OCEANSIDE: Surf Shop hit by car
Quaint structure damaged
By GIG CONAUGHTON - Staff Writer | ∞
Fire crews look over the wreckage of Oceanside's Real Surf shop after a woman allegedly crashed through the storefront early Monday morning. (Photo courtesy of Kevin Skibba) OCEANSIDE ---- The owners of a quaint Oceanside surf shop got an unwelcome start to their week Monday morning when a driver crashed through their South Coast Highway storefront.
Oceanside police could not be reached Monday after the incident, but bystanders said a woman driving a Toyota turned from Eucalyptus Avenue south on South Coast Highway, sped across the curb and ran through the front of the Real Surf shop about 6:30 a.m. Witnesses said the woman did not appear to be injured, and refused medical treatment at the scene.
But the tiny surf shop looked devastated. Racks filled with beach wear and sandals remained untouched in the back of the shop, but the front of the shop was reduced to rubble, broken brick and shattered glass.
Ironically, shop owner Shawn Ambrose said, the recently remodeled shop had been the subject of a Sunset Magazine photo shoot over the weekend.
"They're doing an article on Oceanside and the tourism here," he said. "They picked us, the surf museum (California Surf Museum), the 101 Cafe and the Beach Break Cafe."
Now, Ambrose said, he expects his "mom and pop" surf shop to be shut down at least a couple weeks. Monday morning's crash sheared a support beam in the front of the store, city engineers cut off the building's electricity and workers busily replaced the store's surfboard-shaped signs with warning signs.
Building owner Tracy Scheidel said that less than 10 years ago, another driver missed the curb and plowed into the building next to the surf shop, tearing out its windows and damaging the structure.
Ambrose said the crash hits during an already depressed economy, making it tougher to deal with.
"The bummer about this is that if this is January or February it wouldn't hurt me so bad," he said. "But, we make all our money in the next five months (of summer)."
He said that he had been planning to hold a tent sale outside the shop this weekend to drum up business. He may still do that despite the damage, he said.
"I've just got to deal with it. I can't change this (crash) now, so I've got to make lemonade out of lemons. We were going to have venders come, and have like a band in the corner and put some hot dogs on the grill to kind of generate interest in this economy. So we can still do that this Saturday. Now it will be kind of a 'help us rebuild' thing."
Contact staff writer Gig Conaughton at (760) 901-4067 or gconaughton@nctimes.com.
More Stories
Advertisement
I hope wrote on Jun 16, 2008 12:04 PM:the NCT does a follow up story on what caused the driver to lose control of her car and crash into this shop. I also hope the driver has really good insurance.
saw it first hand wrote on Jun 16, 2008 12:45 PM:Getting in my car this morning i heard a loud bang, and when i turned onto coast hwy from my side street i saw the car in the building, what a crazy sight
Whew wrote on Jun 16, 2008 12:48 PM:At least it isn't July 1st when the cell phone law goes into effect!
Girls Rule wrote on Jun 16, 2008 1:06 PM:I hope the driver is o.k. and didn't suffer a major medical problem before the crash, like the 80year old man who had a massive heart attack before his accident on the highway on ramp at Oceanside Blvd. What cynics comment on others misfortune.
sorry shawn wrote on Jun 16, 2008 1:56 PM:This is my fav surf shop in oside. They are tied in with the Hill St Cafe and the Fish Joint. Always bad to see a local biz get hurt. I had hoped it was Surf Ride, since they have more than enough dough to fix stuff like this. Why does it have to be the local core shop?
Bummer wrote on Jun 16, 2008 2:32 PM:Whoa momma. That sucks man. Sorry to hear about your shop. Good looking out though with the whole make lemonade outta lemons thing. Dude has the right outlook.
To Whew... wrote on Jun 16, 2008 2:46 PM:What does the cell phone law have to do with this? The article does not say anything about the woman being on a cell phone at the time of the accident.
jvc wrote on Jun 16, 2008 2:55 PM:Please support this store during their tent sale!
turn it into wrote on Jun 16, 2008 5:15 PM:a drive-thru, where the crew can pull up and get some sex wax for the paddle out...idea...cha-ching
JP wrote on Jun 16, 2008 5:50 PM:This is a bad event for this mom&pop business. Summer just began and shops like this need every bit of income to make it through the slow winter months. This is a terrible setback. Shawn and Heather Ambrose are good people and they have a new baby. I hope the insurance companies step up and do their duty for this hard working American family. (and how do you hit a building with your car???)
Dson wrote on Jun 16, 2008 7:21 PM:I have worked/helped Shawn and Heather at Real Surf Shop for over 2 years now. The Ambrose family does everything they can do to take care of the daily customer...now please help them w/ your prayers and support.
Craig wrote on Jun 17, 2008 6:53 AM:This PC jargon has gone too far. The caption under the picture says a woman "allegedly" crashed into the store. Give me a break.
JuanGrande wrote on Jun 17, 2008 7:37 AM:This might actually be a great thing for the shop, I will hit the tent sale just because of the hoopla. COWABUNGA!!!!!!
JuanGrande wrote on Jun 17, 2008 7:40 AM:Craig - come one, we are not sure she actually crashed, and they have to confirm it happened Monday morning. We do not want to rush to judgment.
To JuanGrande wrote on Jun 17, 2008 7:44 AM:That is pretty funny, so use to reading it, I missed it. Thanks for the laugh!
Carlsbad-by-the-Smokestack wrote on Jun 17, 2008 12:53 PM:I'm glad Sunset Magazine got their pics before this. Maybe readers will help rebuild.
Umm.. wrote on Jun 17, 2008 3:04 PM:...hope the magazine doesn't say "oh, thats not the same shop anymore, we can't run those.." Talk about PC gone nuts.
THE ONE wrote on Jun 17, 2008 3:49 PM:A drive-thru surf shop? Sheer genuis!
The Surfaris wrote on Jun 17, 2008 7:05 PM:Ahahah Wipe out ! This time build a jetty to block the occasional errant driver.
Danny wrote on Jun 18, 2008 11:35 AM:Will not be in the area for the big tent sale this weekend. Once back in town though will swing by the shop to purchase some goods to help support ppl there. Small town shops are always the best.
OSPD wrote on Jun 18, 2008 1:13 PM:Did they investigate this accident?
Gary wrote on Jun 18, 2008 11:22 PM:Wow, wheres all the police bashers. You know it was police fault she hit the building, even though they had nothing to do about it. Anyways, I am happy that no one was injured in this crash. Her life is more valuable than the car.
OSB wrote on Jun 20, 2008 8:26 AM:dude hopefully shawn has that sale ill be there spendin dough like always.
First name only. Comments including last names, contact addresses, e-mail addresses or phone numbers will be deleted. Attempts to misrepresent your identity or impersonate any person will not be approved. All comments are screened before they appear online, so please keep them brief. Comments reflect the views of those commenting and not necessarily those of the North County Times or its staff writers. Click here to view additional comment policies.
Today's Stories
Advertisement
Videos
Advertisement