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Bye Bye Dakine :-(
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Sasquatch

Since 09 Mar 2005
2053 Posts
PNW
Bigfoot



PostMon May 04, 20 4:14 pm    Bye Bye Dakine :-( Reply with quote

Thx you for the goods and services and jobs while in HR.

https://www.oregonlive.com/business/2020/05/dakine-will-close-hood-river-office-and-move-hq-to-southern-california-citing-coronavirus-fallout.html

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Trent

Since 10 May 2012
76 Posts
Hood River
 



PostMon May 04, 20 5:13 pm     Reply with quote

This is a major bummer. Very sad to see Dakine leaving Hood River. That said, I'm not sure I'm buying their claim that is due to Covid 19. That just doesn't make any sense.

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Matt V

Since 26 Oct 2014
462 Posts
Summer- OR Coast, Winter - My van near good snow
Explosive Diarrhea



PostMon May 04, 20 5:53 pm    Re: Bye Bye Dakine :-( Reply with quote

Sasquatch wrote:
Thx you for the goods and services and jobs while in HR.

https://www.oregonlive.com/business/2020/05/dakine-will-close-hood-river-office-and-move-hq-to-southern-california-citing-coronavirus-fallout.html


Backpacks and high heels.....we'll miss 'em. Last good harness I bought that lasted was 2012, maybe an enyr earlier.

DaKIne was the best.......a hole that has never been adequately filled since.

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McLovin

Since 11 Sep 2017
278 Posts
Corbett
Obsessed



PostMon May 04, 20 11:28 pm    Re: Bye Bye Dakine :-( Reply with quote

Matt V wrote:

DaKIne was the best.......a hole that has never been adequately filled since.


TWSS

Smile

Mc


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shred_da_gorge

Since 12 Nov 2008
1251 Posts
Local, not Low Cal
XTreme Poster



PostTue May 05, 20 8:11 am     Reply with quote

They repaired many a broken windsurf harness for me, and I have a carry-on bag that I can't even imagine how many miles has lasted through - so much so that I just bought a new mid-sized one from Doug's in anticipation of loading it up for our annual April in Padre that never was. Shame to lose the jobs in HR.

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deminimis

Since 15 Jul 2014
326 Posts
On the Rocks
Obsessed



PostTue May 05, 20 9:05 am     Reply with quote

Perhaps some cottage industry types can pick up the slack locally. Back in ancient times, we had folks building stomp pads (yes, I did some piece work back then) and other gear. For the most part, they all faded away (well, Airtime is still here, but a very different business model than 30 years ago). Hopefully some folks see an opportunity and turn Dakine's departure into something good. I know I'd be willing to pay more for locally well-built gear.

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user124

Since 02 Aug 2012
390 Posts
Portland
Obsessed



PostTue May 05, 20 9:09 am     Reply with quote

Trent wrote:
This is a major bummer. Very sad to see Dakine leaving Hood River. That said, I'm not sure I'm buying their claim that is due to Covid 19. That just doesn't make any sense.


I'm curious why you say that and if you have an alternate theory? Maybe there were other factors, but I have to imagine that in the context of a massive global economic contraction it's hard for them to see the benefit of maintaining an outpost in a small windsports town that is closed to visitors for the foreseeable future.

Regardless, sad to see them go. I've got a ridiculous amount of DaKine gear and it was nice to have local access to the company. They still make good stuff though which I plan to continue to buy.

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Trent

Since 10 May 2012
76 Posts
Hood River
 



PostTue May 05, 20 10:08 am     Reply with quote

It doesn't make sense because the Da Kine facility in Hood River wasn't retail so the fact that we're on lockdown wouldn't have an adverse effect on their business. Certainly COVID 19 is effecting Da Kine's business, as it is most other businesses but I don't see how that can possibly be related to the Hood River location.

Most likely the parent company has been waiting to consolidate and shut down the HR facility for a while now and are simply using COVID 19 as their excuse. The decision to leave Hood River entirely would have been an unpopular one throughout the outdoor industry, COVID aside. My guess is that they are betting that the COVID 19 angle lessens the fallout.

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Sasquatch

Since 09 Mar 2005
2053 Posts
PNW
Bigfoot



PostTue May 05, 20 10:28 am    Re: Bye Bye Dakine :-( Reply with quote

Matt V wrote:
Sasquatch wrote:
Thx you for the goods and services and jobs while in HR.

https://www.oregonlive.com/business/2020/05/dakine-will-close-hood-river-office-and-move-hq-to-southern-california-citing-coronavirus-fallout.html


Backpacks and high heels.....we'll miss 'em. Last good harness I bought that lasted was 2012, maybe an enyr earlier.

DaKIne was the best.......a hole that has never been adequately filled since.



Hey Matt, I was mainly talking about local people losing their jobs in HR. Yes, I'm confident some of those people will be moving down to SOCal retaining their jobs. But also losing a local presence sucks too. I liked being able to walk in and get some decent in-person customer service. . . Overall, it is a hit to HR and the State of Oregon.

As far as quality of their gear and line of gear, mfg's companies of all sorts are guilty of getting into/pushing products that they shouldn't had gotten into or pushed in the first place--the lure and greed of trying to grow the biz and diversify, all the while chasing the almighty $.

And all mfg's quality go up and down. . . DaKine's problem with quality probably was selling the biz in the first place and then being sold time and time again, being passed around like a hot potato.

And Matt, don't worry, if you need a pair of high heels for your GF, mother, or your crossdressing fetish, go shop at Nordstroms or Saks 5th Avenue. They'll have you covered and probably there are lots of deals these CV-19 days.

Razz Laughing

Last edited by Sasquatch on Tue May 05, 20 10:42 am; edited 1 time in total

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eric

Since 13 Jan 2006
1803 Posts

XTreme Poster



PostTue May 05, 20 10:35 am     Reply with quote

What I have been told is out of 50 in HR, 8-10 might be offered a position in LA.

Huge hit for HR, and more important, folks that have worked there for years and years, through multiple changes in ownership and so forth.

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Matt V

Since 26 Oct 2014
462 Posts
Summer- OR Coast, Winter - My van near good snow
Explosive Diarrhea



PostTue May 05, 20 6:09 pm    Re: Bye Bye Dakine :-( Reply with quote

Sasquatch wrote:

And Matt, don't worry, if you need a pair of high heels for your GF, mother, or your crossdressing fetish, go shop at Nordstroms or Saks 5th Avenue. They'll have you covered and probably there are lots of deals these CV-19 days.

Razz Laughing


Thanks for the advice Sassy, but they got my pic up in the store so I can't go in there anymore!

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juandesooka

Since 21 Jan 2014
96 Posts

 



PostThu May 07, 20 8:43 am     Reply with quote

Trent wrote:

Most likely the parent company has been waiting to consolidate and shut down the HR facility for a while now and are simply using COVID 19 as their excuse. The decision to leave Hood River entirely would have been an unpopular one throughout the outdoor industry, COVID aside. My guess is that they are betting that the COVID 19 angle lessens the fallout.


That was the scuttlebutt I had heard ... was already in plans, this was the trigger. And maybe the potential for some gov't disaster relief for displaced staff helped the decision? [just speculation, as a Canadian I am not familiar with USA's specifics...certainly the coffers have opened up here...and personally I am supportive of helping out people suffering from this, but am also sad to hear the stories of the help being abused]

IMHO the "surf lifestyle" biz is increasingly lame as the global multinational hedge funds buy them out, extinguishing whatever "soul" may have originally driven them to success. With so-called surf shops on the Avenue des Champs-Élysées selling $50 t-shirts....count me out!

I really don't care much about Da Kine either way ... but I am sorry that some local folks are losing their jobs, that sucks.

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ldhr

Since 21 Jul 2009
1470 Posts
Hood River
XTreme Poster



PostSun May 10, 20 7:20 pm     Reply with quote

What Kine!

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dhhr

Since 09 Jul 2015
28 Posts
Hood River
 



PostMon May 11, 20 6:46 am     Reply with quote

Quote:
...extinguishing whatever "soul" may have originally driven them to success...




In the early 90s I bought a used Dakine Dave Kalama chest harness at 2nd Wind so I could windsurf while pregnant. We had it signed by Dave himself! I got a good 10 years out of it. For years it's been in a corner of our garage and I've been meaning to bring it in to Dakine to see if they wanted to keep it in their archives or something. Not sure Marquee brands in LA would be interested in it - maybe the windsurfing section of the HR county museum would display it. Such a bummer for local Dakine employees and our local economy!

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shred_da_gorge

Since 12 Nov 2008
1251 Posts
Local, not Low Cal
XTreme Poster



PostMon May 11, 20 5:35 pm     Reply with quote

I remember when those colors were the shizzle - hell, even my van was purple! :-D

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dirtybackside

Since 02 Aug 2011
72 Posts
Hood River
 



PostTue May 12, 20 9:52 am     Reply with quote

dhhr wrote:
Quote:
...extinguishing whatever "soul" may have originally driven them to success...




In the early 90s I bought a used Dakine Dave Kalama chest harness at 2nd Wind so I could windsurf while pregnant. We had it signed by Dave himself! I got a good 10 years out of it. For years it's been in a corner of our garage and I've been meaning to bring it in to Dakine to see if they wanted to keep it in their archives or something. Not sure Marquee brands in LA would be interested in it - maybe the windsurfing section of the HR county museum would display it. Such a bummer for local Dakine employees and our local economy!
[youtube]


That harness is rad! You should see if Yve wants it at the Haiku Dakine shop. I'm sure my father-in-law would put it up on the wall at Hi-Tech Surf Sports on Maui too. He's got a bunch of memorabilia up on the walls in all his shops

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dhhr

Since 09 Jul 2015
28 Posts
Hood River
 



PostTue May 12, 20 12:17 pm     Reply with quote

Quote:
That harness is rad! You should see if Yve wants it at the Haiku Dakine shop. I'm sure my father-in-law would put it up on the wall at Hi-Tech Surf Sports on Maui too. He's got a bunch of memorabilia up on the walls in all his shops


Good idea - I have been to both places in the past few years and will bring it next time I go!

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