Billabong buys into beachculture

Gold Coast headquartered surf and skatewear group Billabong International will tap into the tourism market through a joint venture arrangement signed with airport-based surfwear retailer beachculture.

The move will see the beachculture business transferred into a new company, which will be jointly owned by existing beachculture owner John Brooks and Billabong.

The agreement takes in 19 stores, including seven airport sites in Sydney, three each in Melbourne and Brisbane, two each in Perth and Cairns and one in Auckland.

All stores will continue to trade under the beachculture banner and will remain multi-branded retail outlets under the new ownership structure.

Billabong said
Over the coming year Billabong will reportedly look for opportunities to expand the beachculture store network in Australia, however it is the intention to keep chain focused on airport retailing inside and outside Australia.

A new general manager will be appointed shortly.