Latest news with #InternationalSurfingMuseum
Los Angeles Times
03-07-2025
- Business
- Los Angeles Times
New bookstore in downtown Huntington Beach caters to fans of adult romance genre
The logo — a capital 'M' surrounded by a pair of brackets — is mysterious enough, but Mystic Box has been a well-known name in the adult romance book genre since launching in 2018. Now it has a brick-and-mortar location for fans of the often-steamy novels to get their fix. Mystic Box Bookshop opened in downtown Huntington Beach on June 14, with a ticketed book-signing event featuring authors Santana Knox and C.E. Ricci. The line went around the corner, into the alley between Mystic Box and the International Surfing Museum, as Knox signed copies of 'Heartless Heathens' and Ricci signed copies of 'Iced Out.' Sisters Sydney and Genevieve Engeran came from Long Beach for the grand opening. 'This is a very popular company already, so they're already well established,' Genevieve Engeran said. 'It's going to be really nice to see the book community that is primarily online.' Her sister nodded in agreement. 'A lot of us are homebodies, so we don't get to go out that much and meet like-minded people,' Sydney Engeran said. Mystic Box is owned by Kate Benito and her husband, Phil, who live in Seal Beach. They have been known for a bimonthly subscription service, where two hardcover books advertised as dark, mafia or forbidden are mailed out to subscribers. There's a long waiting list for the service. Kate Benito said the company outgrew its Los Alamitos warehouse and moved to Huntington Beach. Last year, an event at the Kimpton Shorebreak Huntington Beach Resort featuring seven authors signing sold out in a matter of minutes, she added. 'I figured the next step would be to have a brick-and-mortar presence for readers to come to,' Benito said. 'People are so connected to their phones, and some people want to disconnect. It's weird. Authors are seeing more sales on their paperbacks, because it allows people to have that down time without technology. The new breed of readers is looking for a more tangible format.' The store's next book-signing event is Aug. 2, and will feature Katelyn Taylor, an author from the Pacific Northwest. Mystic Box Bookshop, located at 221 Main St., Huntington Beach, is open Tuesday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. The store is closed on Mondays.
Los Angeles Times
02-07-2025
- General
- Los Angeles Times
Huntington Beach to explore moving International Surfing Museum
Huntington Beach's International Surfing Museum, established in 1987 by Ann Beasley and Natalie Kotsch, has been a mainstay downtown on Olive Avenue since 1990. But the museum could be moving a bit north as part of a merger with the Main Street branch of the Huntington Beach Public Library. The City Council voted 7-0 on Tuesday night to direct staff to evaluate the feasibility of locating the surfing museum within some underutilized space in the library. The item was brought forward by Mayor Pro Tem Casey McKeon, Mayor Pat Burns and Councilwoman Gracey Van Der Mark after the International Surfing Museum approached the city asking for more space to display larger surfboards, some dating back to the 1930s, along with other archival materials. Van Der Mark expressed hope that a shared space between the museum and library, along with the Huntington Beach Art Center across the street, could create an art district on the fifth block of Main Street. 'I think actually outgrowing the current facility is a good problem to have,' she said. 'We're trying to find a solution. It is Surf City USA … maybe it'll be a little destination. Instead of just coming down to the first block to shop, second block to eat, maybe tourists can work their way out there to go to the surf museum and the library, maybe even collaborate with the library and having some reading programs.' International Surfing Museum executive director Peter 'PT' Townend said he has an extensive library of surf magazines and books, along with other relics. 'We're going to create a study center of surf culture,' said Townend in an interview following Tuesday night's meeting. 'We hope to help with one of the educational institutions, one of the colleges, as part of that.' Townend added that Mike Adams, a member of the museum's board of directors, has already sketched out some possible layouts. 'It's a big step forward, in my opinion, for Surf City,' Townend said. 'We need to be bigger and better. We've been operating world-class exhibits in a box, and now it's time to get bigger and better … We might have lost the Olympics, but we're still Surf City. We want people to come here for the Olympics, to come visit Surf City and see the International Surfing Museum.' He added that the International Surfing Museum, which debuted an exhibit about Duke Kahanamoku last year, is planning for a 2026 exhibit to honor the 50th anniversary of the World Surf League. Townend, originally from Australia, became the first professional surfing world champion in 1976. City staff will review the Main Street library branch's compatibility with the surf museum, operational impacts and required land use entitlements and return to the City Council within 90 days with findings and next steps. Visit Huntington Beach, the city's tourism agency, has indicated preliminary support for the move and could help with relocation and operating costs.
