang out, without the constantly impending capitalistic pressure to buy more stuff.
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His shop in fact recalls something of the former outlaw glory of surfing in California. A sign in the window is hand-painted in drippy black paint. Multi-colored longboards hang from the ceiling, held up by pieces of rope. Books about the old days of surfing, including a photo book about Mickey Dora, one of surfing's original outlaws, sit on a shelf.
The custom boards Tanner shapes have already given him a reputation locally. He learned the art from master Seal Beach shaper
In addition to boards, the shop carries fins by Captain Fin Co., clothes by RVCA, and custom boardshorts tailored in-house by Lauren Pederson. Drew Brahs also builds custom motorized beach cruisers out of the shop
“We started this with no loan or anything. Just from the ground up, with our own savings from our jobs,” says Tanner. “And everything is done in-house, no overseas stuff or anything like that.”
The shop's opening reception is this friday August 28th at 7:30pm. And it's all ages and includes music by Gantez Warrior and Japanese Motors, a BBQ by Tanner and his brothers, and free drinks with a (real) ID. It promises to be a fun night in Costa Mesa. 1808 Newport Blvd., Costa Mesa.
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